Year 2, Week 46, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 46, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Roman 10-11.

Today’s reading continues Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome. Romans, the longest of Paul’s letters, is a systematic explanation of the Gospel. Today’s reading brings to a completion segment, which began in Romans 9 and runs through Romans 11. This segment focuses on Paul’s explanation of how the Gospel has not failed the Jews. Romans 10 opens with Paul’s heart to see the conversion of Israel: "Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). But Paul holds Israel responsible for their rejection of the salvation that comes only through Jesus: "For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:3-4). The only righteousness that is saving is the righteousness that Jesus provides for all who turn to Him. But Israel sought their own attempts at righteousness. Romans 11 concludes by exploring Israel’s future: “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!” (Romans 11:1a). God has not ultimately rejected His people. Some, like Paul, come to faith in Christ now: "For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:1b). Still others, after the full numbers of Gentiles come, will also come to faith in Christ: “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins” (Romans 11:25-27).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the interplay between the sovereign purposes of God in election, and the responsibility placed upon humans to proclaim the Gospel to the lost, as well as the lost’s obligation to turn to Christ. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility seem to be incompatible to us. It is common to assume that one of these points can be true, but both can’t. The limits of human logic and reasoning suggests that either God is sovereign or man is responsible, but both can’t be the case. However, the revelation of truth from God’s Word does not pit the two against one another, but promotes the truth of both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. Romans 9 puts a strong emphasis on the purposes of God in election: “that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls” (Romans 9:11b). While Romans 10 puts a strong emphasis on preaching the Gospel to all and the responsibility of everyone to turn to Christ: “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). 

Romans 9 explores the salvation of Israel by pointing out that not all of Israel is Israel: “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named” (Romans 9:6b-7). The point that Paul is making is that not all Abraham’s children belonged to the promised line. God’s people never were determined purely by biological descent; they were determined by God’s free act of promise all along. Only Abraham’s son Isaac was given the promises. Then, we Isaac’s wife Rebekah was carrying twins, only one was given the promises: "though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:11-13; referencing Genesis 25:23, and Malachi 1:2-3). Anticipating that such a statement will sound unfair, Paul explains: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:15-16; referencing Exodus 33:19).

But as Romans 10 unfolds, Paul orients his discussion around the need for turning to Christ in faith: "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:8-9; referencing Deuteronomy 30:12-14). In fact, at the end of Romans 9, Paul explains that Israel was culpable for their rejection of Jesus: "Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 9:32-33; referencing Isaiah 8:14, 28:16). Paul continues stressing the need for Israel to turn to Christ in faith: “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:10-11). Therefore, it is not only the responsibility of Israel to turn to Christ, it is the responsibility of the church to advance the message of the Gospel so that people would hear and believe: "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?…So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:14-17). Israel, nor any other unbeliever, can blame the electing purposes of God; they can only acknowledge their guilt and shame for rejecting Jesus. Such realities are beyond the scope of human understanding and even Paul concludes: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe