Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Romans

Romans 11:25-36

Intro: We have come to perhaps the most persistently misunderstood part of Paul's writings. Many see this passage as the place Paul changes his mind from what he has said in Romans up to this point.

     It is said that Paul now, all of a sudden, believes that the Jews will in fact as a nation come rushing back to Jesus, en mass, at His second coming. It will be a last minute, large scale salvation of the whole Jewish nation.

     What I intend to do today is to go through the text, pretty much verse by verse. I will give you the despensational view and then examine what I believe Paul is saying based on my last seven years of study and on what He has already said in Romans.

     Let me give you a hint, Paul doesn't change his mind. Anyway, it will be your job, should you accept, to decide for yourself what Paul is saying in Romans 11:25-36.

     I encourage you to study to show yourself approved, don't just listen to what I say or to what you have been taught in the past...examine it yourself.  Okay?

Trans:  This passage is the high point of Paul's argument not only of Romans 9-11 but of his letter thus far  because it is his proof of the covenant faithfulness of God. Paul has shown time and time again that God has not forgotten Israel. He has not lied when He said Israel would be His people. Paul is saying here in a grand way, God is faithful to His covenant with Israel...all Israel Will be saved.  Are you confused yet? This is important because if God has not been faithful to His covenant with Israel, then He can't be trusted to be faithful to us either. And without the belief and assurance of the faithfulness of God, we really  can't be certain about our future either here or when we die.  Open you Bibles to Romans 11 and lets see what Paul is saying. We will begin at verse 25.

III. The Revelation to the Remnant  (vs. 25-32)
    A. Why the Revelation (vs. 25a)
         1. Paul is writing to believers, he calls them brethren.

         2. He does not want believers to misunderstand what he has been saying about what God is doing.
            And he  doesn't want them and us to become conceited (last week)

         3. He says God is revealing a mystery to them and God wants us to know what He is doing.
            (Exp. God: God reveals to us what He is doing so that we can  join Him in His work)
                -Dispensationalists hold that this mystery must be of a grand scale and is limited to Israel. Well, In Eph. 3:3,6,9
                 Paul says that God has revealed a mystery that the Gentiles are fellow heirs in Christ. Paul says the Gentiles are
                 a mystery was well.
                -The mystery of Israel is in the same manner as the mystery to the Gentiles. Remember that.

    B. The Nature of the Revelation (vs. 25b-32)
         1. Vs. 25b
              -Partial hardening of ethnic Israel: some Jews have accepted Jesus as the Messiah but most have rejected Him
               and have been hardened by their persistent rejection. (God gave them over)
              -Partial hardening of the Gentiles. Rom.1 'God gave them over'. But some are being saved. Again we see the Jews
               are treated by God in the same manner as the Gentiles.
             -Fullness of the Gentiles: A specific # of Gentiles  who will be saved by the  spread of the Gospel to every tribe and
               nation. Fullness does not mean every Gentile will be saved, but a specific number from all the tribes and nations of
               the world. Dispensational and Covenant theologians agree.

         2. vs. 26a
             -thus: outw": 'so', 'in like manner', 'likewise'.
                  -Dispensationalists translate this not , 'in the same  manner', 'so' or 'likewise', but, as 'then'.  'And then all Israel will
                    be saved.' That changes the interpretation doesn't it?
                  -This word,  however is never translated anywhere in the NT as  then.  It is more correct to translate it as
                    'and likewise' or 'and in the same manner', all Israel will be saved.

              -In the same manner as what? As the Gentiles are  being saved by faith in Jesus Christ so shall all Israel be saved...
                as a  faithful remnant of all  Gentiles, remember both sides agree not all  Gentiles will be saved. All Israel will be
                saved in the same way.

             -All Israel: Dispensational theology according to John Walvoord  says all ethnic Jews who are alive when Jesus returns
               to set up His millennial kingdom for 1000 years in Jerusalem will see Him, receive Him and be saved by Him.

 Here are a few disclaimers by other dispensational theologians
             -Even though all Israel is speaking of a national salvation of the Jews en mass, it does not necessarily mean that every
               individual Jew will be saved.

            -There will be a large number of Jews who will be open and tender to the Gospel but not necessarily every individual
              Jew.

             -Israel will be open to the Gospel just as the Gentiles are open to the Gospel. Many Jews will be saved just as many
              Gentiles are saved now.

     Can you see the movement within dispensational theology to qualify the 'ALL Israel', from all, to a large number, to many will be open to the Gospel. Sounds to me like they are saying there will be a remnant of Jews who will be saved and who are a part of true Israel...but they can't say that and remain consistent with their doctrinal paradigms.

            -Israel: Dispensational theology says this must be  national Israel because Paul was obviously talking about national
             Israel in vs. 25 and when the same word is used in the next verse, it must mean the same thing.

          -Rom. 9:6 says it is not all Israel who is descendent from Israel. Here Paul uses both Spiritual Israel and national Israel in
            the same verse. Remember Paul, constantly redefined who True Israel is.

          -In Rom. 9:8, 2:28-29 Paul says true Israel is not of the flesh  or outward circumcision (ethnic) but are those who have
           circumcised hearts and who live by faith, they are Israel.

      What is Paul saying here? All Israel by faith not all Israel by birth will be saved and they will be a remnant of both Jews and Gentiles.

SIDEBAR: Paul is not saying all Israel may be saved. Jesus did not die on the cross to provide salvation for anyone who might want it...He died on the cross to secure or make certain the salvation of those God gave Him, the Elect, True Israel.  All Israel will be saved. Does that make sense? Can you see that? Isn't this a great text?

     3. vs. 26b-27
         -Dispensational theology holds that this is prophetic and will take place at Jesus' second coming, when He comes to set
           up His earthly millennial kingdom in Jerusalem.

         -Does anyone see a problem with this interpretation? From where is the Deliverer (Jesus) coming?
           FROM Zion, not FROM Heaven. This is talking of Jesus' first coming.  He came from National Israel to deliver True
           Israel from their sin. His death on the cross removed ungodliness from everyone?...No From those who believed in
           Him.

         -Remember the Lord's Supper,  This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you for the remission of sin.
           This prophesy already happened. That is what makes the salvation of all true Israel certain, the shed blood on the
           cross of Calvary. This is good stuff!

     4. vs. 28-32
         Dispensational theology holds that since God called national Israel to be His people, they must all be saved because God can not take back His calling.

         The problem is that the thrust of what Paul is talking about in these verses is not ethnic Israel vs. gentiles but mankind's disobedience and God's mercy. All are disobedient and all deserve  condemnation and eternal death separated from God. But to those whom He calls, He shows mercy on them all.

         Has Paul changed his mind? No, he reaffirms God's impartiality, the point he made in chapters 1-4 that raised the issue of Israel and made Paul write chapters 9-11. God's mercy to some undeserving sinners regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds all comes down to His sovereign choice.

         He will show mercy on whom He will show mercy. And He will harden whom He will harden. It is God's decision alone, whether we fully understand it or not.

Trans: Paul ends His 11 chapters of theology with a doxology in verses 33-36

IV. The Rejoicing of the Remnant (Vs. 33-36)
     Did you know that verses 33-36 is perhaps an early Christian hymn. Paul completes his examination of God's righteousness in His sovereign choice, by bursting forth in a song, a doxology of praise to God. The song  says that it is God who is the source of all things, the sustainer of all things and the receiver of all things. To God be the glory.

Conclusion
     The Westminster Confession of Faith says that the chief end of man is to glory God and enjoy Him forever. To glorify God one must acknowledge His wisdom, knowledge, grace, mercy, holiness, justice, love and all His other glorious attributes that are so above and beyond what we are able to comprehend.

     We ought to rejoice with Paul. God is faithful to His covenant with Israel. All Israel will be saved and if you know Jesus Christ personally, you are part of 'All Israel' and you will spend eternity in heaven with Him.   God promises it and in His righteousness He stands by His word. And that is worth rejoicing.

     Because God is faithful with the big thing of salvation, he can be counted on to be faithful with everything He has promised to the faithful remnant...

     He can be counted on to be faithful to you, in difficult times, in uncertain times, God will be faithful to you, His beloved children. In Jesus all the promises of God are Yes and Amen!

     Verses 33-36 is the proper response of our hearts to God's sovereign working and to His covenant faithfulness. God is good.   Let's tell Him.