To get some context for Romans 9 we must first look at this verse from Romans 1:
Rom 1:16 The Power of the Gospel
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power for salvation
to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.34
One of the main [unspoken] questions Paul is answering in Romans 9 is this:
Is Romans 1:16 true? Has the Gospel, God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, come to the Jews?
Obviously, it has come to the Gentiles, Paul is a witness to that. He is the Apostle who has been God's instrument in making that happen.
But what about the Jews?
Paul opens Romans 9 this way:
Rom 9:1 Israel's Rejection Considered
1 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me2 in the Holy Spirit —
Rom 9:2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.3
Rom
9:3 For I could wish4 that I myself were accursed — cut off from Christ
— for the sake of my people,5 my fellow countrymen,6
Rom 9:4 who are Israelites...
I'm sure what Paul is saying is clear to most everyone, but let's go ahead and be clear:
Paul is IN Christ,
the Jews are accursed, cut off from Christ.
This bothers Paul to such an extent that he says he could wish that their places were reversed!
[As an aside, there was another man who felt this way, but unlike Paul, he didn't just wish it, he did something about it.
His name is Jesus.]
So, what Paul is saying is that, at least to an overwhelming extent, because he refers to them as a group, that the Gospel has NOT come to the Israelites and therefore it would appear the Gospel is powerless.
And one more thing, and it's big:
Romans 9:4 ...To them belong7 the adoption as sons,8 the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship,9 and the promises. Rom 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs,10 and from them,11 by human descent,12 came the Christ,13 who is God over all, blessed forever!14 Amen.
God appears to have turned His back on His supposedly 'chosen people'!
God appears to have renounced His promises.
This is very serious, for if we even consider the 'righeousness of God', even for a moment, then we must conclude that unless there is a VERY GOOD reason God has abandoned His people, then we would be forced to conclude that He is not trustworthy and therefore a God not worth following.
Chris
Comments