Join us as we explore Paul’s thought-provoking analogy of Israel’s journey and God’s divine plan of salvation. This episode sheds light on the significance of the remnant and the profound connections between the past and present teachings of the Bible. Understand the deeper meaning behind the notion that God blinds some to ultimately reveal the ultimate truth of salvation, and how Paul’s personal testimony serves as evidence of God’s unwavering promise to Israel.
00:00:05 Paul’s Explanation of God’s Plan for Israel
00:04:30 The Unthinkable Concept of God Casting Away His People
So we’re exploring how God saves Israel, and now we come to chapter 11 of Romans. Remember these chapters 9, 10, and 11. The 9-11 passage, as I call it, is an explanation by Paul of how God saves Israel. He has expressed a deep concern for them. He explains in chapter 9 that God’s plan hasn’t failed because God is going to pick out one after the other and one group after another by election and calling others. all those who are elected, and everyone is elected, as we will see throughout this passage. And the election is revealed by people’s trust in Christ by faith alone. That is Romans 9, verse 30. What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith. And Paul then explains that that trust is in the heart. We are to call it forth by faith as the Holy Spirit reveals who Jesus Christ is for us. And then comes chapter 11. I say then, has God cast away his people? Certainly not. Now, I told you the other day, but I’m sorry I didn’t get the passages together, but if you read 2 Kings, it will seem that God has indeed cast away his people. But that does not mean a final casting away. God took away their nation for a while. God took away their temple, but he will restore all things. He will bring the whole house of Israel back from the dead, according to Ezekiel 37. And Paul says here that it is an absolutely unthinkable thing that God will cast away his people. I say then, has God cast away his people? Certainly not. Now, how does he prove that? Well, as I was pointing out the other day, and this is all by review, he proves it by the existence of himself as a believer. Look what he says. For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Well, what does that prove? Well, if God is saving me as an Israelite, then I am part of Israel that will be saved. In other words, Paul is going to prove that the existence of a remnant means that God has not cast away the people of Israel. which means then that the salvation of a remnant means that god that remnant represents the whole of israel and is proof that god will save the rest Look at what it says then. I say then, has God cast away his people? Certainly not. For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. That is predestination. That’s election. God foreknows the planet and therefore is going to save it. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what does the divine response say to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. But what does that prove? As I said yesterday, this is demonstrating that if God saves a remnant of the people, then he’s going to save all the people ultimately, because that remnant represents all the people. The fact that God reserved 7,000 of the Israelites who had not bowed the knee to Baal and saved Paul and all the Christians in his day proves that God is going to save the whole of Israel. Now, I want to tell you this, that this may seem way off, but no, it isn’t. Have you realized… what the meaning of God saving the people in Noah’s boat represented. God saved a remnant of the world, and to remind the world of that, he provided the rainbow. And what does all that mean? It means that if God saved a remnant of the world, That remnant is a representation of all the world, and he is going to save all the world. It says that all families of the earth will ultimately bow before him and worship him. That’s Psalm 22. It says in Isaiah 45 that God… will bring the world to the place where every knee shall bow and every tongue shall make an oath that in him alone, the Lord alone, shall be their righteousness and strength. It says in Colossians 1 verse 10 that God will bring the whole world together, everything in heaven and everything on earth, in Christ. And Jesus himself said in John chapter 12 that all will come to him, will be drawn to him when he is lifted up. And do you know when he’s lifted up mostly? Not only on the cross, but in the final judgment where he is as a lamb slain, sitting on the throne, standing on the throne. That is evidence of the drawing power of Jesus’ salvation even into the final judgment. And so, you see, we have tremendous evidence here that God is at work saving the people, saving Israel. Even so, then, at this previous time, this is verse 5, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Now, notice that. According to the election of grace. So we have all Israel elected. You say, where does it say that? Well, that’s verse 28. Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of their fathers. And we have a special remnant elected during the time of Paul when all came to believe, you know, in the book of Acts, 3,000 in one day and thousands of others later on. And that means all Christians, all believers are elected. And that is stated then in verse 8, if by grace, that is, let’s read verse 5 again, even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if by grace, then it is no longer by works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace, otherwise work is no longer work. Now what is that saying to us? It is saying that the initiation of salvation is God’s, not man’s. It is saying that God is the initiator of our salvation. Listen, that’s tremendously important. How are you feeling today? Are you down in the dumps? Have you lost your job? Have your finances become critical? Is your health failing? Are you feeling lonely and isolated? You may think that because of all these terrible circumstances, you may not have the strength to hang on, the strength of faith. But I tell you, your salvation is not created by your faith. Your salvation is created by God. The Father draws people to Jesus Christ. No man comes to the Father but by me, says Jesus, and no man comes to Jesus unless the Father draws him. And so the good news is that God draws people to himself at different times. That’s what Romans chapter 9 is all about. And the fact of grace proves that it is God who’s doing the saving. Remember that? This is how it says it. If by grace, then it is no longer by works. Grace and works are contrasted by Paul. Some Christians today completely misunderstand this, and they think that grace leads to better works, that we couldn’t do the works properly, obediently, and perfectly, and so God brings in grace to help us to do our works. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is that grace is contrasted with works. Grace is God’s work upon us. Works are our works upon ourselves. God’s works of grace save. They instill the good news in our minds and then the faith to believe it. Do you realize why you believe today, even when you’re at rock bottom, even if you’re struggling profoundly with addictions? Do you realize why you believe? It’s not because of your willpower. It’s because of the grace of God. that says, I am going to save you no matter what works you have committed or not committed or are committing or are not committing. The fact is, grace is the act of salvation by God’s work alone. So then, if by grace, then it is no longer by works. Verse 7 then, what then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Oh boy, you say, well there you go. God blinds people. But why do you think he blinds people? Let me tell you this. When you read in the book of John the healing of that man by the pool of Bethesda, He was healed, but loads of… I may be getting the story wrong. It may have been the blind man rather than the man healed at the Pool of Bethesda. But the point is this. Jesus, yes, I recall. Jesus healed a blind man, and it was on the Sabbath, and he spat on the ground, you remember, and he made clay out of the spittle and rubbed it on the man’s eyes, and he was healed. And the Pharisees were watching, and they said, you’ve done wrong. You’ve done a work on the Sabbath day. You made clay. And Jesus made it clear to them that he came into the world to make the blind see and to make the seeing blind. Now, what does that mean? It is essential that that those who resist Christ should be made to resist him all the more. In other words, those who are hardened should be made to be hardened all the more. Why? Because God is sending them to perdition? No, because God is working with them for their salvation also. Well, how does that work, you say? It works by God hardening them to the extent that they cannot stand the resistance anymore, and they finally yield to God. God blinds people so that they see that they cannot find their way home again, and they have to call upon God for mercy, the shepherd who will lead them back home. Look, We’ve all been blind. As Christians now, look back before you were Christians. You were blind, weren’t you? Well, how did you find your way? Do you think you found your way by your own means? You healed yourself or something? No, your blindness got so bad that you had to call upon God. And that is what God is doing with Israel. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, because it didn’t seek it by faith, you see. But the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Well, what happens to those blinded? They will be brought to the place where they cannot stand it anymore. They will call to God, and they will be enabled to see. And at that point, they will no longer be blinded, and they are part of the elect, of course, and therefore will be called. Thank you very much for your support. I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
Join us as we explore Paul’s thought-provoking analogy of Israel’s journey and God’s divine plan of salvation. This episode sheds light on the significance of the remnant and the profound connections between the past and present teachings of the Bible. Understand the deeper meaning behind the notion that God blinds some to ultimately reveal the ultimate truth of salvation, and how Paul’s personal testimony serves as evidence of God’s unwavering promise to Israel.
