Join Colin Cook as he unravels the complex interplay between Jews and Gentiles within the ambit of God’s salvific plan. In this episode, we delve into the theological nuances of Paul’s assertion that the gospel comes ‘to the Jew first and also to the Greek.’ Delving into the book of Romans, we explore how historical failures and promises relate to the sinful nature of humanity and God’s continued commitment to all peoples.
So Paul gives yet another reason why he’s not ashamed of the gospel, and it’s a bit surprising at first. He says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also the Greek. This troubles a number of Christians because, you know, after all, the gospel is for everyone. There is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is neither male nor female, nor Jew or Greek in Christ. As Paul says, I think it is in Galatians. So why does he say for the Jew first and also for the Greek? And this is particularly difficult to understand for those Christians who believe that God has rejected the Jews and turned to the Gentiles. Well, first of all, I want to say that the idea that God has rejected the Jews and turned to the Gentiles is completely false. He has not rejected the Jews. He has put them on hold, as it were, and turned to the Gentiles. But for what purpose? Not only in his love to save the Gentiles, but also to make the Jewish people jealous. That is a major teaching in the book of Romans, in Romans chapter 11. The jealousy that will ultimately come to the Jewish people because of the blessings that God has brought upon the Gentiles who have received Christ will be an instrument, one of the factors that leads to their salvation, both now here in the history of this world and in the final judgment. You see, God is giving the message to the Jewish people first. because he called them, and he made a covenant promise with them, and he intends to fulfill that promise. And so in his love, he recognizes the hard labor that the Jewish people have performed on behalf of God in witnessing to him throughout the ages. Of course, they failed miserably in that witness. They went after idols. They did terrible things in ancient times. and they rejected the Messiah. But they are no worse than us Gentiles, for we have rejected the Messiah too, and we are brought to judgment just as they will be. But I want you to understand that God sent Israel into the world to represent and speak of His name throughout all the earth. I remind you of what I’ve said several times recently. Deuteronomy 32 tells the Gentiles to rejoice with his people. Now again, why would he say that? Because God intends to save the Gentiles through the witness of the Jews. And though they failed… God has brought and will bring Israel into judgment, but ultimately into redemption. You know, if you want to understand this a little bit more, think of where you get your blessings from. You are a Gentile, yet you read the Bible. But what do you read? Only the New Testament? No. Perhaps you do when you first become a Christian, but later on you read the whole Bible. And you find blessings and promises in the Old Testament, and you receive them and embrace them to yourself. Now, wait a minute. You receive those blessings and embrace them as if they were your own, but they were blessings to Israel. Well, the wonder of it is, is that we Gentiles have come to believe that the blessings upon Israel are meant for the whole world. You know that we’re sure of that, don’t you, when it says that in you, that is Abraham, all families of the earth shall be blessed. In your seed shall all families of the earth be blessed. And Paul says that all families is the whole world in Romans chapter 4. The blessings that God gave to Israel were meant and still are meant to spread to the whole world. Think of it. You and I accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour. But what right have we to do so? Because that Saviour was Jewish and meant to save Israel, was sent for the salvation of Israel. And yet, it is as clear as day from the Old and New Testaments that the salvation of Israel through that Messiah Jesus… That same Messiah was to spread his message and his grace through to all the world. And so as goes Israel, so goes the world. Would you like to see a very vivid illustration of how salvation works for the wicked in the Old Testament? Well then, go to Ezekiel, chapters maybe from chapter 30 to 39 or 40, and you will see there that God brings salvation to Israel, the whole house of Israel, even the ten lost tribes, all of those wicked people who failed God and as a result of their sins had the hold of the judgment of the Babylonian captivity upon them, those people, according to Ezekiel chapter 16, are forgiven. An atonement is made for them, to forgive them for everything that they have done, the whole house of Israel. Now, when you begin to learn that and realize that God is going to forgive all Israel, not simply to restore a remnant, nor to restore a good people later on, where the bad people have been sent to hell. No, he’s going to restore all of Israel, even those who were struck down and who lost all hope and who felt that their cause had been lost. All of those people are going to be redeemed. Read it for yourself. Now, if that’s true, regarding Israel, that God is going to resurrect the whole house of Israel, that’s Ezekiel 37, then, by extension, he is going to resurrect the whole world. Did you know, and if you didn’t, I’d like you to get interested in it, that Paul takes a lot of his teachings from the book of Ezekiel. And I point out in my upcoming book, I point that out in great detail, because it’s essential for us to understand that when God says that when the judgments come upon Ezekiel, then they shall know that I am the Lord, that is taken up by Paul in the book of Romans, that though Israel feels cast off, Nevertheless, they will be redeemed, and they will know that God is the Lord. For God is for them, according to Romans 8. Well, that’s exactly what God said to Ezekiel, I am for you, O house of Israel. So you see then that when Paul says to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles, God is honoring the witness and the work that Israel did throughout the ancient world in representing him. Oh yes, they did a poor job. They failed miserably so many, many times. But nevertheless, the Western world knows of Jehovah, knows of one God alone because of Israel. And then the Western world knows of the Messiah because of Israel. that nation which against its own desires witnessed for God. They were put in the world not because they chose to be in the world to witness to God. They were put in the world by God against their own inclinations, not realizing at first what an incredible suffering would come upon them by witnessing to Jehovah. So I want you to see that God is honoring their service, even though it was a failed and miserable service in many, many ways. Yet because of Israel, we have Scripture. We have Genesis right through to Malachi. And then we have the New Testament, all because of Israel and the faithfulness of the scribes and so on. I am not talking politically about the salvation of Israel. I’m talking in the Spirit of God. I’m talking about Jesus Christ. Jesus worked with the hardened Israelites. People who are hardened are not lost. They’re just hardened until God can penetrate their hardness, and he will. because he will bring their hardness to its utter extremity, where their resistance to God has become psychologically so traumatic as to be impossible. And when we learn that God, through the hardness of Israel, which led to the crucifixion of Christ, brought in the Gentiles, whose message then boomeranged unto Israel, Then we will see how God works. Look, you may be hardened. You may have resisted church, going to church. That’s maybe why you’re listening to this program, because you can’t stand church. You may be hardened. Does that mean there’s no hope for you? No, it means that God is positioning you in the trials of your life, to bring you to the place of nothingness, where nothing that you have tried as an alternative to God has worked. And when you come to that place of extremity, where there is nothing left, where all your hopes and dreams have just fallen apart, then God has positioned you for mercy. And so when we see these verses, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek, that is the Gentile, Paul uses the word Greek there as a generic word for Gentile, for the whole of the world. When you see this promise, you might look again and say, well, if God is honoring the Jews, By offering salvation to them first, even though they failed so miserably, perhaps he’s honoring me also who failed him so miserably. Because he’s regularly speaking to me of the gospel, and I haven’t picked it up yet. I haven’t taken it into my heart. But the fact that he’s speaking to me about the good news in the friends that I meet, in strangers that hand me a tract or something, in a Christian song that I hear on the radio, in a heartfelt cry from my heart to God that I don’t believe in anymore, if he’s taking that initiative with me, then perhaps he’s honoring me for those times when I was a Christian or was brought up in the Christian faith, but nevertheless rejected him. He’s saying, still, I remember the youthful days when you served me or when you knew me and you walked away from me, and therefore I will give the gospel first to you again. You see the persistence of God. It is utterly, utterly amazing. I want you, if I may, to come before God and say, Father, I have rejected you time out of hand. I cannot imagine how you can be so persistent with me. But I thank you. I’m beginning to thank you now, even though I have not yet found Christ, even though I have not yet accepted Christ, even though I’m still struggling with all my addictions and troubles. I thank you that you keep calling me, and in my hardness, I’m still going to listen to that call until I’m able and ready to break before you. Thank you for listening to me, everyone, today. Colin Cook here. And I wish you would consider and pray that you will consider an offering, a donation to keep the ministry and the radio going, but also the support we give overseas. I’m dealing at the moment with… with a new sickness in the family that we’re supporting in Nigeria. I know them very well. I’ve met them personally. They’re good, solid Christians. And yet I have to pay for a medical bill, which I don’t have the means for. And if you could please help with the donation, it would be so very much appreciated. Send your donation to FaithQuest, P.O. Box 366, Littleton, Colorado, 80160, or make your donation online at faithquestradio.com. Thanks so much for all your support. I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
