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Back to the Bible. Let it be our plea. God's Word alone, our authority, every word, every step, in the name of Christ, Back to the Bible for the way of life.
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Welcome to this period of Bible study. As always, we are thankful for this opportunity and hope that the time we spend together, that you find it profitable, that you find it, most of all, faithful in our consideration of God's Word. We've called this program Back to the Bible, and we call it Back to the Bible because our primary aim, our major effort, is to hear what God has to say in His Word and to understand it as well as we can and to apply it to our own lives. I love the example of Ezra in Ezra, chapter seven. And the Scriptures tell us that he made it his aim. He made it his effort to know the Scriptures and to do them and to teach them to others in Israel. I think that's a great pattern. To know them, to do them, and then to teach them. And if you see gaps in our knowledge or in our doing or a lack of clarity in our teaching, we would love to hear from you because we want to make corrections in all of those areas, because we want to be faithful to God's Word. You can reach out to us@backtothebiblepodcast.com there you can find more about the program, you can find other resources, and you can find previous episodes so that you can see the case that we make and the lessons that we share for Several months back backtothebiblepodcast.com Today, what I want to do is I want to jump into a consideration again of the book of Romans. And we're going to look at Romans, chapter 11, beginning at verse 11. And what we're going to do is we're going to work our way through Romans, chapter 11. And then if we have time, we will pause and we will try to reflect on what we've seen in this first major portion of the Book of Romans. Now, what I want to do is I want to take our texts and I want to look at Romans, chapter 11. And we covered last time, verses 1 through 10. But I want to pick up now in verse 11, talking about Israel, talking about the Jewish people, Paul says, I say, then did they stumble so as to fall. May it never be. But by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous. Now, if their transgression is for riches for the world, and their failure is riches for Gentiles, how much more will their fullness be? But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then, as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? And if the first piece of dough is holy, the lump also, and if the root is holy, the branches are too. But if some of the branches were broken off and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast against them, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will then say, branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Quite right. They were broken off for their unbelief. But you stand by your faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Behold the goodness and the severity of God to those who fail. Severity, but to you God's kindness. If you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will those who are natural branches be grafted in to their own olive tree? Now, when Paul asks here, did they stumble so as to fall? I don't think he's asking, have the people of Israel, have the people of the Jewish nation, have they made a mistake? So far the answer was on the whole, yes. Right. That doesn't mean that there weren't Jewish Christians. Of course there were. That doesn't mean that there weren't opportunities for Jewish people. Of course there were. But what he's asking here is, did the nation as a whole stumble? So as default, that is, did they fall in such a way where there was never an opportunity for them again? Absolutely not, Paul says. And Paul reflects on that because he says that his work was to the Gentiles, but that it would be wonderful if the Gentiles acceptance would lead to Jewish acceptance, that is their rejection and had caused the word to go to the Gentiles. I think Paul makes the case in the book of Romans that it was to the Jewish people first and then to the Gentiles. But I think we also see that carried out in the Book of Acts, where there are places almost everywhere. Paul's first effort is to find those who are worshiping in a synagogue. And it's not until the synagogue has rejected his teaching and that he says, behold, we're turning to the Gentiles. I think maybe the most famous place that that is used is in Acts, chapter 13. Lo, we are turning to the Gentiles. But even then, that wasn't Paul saying, well, we're never going to speak to any Jews again. The process somewhat repeated itself over and over as he went to the different Roman cities and as he would preach and teach, he would begin in the synagogues. Why? Because. Because there was common ground there. But what we see is that as the Jewish people rejected it, Paul began to preach to the Gentiles, to whom he was an apostle. And so what he's saying is, is that the Jewish rejection had made an opportunity for the Gentiles. But if they would accept the word, the phrase he used here would be like a resurrection. Their rejection meant the world was reconciled. Their acceptance would be like life from the dead. If their rejection led to such Gentile acceptance, then imagine what their acceptance would be, how much more their fullness, their completeness would be. Now, Paul uses an illustration in verses 17 and following, really kind of beginning in 16 and following that, I think, is so helpful not only in understanding what Paul's point is to the Gentile readers about the Jewish nation, but I think it's helpful in understanding how the whole system works. So in verse 16, he says, if the first piece of dough is holy and the lump is also. And if the root is holy, the branches are also. Now, Paul begins with that illustration of a first piece of dough and then the rest of the lump. And then he shifts that image. Same idea, same point. I believe he shifts that idea to the root and the branches. And I think what he's saying here is if what, whatever characterizes the root system, that's what's going to characterize the branches. Whatever characterizes that first lump. That first piece of dough is what's going to characterize the lump. So he uses the idea here of holiness. And I take that to be set apart for God. And so he uses this image of a root system. If the root system is set apart for God, then the branches are going to be as well. Now he's going to carry that image further. Now, let me just say that I think that probably when we talk about the root system here, I think we're talking about whoever God's people are. And I think that it makes perfect sense to think of the people in this root system as people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the roots of God's people. I mean, we've seen already in the book of Romans, especially Romans 4, how Abraham is presented in some way as the root of God's people. That is, at least he's the father of those who have faith, whether they're Jew or Gentile. So it would make sense to me that we are thinking about the root system as being the initial elements of who God's people are. Maybe we could think about Abraham there. If he is designated as set apart for God, if he's one of God's people, then so are the branches that come from him. Now he says that he's writing, notice this in verse 13, that he's speaking to the Gentiles. I think this is true throughout the book of Romans. I think we can show in Romans chapter one, for example, that Paul is directing his message towards Gentile audiences. And even here, as he's talking about the status and the place of the Jewish people, he is doing it to the Gentiles so that they will understand what all of this system means for them and for Jewish people. So in verse 17, he says, if some branches were broken off and you were a wild olive and you were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree. So here's the picture of what's happening. There were branches that came from that root system, but they were broken off. Now why were they broken off? Well, we'll see more of that in just a second. But there was something about them. In this case, it was their lack of faithfulness to Jesus that those branches were were broken off. So the root is still holy. Think about Abraham's faith. He's still set apart as God's person, the founder of God's people. But the branches have been broken off. How had the Gentiles gotten in? They had been grafted in. If you're a gardener, you know this idea of grafting in, you can split a little part of a branch and you can take a twig and you can place it in there and. And then you can wrap it around. And depending on the breed and the nature of the plant, you can actually create a new branch, a new growth from the old root, from the old base of the tree or the plant. You can graft in a new branch. What Paul is saying is that they were part of a wild olive tree and God had his olive tree and that the Jewish branches that lacked faithfulness to Christ, they were broken off. And, and wild olive branches, the nations, the Gentiles who gave their faithfulness to Jesus, they were grafted in so that they could be a part of God's special people. Alright? Now they're still wild olive branches. They've been grafted into God's olive tree. But verse 18, this is a key point here. Do not boast against the branches, but if you do boast against them, remember that it is not the you who supports the root, but the root who supports you. I think he's saying don't be arrogant towards the Jewish people. And maybe that would include not acting in a way as if they can't be part of God's people again. Well, you've rejected it, now you're out. Too bad. That's not how Paul wants them to approach it. Don't boast against them. And, and I think when he talks about the root being holy, realize you're not supporting the root but the root supporting you. I think he's saying realize that these promises and these opportunities and this status as God's people has come through them. Right? That message and that opportunity and that plan has all been carried out through them. You as a Gentile, me as a Gentile, as I did not. I was not part of that initial plan. And so if I am able to come in, it is because of that root of God's people that goes back a long, long way. Now they're going to say it's possible someone in their arrogance will say yes, but the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Well sure, that's right, for sure. But they were broken off because of their unbelief or because of their lack of faithfulness. You stand because you are faithful, so don't be haughty, but fear. I think this is a great lesson. If we are somebody who is a part of God's people, we ought not to look at those people who are not part of God's people in arrogance. Because the only way that we have been able to come in is, is because of Christ, because of our confidence and allegiance to Him. It's not as if somehow that we have have now reached something that they can't access, they still can. And what he's saying here is first don't be arrogant towards them about not trying to make them where it's possible that they could be grafted back in. But I think also he's saying, don't be haughty in your own self. You need to have fear rather than pride. Pride would say, I am in and I'm never going to have to worry about being cut out. And what Paul says here is pride is not the right response. Fear is the appropriate response. Because if you don't have fear, then it's possible that you are going to be broken off as well. Why verse 21 if God did not spare the natural branches? And he will not spare you either. So here's the idea that if God was willing to break off to cut off branches that didn't have faith in Christ, even when they were natural, they were biologically connected, they were directly linked to that holy root. If he was willing to break them off because they didn't have faith in Christ, then how much more would he be willing to break off a branch that was not natural, that did not continue in faithfulness to Christ? He says, behold, then, the kindness and severity of God to those who fail, severity. But to you, God's kindness. Listen, if you continue in his kindness, otherwise you will also be cut off. He wants you to see here both God's goodness and his severity. Or as the legacy standard says, his kindness and his severity. And I love this, when we think of the word severity, we think of something that is intensely harsh, right? He's severe. But that word is related to the idea of severing something, cutting it off. When you sever something, it is cut away. Here he says, you need to see both the kindness and the severing the severity of God. Now, to those who fail, that is, to those people who did not place their faith, their confidence, give their allegiance to Christ, that was severity. But to those who did put their faith in Christ, who did give him their faithfulness, and it was kindness. But I want you to see, and you know the word, that's the biggest little word in the Bible. If. If you continue in his kindness, how could they continue in his kindness? By continuing in their faithfulness to Christ. Now in verse 23, and also if they, if notice again, do not continue in their unbelief or their lack of faithfulness will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will those who are natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? That is, if they've already been cut off, you were grafted in from a wild olive tree, and they would be going back to the same olive tree that they were naturally from. So if God can graft you in again, then certainly he would be able to graft them in again as well. Now, there's several things that I want to see in all of this. The point here is, the fundamental point is, is that God was not abandoning Israel, but that pruning and grafting had and would continue to occur. But what was the fundamental basis of whether or not somebody was cut off, grafted in, grafted back in, cut off after having been grafted in? What was the fundamental difference? The fundamental difference was faithfulness to Jesus the King. That's what made all the difference. Now, let me say a couple of things here. First, I think that this is so helpful in thinking about what Paul is saying in chapters nine, 11, that in some way here, identity with God is not about ethnicity or biology or genetic code or. Or family trees. But we do have a picture here of an advantage of Israel because they were naturally from this tree. And so what happens here is God is making the case through Paul that the Jewish people had initial access and could have access again. I don't think that Paul is minimizing the difference between Jew and Gentile, but he is distinguishing this fact that the identity that Jews had with God will now come by faith in Christ, by giving their faithfulness to Him. The Gentiles were still wild olive tree branches grafted in. And the Jewish people still had an opportunity to be grafted in. And maybe it would be easier. They were natural olive branches. However, they were standing outside because they had rejected Christ. I want you to see here. This is a picture, I think, of how God's predestination and foreknowledge and election and all of that works. God has a tree. He has an olive tree. And without a doubt that tree will be saved. That is God's tree. It's going to be saved, and whoever is in it is going to be saved. That in some way, wouldn't we say was unconditional. That is that God did not look at humanity and say, well, look how good they are. I have to save some of them. No, what God did is when he called Abraham, for example, when he decided he was going to choose the nation of Israel, he didn't look at Abraham and he didn't look at Israel and say, well, they just really deserve salvation. He does choose Abraham because of the kind of man he is, that he would teach his children. But he chooses Israel not because they were a great nation. Or because they were a decent people, they were a small nation, they were weak, but he chooses them. And then down through time, God had every purpose and every intention of having a people. But notice how it was decided who would be a branch in that tree. God's tree is going to be saved. That's absolute. But notice how it was determined who would be a branch in that tree. It was their faithfulness to Christ. You see, a branch could be broken off and another branch could be grafted in. But I want you to see that even as Paul is writing to these people, the case was not settled yet. So that they had to continue in their faithfulness or they would be cut off too. Let me just make a couple of points so the Calvinist will teach unconditional election. Well, let me say it like this. It was unconditional that God chose that he was going to have an olive tree that would be saved. He didn't look at humanity and say, well, a bunch of those people just deserve to be saved. What he did was he said, I'm going to have a people. We didn't meet the conditions in order to set that up. God did that out of his love, out of his grace, out of his mercy, when we had not met any conditions in order to receive that. But there was a condition about being a branch in the tree, wasn't it? So the Calvinists, when they talk about unconditional election, they are saying that you and you, and you, but not you, but not you, but not you were chosen to be saved before the foundation of the world. And that can't be added to or taken away from. That view is wrong. Because even though the tree was chosen unconditionally, your participation, your sharing in that, your connection to that is not unconditional. And we see that very clearly right here in Romans chapter 11. Because Paul says if, if, if. Now let me also say that what we see here is that some Calvinists suggest that the idea of God's grace is irresistible, that once God has decided to reach out to you, that you can't refrain from giving into the Holy Spirit. I would say that I think that misses very exactly what's happening here in this text. I think Paul is saying that God had reached out to them and that they had rejected it. Verse 12. Their transgression is riches for the world. He says in verse 15. If their rejection is reconciliation of the world, now he has hope, he has anticipation that there will be some who will grab a hold of it. But that doesn't mean they hadn't rejected it. And that doesn't mean that they have not transgressed. In fact, if we go back to the end of chapter 10, he says, all day long I have reached out my hands to a stubborn and obstinate people. So we need to make sure that we understand that this was not irresistible grace. It had been rejected and the rejection had created opportunity for the Gentile. And then we have the idea that some suggest of the perseverance of the saints. The idea of the perseverance of the saints is those who have been elected, those who are in Christ, will continue all the way to the end, and there is no danger of their falling away. Now, the response very often is that if somebody does fall away, they were never really in in the first place. Look how different this is here in verses 17 and following what he's saying here is that somebody could be grafted in. Sounds like they're into me, sounds like they're connected to the holy root, to me, and that they could still be broken off and that somebody who had rejected the message could be grafted in. Do you see that their status was not settled even at that moment. And your my status is not settled at this exact moment. What matters is whether or not we continue in God's kindness, or if we decide that we're going to continue to face God's severity. Now, just looking at a couple of verses, because we're about to run out of our time for this time together. In verses 25 and following, Paul says, I don't want you to be unaware, brethren, of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved. As it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion, and he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. But from the standpoint of the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But from the standpoint of God's choice, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as once you were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that they because of the mercy shown to you, they may also now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all. I think Paul's point here is that God could and would show mercy, that all Israel would be saved. But remember, not all physical Israel is Israel. There was still an opportunity for Jews. There was all they were always going to be a recipient of God's compassion. And of course, as Paul has shown, it's always going to be a remnant. You can look at chapter 11, verses 5 through 7 to see that. But God's not going to show favoritism. He would show mercy to all. He would show mercy to Jew or Gentile, and he would do that based on whether or not someone gave their allegiance to Jesus. Well, our time is about used, but let me read this last paragraph of Romans 11. Oh, the depth and the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments, and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor, or who has first given to him that it might be repaid to him? For from him and through him, and to him are all things to him be the glory forever. Amen. God's wisdom, God's power, God's knowledge, mean that he deserves all the praise and all the honor. And we see that fundamentally in this great plan that God has to demonstrate his righteousness through the faithfulness of Jesus so that we can be called to faithfulness in Him. Until next time we bid you a pleasant good day.
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Back to the Bible. Let it be our plea. God's word alone, our authority, every word, every step in the name of Christ. Back to the Bible for the way of life.