(28) Our personal responsibility - Living for God (Romans 12:1-21)

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living sacrifice – the kind He will accept.  When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?  2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.

3 As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning; Be honest in your estimate of yourself, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.  4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body.  We are all parts of His one body, and each of us has different work to do.  And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.

6 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.  So, if God has given you the ability to prophecy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. 7 If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well.  If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.  8 If your gift is to encourage others, do it!  If you have money, share it generously.  If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.  And if you have the gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others, really love them.  Hate what is wrong.  Stand on the side of the good.  10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.  11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

12 Be glad for all God is planning for you.  Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.  13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out.  And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.

14 If people curse you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.  15 When others are happy, be happy with them.  If they are sad, share their sorrow.  16 Live in harmony with each other.  Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people.  And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.

19 Dear friends, never avenge yourself.  Leave that to God.  For it is written,

“I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord.

20 Instead, do what the scriptures say:

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.”

21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.

In chapters 1 – 11, Paul laid out God’s plan of Justification through Jesus Christ.  Just as a seasoned defense attorney would in a court of law, he said all that he could say on the subject.  Then, he rested his case. 

Beginning in chapter 12, Paul would conclude his letter by answering all of the “what now?” questions.  He knew his readers would have many, so he started with their personal responsibilities as believers in Christ.

Since Christ gave His own life to pay the price for our sins, God asks us now to give ourselves as a daily living sacrifice.  We do this by laying aside our own sinful desires and focusing on what He has called us to do.  We do this by putting all of our energy and resources at His disposal, and trusting that He will guide us according to His will. 

Our lives should be, not just a living sacrifice, but, a holy sacrifice.  Too often, we put our own interests first and give God our leftovers.  He doesn’t want our leftovers, He wants our best.  We do this out of gratitude for what He has done for us. 

Is that too much to ask? 

As I said before, life would be so simply if, when we came to faith in Christ, we would stop sinning.  But, unfortunately, we will always be sinners.  And, because we are sinners and live in a corrupt world, it is far too easy for us to fall back into our old sinful ways.  Paul warns us not to copy the behaviors and customs of the world.  Although we still live here, we are no longer citizens of the world – we are citizens of heaven.  We are foreigners, just passing through, on our way to our new home.  As Christians, we have our own behaviors and customs – the ones that please God.

When we come to faith in Christ, we ask the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of us.  It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that changes the way we think – that renews our minds and our thoughts.  Chapters 1-11 were all about Justification.  Chapters 12-15 are about Sanctification.

Sanctification is being set aside for a special purpose.  It is the process of becoming more like Christ.  It is the renewing of our minds, the changing of the way we think that Paul wrote about.  It is growing in our faith.

Many Christians act as if Justification is all there is.  They see Christianity as nothing more than a fire insurance policy.  Being saved is important.  We want to spend eternity with God, and we will.  But, God has a plan and a purpose for our lives here on earth.  It’s not just about going to heaven when we die, it’s about living this life to the fullest through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.  That is Sanctification. 

Many of us grew up in the Christian faith.  We went to Sunday school, and to church.  We prayed before our meals.  We prayed before bedtime.  We abstained from certain activities that we felt were not pleasing to God.  We made sacrifices out of a sense of obligation.  But, that’s where we stopped.

What Paul is asking us to do is to take it one step further.  Rather than do the minimum, we need to start focusing on doing the maximum.  Instead of just going to church on Sundays, and an occasional mid-week bible study, we need to start seeking God’s will for our lives.

In verse 2, Paul wrote, “…but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”  The NKJV translates it as, “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Christ promised His disciples that when He left this earth, to return to the Father, the Father would send the “Paraclete”.  In the original Greek, the Paraclete was most commonly the family attorney.  The Paraclete was the one who would stand beside a person in the court of law.  It has been translated into English as the Counselor, the Comforter, the Encourager, the Advocate, and the Helper.  In John 14:17, Jesus said, “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth.”  The Holy Spirit is a powerful person of the Holy Trinity that is on our side, working for and in us.  Jesus went on to say, But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative – and by Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit – He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I Myself have told you.” (John 14:26 NLT)

We pray and seek God’s will.  Then we watch and listen.  Then, we pray again, and watch and listen more.  Then each time we pray and seek His will, our will starts to come into alignment with His will.  And when our will aligns with God’s will, we grow closer to God.

Personal bible study is the key to growing in faith in Christ.  The bible is the Word of God and, no matter what translation you use, the Holy Spirit will speak to you through His Word.  It is the only way that we can know and understand God’s will for us in this life. 

In verse 3, Paul gave a warning to his readers; “…Be honest in your estimate of yourself, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.”

Rome was the capitol of the known world in the first century.  The Roman Christians were being persecuted horribly by the Emperor Nero.  The Roman Christians began to feel that, because of their geography and what they were going through, they were the real Christians.  Other Christians were of a lesser grade.  Paul warned them to stop thinking like that, and explained that the true measure of Christian value is the amount of faith that God has given them.  Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  Each one of us is given a spiritual gift, or gifts, but it is always used as a means of helping the entire church.  It is entirely up to the Holy Spirit to decide which gifts will be given and when they will be given.  We talked about this in session 3.

Paul often used the human body as a metaphor for the Christian Church.  The body has many parts, and each part has a special purpose.  Paul went on to explain, in verse 5, that it is the same in Christ’s body – the Church.  As Christians, “…we are all parts of His one body, and each of us has a different job to do.  And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all of the others.”

There are no “Lone Ranger” Christians.  That’s not God’s plan.  We are all part of one body.  And, because of that, the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives us can only be used to strengthen the entire body. 

God designed each and every one of us with His own two hands.  God does not own a set of cookie cutters.  Each one of us is a custom job, unique by His perfect design.  And each of us is given an ability to do certain things well.  So we should do them to the best of our ability, and to the glory of God.

Study Questions

Have you given yourself completely to God?

Paul spoke of giving ourselves as a living sacrifice.  What he means is that we should live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.  We can do this through the power of the Holy Spirit in us.  Through His power, we can overcome the sins that scar our lives.  Addiction, anxiety, depression, sexual sin, and more can all be overcome by His power.  We need to begin by trusting in Him. “Is that too much to ask?”

Are you transformed?

The single biggest proof-positive for the reality of Christianity is the undeniable change that takes place when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the heart of a believer.  We are changed through His power.  No other religion can make that claim.  Sure, you can adopt a set of rules for a new lifestyle, but it is nothing more than you following the rules.  Paul spelled it out by saying, “Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by the renewing of your mind”.  This new person that Paul spoke of is really the person that God created you to be.  It is only through His power that we can realize our full potential of our life here on earth.  Are you ready to be all that God has designed you to be?  Just believe and ask.

(27) Oh, what a wonderful God we have! (Romans 11:25-36)

25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging.  Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ.  26 And so all Israel will be saved.  Do you remember what the prophet said about this?

“A Deliverer will come from Jerusalem,

            and he will turn Israel from all ungodliness.

27 And then I will keep my covenant with them

            and take away their sins.”

28 Many of the Jews are now enemies of the Good News.  But this has been to your benefit, for God has given His gifts to you Gentiles.  Yet the Jews are still His chosen people because of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  29 For God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn.  30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the Jews refused his mercy, God was merciful to you instead.  31 And now, in the same way, the Jews are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you.  But someday they too will share in God’s mercy.  32 For God has imprisoned all people in their own disobedience so He could have mercy on everyone.

33 Oh, what a wonderful God we have!  How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge!  How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods!  34 For who can know what the Lord is thinking?  Who knows enough to be His counselor?  35 And who could ever give Him so much that He would have to pay it back?  36 For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory.  To Him be glory evermore. Amen.

In our last session, Paul addressed the Gentile believers directly and explained that we (all believers) are all branches of the tree that is the family of God.  Some are original branches, and some have been grafted in, but all of us are here because of God’s grace and mercy.  No one branch is any better than another.  We are all equal heirs.

Paul realized that his rebuke was a bit harsh, and that he left the Jewish Christians worried about their Orthodox family and friends who, so far, have rejected God’s gracious gift of Christ.  So, Paul began verse 25 with words of comfort for all who would read his letter – then, and throughout the coming centuries.

Paul began verse 25 with a glimpse into the end of times.             

In our last two sessions, Paul touched on the Orthodox Jews that God had made unresponsive to the Gospel of Christ.  And now, he explains that it is only temporary.  As a part of God’s plan, God held back these Jewish people to make room for the Gentiles to be grafted into the family tree of God.  So now, when the last Gentile comes to faith in Christ, God will open the eyes and ears of the Jewish people so that they can accept Christ as their long awaited Messiah. 

Somewhere in the future is one single person who will be the last of the Gentiles that will come to faith in Christ.  God knows exactly who this person is, and has known since before time even began.

God has known before time even began exactly which of us would accept Him (the elect), and which of us would reject Him.  This is what is referred to as the “Doctrine of Election”.  Jesus said of His second coming, in Matthew 24:31, “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”   Some refer to this as pre-destination.  I understand why they would use that term, but I disagree only because of its connotation. Pre-destination leads us to believe that we have no choice in the matter – that our future is carved in stone, and that we have no control over it.  My wife and I have debated this issue to no end. 

All I can simply say is this; just because God knows all of the choices that we will ever make in our lives, doesn’t change the fact that we still have to make those choices.  We are 100% in control of our own future.  And, every human that ever lived is expected to answer this question:  Do you believe in God?  Remember back in session #4, Romans 1:18-20?  No one has any excuse for not knowing God.

So the last Gentile believer comes to faith in Christ.  The eyes and ears of the Jewish people will be opened to the truth of Jesus Christ.  In verse 26, Paul wrote, “And so all Israel will be saved.”  Does this mean that every single Jewish person will be saved, no.  In Romans 2:28-29, Paul wrote, “For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision.  No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God.  And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit.  Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.”

The requirements of the Jewish people are no different than that of the Gentiles – have your heart right with God, accept Jesus Christ as your Messiah and Savior, and be changed by the Holy Spirit.  “For God has imprisoned all people in their own disobedience so He could have mercy on everyone”. (Romans 11:32)  We are all guilty, and we all need a savior.

Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, and the Savior of the World.  He is the fulfillment of the promise that God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Romans 11:32 ends the longest theological argument for salvation through Jesus Christ recorded in the New Testament.  To summarize Romans 1:1 through Romans 11:32;

We all instinctively know that there is a God (1:19).  God’s judgment against sin is perfect, and it is certain (2:1-16).  The Good News of Jesus Christ is for everyone – no matter who you are, or what you have done in the past (3:22).  We are all sinners, and our sin has separated us from God (3:23).  The only way that we can be made right is through faith in what Christ did for us on the cross (3:25).  Our acquittal is not based on what we have done, but on faith in Christ (3:27).  Faith is the key (4:16).  Because of our faith, we are brought into a place of highest privilege where we now stand confidently and joyfully (5:2).  God’s grace is a gift – free and undeserved (5:15-17).  We are now one with Christ (6:5).  We are no longer slaves to sin, we are now slaves to righteousness (6:18).  We are no longer bound by the law, but free to live for Christ (7:4).  God’s law was given to show us our sin (7:7).  We will continue to struggle with sin (7:16-17).  Who can free us from a life of sin? Jesus! (7:24-25).  So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (8:1).  We are God’s children, adopted into His family (8:15).  We long to be glorified with Him (8:23).  God causes all things to work for the good of those who love God and are called… (8:28).  Can anything separate us from Christ’s love?  No, nothing (8:36-39).  Israel is still God’s chosen people (Ch 9).  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (10:9).  God will have mercy on the Jews (11:1-4).  God’s grace is free and undeserved (11:6).  Israel’s unbelief is only temporary (11:25).  God’s offer of salvation is for everyone (11:30-32). 

In verses 33-36, Paul broke out into spontaneous praise and worship of the wonderful God that we serve.  How great are His riches and wisdom and understanding!  How impossible it is to understand His decisions and His methods.  Can anyone know what God is thinking?  Who knows enough to be His counselor?  Everything comes from God .  Everything exists by His power.  And everything is intended for His glory.  To God by the glory forever!

We do have an awesome God!  He is a God that loves us so much that He put a plan into place that can make us right with Him.  And, all we have to do is believe.  But, it gets so much better.  When we come to faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence in our hearts, and it is through that real presence that we are able to live the life that God has planned for us.  Paul wrote, “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun!” (2Corinthians 5:17NLT)

Study Questions

Who will be the last Gentile to come to faith?

Only God knows.  If you have not put your faith in Christ, it could be you.  If you have, it might be someone that you touch with the love of Christ and they come to faith through your testimony.  In either case, how can we prepare for this?

Can you see how awesome God truly is?

Paul spent eleven chapters of his letter spelling out, in great detail, God’s plan of redemption.  Paul was so blown away that he broke out into a song of praise and worship.  Do you have that same feeling?

(26) The Olive Tree – Romans 11:13-24

13  I am saying all of this especially for you Gentiles.  God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles.  I lay great stress on this, 14 for I want to find a way to make the Jews want what you Gentiles have, and in that way I might save some of them.  15 For since the Jews rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, how much more wonderful their acceptance will be.  It will be life for those who are dead!  16 And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their children will also be holy.  For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be holy, too.

17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off.  And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in.  So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God’s rich nourishment of His special olive tree.  18 But you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off.  Remember, you are just a branch, not the root.

19”Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.”  20 Yes, but remember – those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn’t believe God, and you are there because you do believe.  Don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.  21 For if God did not spare the branches He put there in the first place, He won’t spare you either.

22 Notice how God is both kind and severe.  He is severe to those who disobeyed, but is kind to you as you continue to trust in His kindness.  But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.  23 And if the Jews turn from their unbelief, God will graft them back into the tree again.  He has the power to do it.

24 For if God is willing to take you who were, by nature, branches from a wild olive tree and graft you into His own good tree – a very unusual thing to do – He will be far more eager to graft the Jews back into the tree where they belong.

Trees and vines, throughout scripture, were often used to symbolize the family of God.  Countless literal references can be made to their strength, their stability, and their longevity.  They both start with roots that grow deep down into the ground.  These roots draw nourishment up from the ground as the plant grows, feeding the trunk first, and then the branches.  It is easy for anyone to understand.  The root can live without a branch, but a branch can’t live without its root.  We’ve all seen trees that were cut down to nothing but a stump, and in no time at all, new growth begins to replace that which was cut away.  The roots were still alive and well.

God chose Abraham to be the father of His people – all of His people.  He promised Abraham that all of the families of the earth would be blessed through him, because it would be through Abraham’s descendants that the Savior of the World would come. 

So God’s family tree was established, and Abraham was the root.  In each generation, it continued to grow bigger and stronger, adding new branches.

It is our sinful nature, pride specifically, that makes us feel superior over another person.  It was no different in the first century church.  Paul wrote this letter to give instruction to the church, in Rome, that was never instructed by any of the apostles.  Pride had entered the church, and it was tearing the church apart.

The church in Rome was being persecuted horribly, not only by the Emperor Nero, but also by the Jews.  Many of the Christians in Rome were converts from Judaism, although the majority of them were Gentiles.  There was great animosity between the Gentile Christians and the Orthodox Jews.  The Gentile Christians more easily accepted the Gospel message of Christ, because they really had no relationship with God before they came to faith in Christ.  The Orthodox Jews absolutely would not accept it.  They were God’s chosen people, the true descendants of Abraham.  The Jewish Christians were caught in the middle.  Because of it, arguments began over who God’s chosen ones truly are. 

Paul’s heart went out to them.  Christ Himself had commissioned Paul to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, but Paul’s heart still ached for his own people – the Jews – to come to faith in Christ.

Paul shifted the focus of his letter, momentarily, (beginning in verse 13) and specifically addressed the Gentile believers.  In a way, Paul “pulled rank” on the Gentile Christians, and for all practical purposes said, “Look guys, I am the Apostle to the Gentiles – I am your boss – so stop arguing and listen to me.”  Paul explained that if it wasn’t for the fact that some of the Jews rejected Jesus Christ, the Gentiles would have never been saved.  Think of it this way; if every single Jew would have accepted Jesus Christ as their Messiah, no Gentile would have ever been saved.  It would have become a strictly Jewish thing.  We all would have to be Jews first, and then Christians. 

This is why, you may recall in our last session, that God made the rest of the Jews unresponsive to the Gospel of Christ.  “God has put them into a deep sleep.  To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.” (Paul’s paraphrase of Deuteronomy29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 as written in Romans 11:8) This unresponsiveness is only temporary.  Paul will explain why in our next session.

It was God’s plan all along to send His Son to save the entire world, but it doesn’t change the fact that it all started with the Jewish people.  The spiritual nourishment that we live off of today is, and always will be, rooted in the Word of God as it was revealed through the Jews.  “Man cannot live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3 as recited by Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:4)

Paul warned the Gentile Christians that it was the very thin line of faith that separated them from the Orthodox Jews.  The branches of the Jews were broken off because they didn’t believe, and the Gentiles were grafted in because they did believe.  “…Don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.”  “But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.”  And if the Jews turn from their unbelief, God will graft them back into the tree again.  He has the power to do that.”

Paul is not saying that we could lose our salvation, but he is saying that we could reject it.  And, just as easily as we might reject it, the Jews could accept it.  The choice is ours.

God is no respecter of class or title.  No one is better than anyone else in God’s eyes.  We are all equal.  All God has ever asked of us is to do one thing, and one thing only - to believe in Him.  God declared Abraham righteous because he believed God.  Christ assured the thief on the cross that on that very day, he would be with Christ in heaven, because he believed in Jesus.  They simply believed. 

That is the true message of the Gospel.

Heed Paul’s warning and be careful not to brag about your spiritual pedigree.  When you start to think that your denomination or non-denomination is the right way, remember that we are all branches that are grafted into God’s family purely by His Grace.  “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds.  It is based on our faith.” (Romans 3:27) 

Is your hope of salvation rooted in your faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross?  Or, is your hope of salvation rooted in your spiritual pedigree?  I challenge you to think seriously about this question.  Can you honestly say in your heart that Jesus is enough, or is your faith Jesus plus something else? 

Your answer has to be Jesus alone. 

Paul finished verse 24 with a message of hope for all mankind.  Using the olive tree theme, He showed how God’s mercy is put into action.  We Gentiles were grafted into God’s good tree, which is a very unusual thing to do.  And by doing this, we can draw from the nourishment of God’s roots.  We don’t belong here, yet we have been accepted.  The Jewish people do belong, and God is patiently waiting for their return.

Study Questions

Why is it so hard to believe that God made it so simple for us to be made right with Him?

We live in a world of instant coffee, diet pills, and quick fixes.  So, why is it so hard for people to accept that all we need to do is believe?  This free gift of God is the one thing that is not too good to be true.

Is your hope of salvation anchored in faith in Christ alone, or Christ plus something else?

This is a serious question that needs a serious answer.  Is Jesus enough, or do you feel you also need the doctrines of your denomination?  Doctrines are intended to help us live for Christ, but much like the Jewish laws, they cannot save you – only Christ can.

(25) So, what about the Jewish people? Romans 10:18 - 11:12

18 But what about the Jews?  Have they actually heard the message? Yes, they have:

            “The message of God’s creation has gone out to everyone, and its words to all the world.”

19 But did the people of Israel really understand?  Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God had said.

            “I will rouse your jealousy by blessing other nations.  And its words to all the world.”

20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God:

            “I was found by people who were not looking for me.

            I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”

21 But regarding Israel, God said,

            “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they kept disobeying me and arguing with me.”

11:1  “I ask then, has God rejected his people the Jews?  Of course not!  Remember that I myself am a Jew, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 No, God has not rejected His own people, whom He chose from the very beginning.  Do you remember what the scriptures say about this?  Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3 “Lord they have killed your prophets and torn down your alters.  I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too”

4 And do you remember God’s reply?  He said, “You are not the only one left.  I have seven thousand others who have never bowed down to Baal!”

5 It is the same way today, for not all the Jews have turned away from God.  A few are being saved as a result of God’s kindness in choosing them.  6 And if they are saved by God’s grace, than it is not by their good works.  For in that case, God’s wonderful grace would not be what it really is – free and undeserved.

7 So this is the situation:  Most of the Jews have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly.  A few have – the ones God has chosen – but the rest were made unresponsive.  8 As the Scriptures say,

“God has put them into a deep sleep.

To this day He has shut their eyes so they do not see,

and closed their ears so they do not hear.”

9 David spoke of this same thing when he said,

“Let their bountiful table become a snare,

a trap that makes them think all is well.

Let their blessings cause them to stumble.

10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,

and let their backs grow weaker and weaker.”

11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery?  Of course not!  His purpose was to make His salvation available to the Gentiles, and then the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves.  12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the Jews turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when the Jews finally accept it.

Many of us, myself included, grew up with a misunderstanding that the Jewish people have forever forfeited their salvation when they rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah.  And, to be perfectly honest, to think otherwise was a difficult concept for me to accept.

It makes sense that they would be forever punished according to God’s righteous judgment.  God gave them everything that they needed in order to recognize their long awaited Messiah.  They had a veritable road map of prophecies that pointed to where, when and how the messiah would come.  They should have known.

They were absolutely convinced, back in the first century, that the Messiah would come down from heaven, accompanied by the armies of angels, as a conquering king. His mission would be to rid them of their greatest enemy – the Romans.  As time marched on, the name of the enemy would change, but their understanding never did.  In the twentieth century it was Germany.  And, still today – Iran.

But, the one thing that they didn’t realize was that their greatest enemy was sin.  And, that their Messiah would come to give His life to conquer sin, as a ransom for all mankind.

In verse 7, Paul explained that some of the Jews, the ones chosen by God (other bible translations refers to them as “the elect”), would come to faith in Christ, while others were made “unresponsive”.  Paul will explain why in our next session.

Once again, Paul asks and answers a series of questions.  What about the Jews?  Did they not hear?  Did they not understand?  Of course they did.

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus was speaking to a group of Jewish leaders and told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar.  The rich man had everything in this life, but gave nothing.  Lazarus had nothing. 

As the story unfolds, they both died at about the same time.  The rich man was sent to Hades for eternal punishment, and Lazarus was sent to be with Father Abraham to be comforted.  The rich man realized his fate and asked if Lazarus could be sent to his father’s house to warn his brothers of their pending fate.   “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them.  Your brothers can read their writing anytime they want to.”  The rich man replied, “No, Father Abraham!  But if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will turn from their sins.”  But Abraham said, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:29-31 NLT)

God’s plan was laid out in the writings of Moses and the prophets.  It was there for anyone to read and understand.  And later, Jesus Himself would rise from the dead as a fulfillment of the prophecies of scripture.  Yet they chose not to believe. 

Paul explained in verses 19 and 20 that God would rouse their jealousy by offering salvation to the Gentiles. 

The Jews are, and always will be God’s chosen people.  God promised this to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He confirmed it again and again through Moses and the prophets.  God’s promise was not conditional.  God never said that if they did this or that, they would be His people.  He simply said, “I will be your God, and you will be My people.”

Their own history had proven that no matter what they did God would always forgive them, if they repented and turned back to Him.  God saved them from their enemies, dozens, if not hundreds, of times throughout their history.  And, at the same time, He let them suffer the punishment for their rebellion against Him.  But, in all of it, they knew that God was always watching over them.  The Gentiles never had this sense of security.

But, God’s plan was to send His Son to save the entire world – not just the Jews.  And now, all of the sudden, these Christians come along and claim that not only is Christ the Messiah, but that the Gentiles are now included in their family.

They were jealous.  But, instead of praising God for being so awesome that He included the Gentiles, they reasoned that it couldn’t be true.  In verse 21, God said, “…but they kept disobeying Me and arguing with Me.”

So, has God rejected His people the Jews?  Of course not!  But, the question is; are all Jews God’s chosen ones?  No.  Only those who are faithful to God are true Jews (Romans 11:4).  Just because they were born of Jewish parents and were circumcised didn’t make them a true Jew. 

And, the same goes for us today.  Just because we are born of Christian parents and are baptized as infants doesn’t make us Christians.  It’s all about faith, and faithfulness to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We don’t earn it by doing good things.  As Paul explains in verse 6, “…For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is – free and undeserved.”

The Jews tried so hard to find God by keeping the law.  They were so completely earnest about keeping the law that they lost sight of the simple truth that the law was given to show them their sin.  It was to show them that they could never be sinless on their own, and that they needed God to save them.  Some of them understood, and others didn’t.  There is story after story throughout the Old Testament of the Hebrews rebellion against God, and how He restored them when they turned from their sin and back to Him.

God’s grace is free and undeserved.  Christ died on the cross so that all can be saved – no matter who we are or what we have done.  Christ said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whosoever believes in Him will never perish, but will have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)  It’s a free gift and it is for anyone that believes this.

Paul asked the question, “Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery?”  His answer; “Of course not!” 

Paul’s vision of the church was a body of believers that were made up of Jews and Gentiles, of every tribe, nation and tongue, that would come together in their love of God and in obedience of Christ.  This ideal church would respect the law, and look only to Christ for salvation.  Faith in Christ was the key, and the only key, that would unlock the gates of heaven.

This ideal church has never been realized, and never will be until Christ sets up His millennial kingdom here on earth.  Why?  Because He left humans in charge.

Jews and Christians alike, throughout the past twenty centuries, have both done their part in damaging the cause of Christ.  Yet God, in His unending grace, has chosen the Jews and the Gentiles to unite together as one body – one holy temple – where God can live by His Spirit.  And, His Spirit works continually to draw each and every one of us to Him, no matter who we are, or what we have done.

A quick overview of the book of Revelation shows the first three chapters are all about God’s plan for His Church, as it is represented in the seven letters to the seven churches.  The remaining nineteen chapters are all about the Jewish people and their role in the end of times, as God pours out His judgment on the earth.  The Jewish people have been the key participants in God’s plan from the beginning, and will see His plan unfold all of the way to the end.

No, the Jewish people have not fallen, beyond recovery, out of God’s grace.  And neither has anyone else in this world.  “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32)

Paul never gave up his dream of the ideal church, where Jews and Gentiles would come together in worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He wrote in verse 12, “Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the Jews turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when the Jews finally accept it.

Study Questions

Have the Jewish people forfeited their salvation by rejecting Christ?

Is this your understanding?  As Paul pointed out, God hasn’t rejected anyone.  Everyone has the same opportunity to come to Christ and ask for forgiveness.  Peter lead 3000 to faith in one sermon in Jerusalem.  Paul himself was a Jew that came to faith in Christ.  No one is so far gone that God can’t reach them. 

Do you have a burden in your heart for the unsaved?

As believers, we all should.  There are three things that all believers should do; (1) Prepare ourselves to share the good news of Christ.  (2) Look for opportunities to share it.  And, (3) Step out in faith.  Not everyone is called to be an evangelist, but everyone is called to evangelize.  We know that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and that plan might be to tell one person about the saving love of Jesus.  Have you ever told anyone?  Step out in faith.