Monday December 11
The Election of Grace
Before we go onto chapter 11, let us look at some verses which were skipped over in chapter ten that are important to our discussion.
10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by [them that are] no people, [and] by a foolish nation I will anger you.
10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
We notice here that all is not just about keep the law without Christ. Here we find that God is not happy with a people who do not keep the commandments. Isaiah calls them "a disobedient" people, and that "they have not all obeyed then the gospel." And, for our benefit, a people who have not obeyed the gospel of grace (see Revelation 3:14-22), he wrote how it that we might be given power to obey the commandments of God: " So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
As we read we see that God wants the heart, the whole heart. And, it is by beholding Jesus in Scripture that our faith becomes saving faith. The heart is given fully to God when we behold His love (grace) for us while we were yet sinners. "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." Yes, it is when we believe with the whole heart that we receive (have imputed and imparted) the righteousness of Christ. Believe and share the whole gospel of grace that transforms the life at conversion.
Read Romans 11:1-7.
11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.
11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
11:6 And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
What common teaching does this passage deny clearly and irrevocably?
That because one belongs to a people entrusted with the truth, does not mean they are saved. It is by the acceptance of grace that a man is saved. In Israel there were some, a remnant, that accepted the grace of God and were transformed in character to truly reflect the character of God. They are called "the election." They were His true witnesses. The vast majority had been deceived by the priests and teachers of the day. They had not been transformed by grace, as were "the election" who were saved, "the rest were blinded." Notice what the ones who were saved are called. The election. We are not talking just about "roles," but about "salvation" also.
In the first part of his answer to the question, “Hath God cast away his people?” Paul points to a remnant, an election of grace, as proof that God has not cast away His people. Salvation is open for all who accept it, Jew and Gentile alike.
A remnant of saved. All others were cast away.
It should be remembered that the early converts to Christianity were all Jews - for example, the group that was converted on the Day of Pentecost. It took a special vision and miracle to convince Peter that the Gentiles had equal access to the grace of Christ (Acts 10); compare Acts 15:7-9) and that the gospel was to be carried to them, as well.
Read Romans 11:7-10.
11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
11:9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them:
11:10 Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
Amen. The "election" accepted the grace of God, but the rest did not and were blind to their need and the power of grace to transform the life. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. Psalm 69:23. Let them ignore the light if they choose. Blindness has come upon modern Israel also. Read Revelation 3:14-22.
Is Paul saying that God purposely blinded to salvation the part of Israel’s population that rejected Jesus? What’s wrong with that idea?
The Bible says many are called, but few choose to be saved. Why? Because pride stands in the way, and there is a sacrifice that is too great. Self will not die.
In Romans 11:8-10, Paul quotes from the Old Testament, which the Jews accepted as authoritative. The passages that Paul cites represent God as giving to Israel a spirit of slumber, preventing their seeing and hearing. Does God blind people’s eyes to prevent them from seeing light that would lead them to salvation? Never! These passages must be understood in the light of our explanation of Romans 9. Paul is not talking of individual salvation, for God rejects no one group en masse for salvation. The issue here, as it has been all along, deals with the role that these people play in His work.
From Acts:
28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and [that] they will hear it.
It is a matter of salvation. The lost choose to reject the truth.
What is so wrong with the idea that God has rejected en masse any group of people in terms of salvation? Why is that counter to the whole teaching of the gospel, which at the core shows that Christ died to save all human beings? How, for example, in the case of the Jews, has this idea led to tragic results?
God allowed His Son to suffer our sins while we were yet sinners that we might have opportunity to know Him and be transformed from sinner to saint. Though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be as while as snow. Jesus loves even the worst of sinners. He died to save them. The Jews thought that they only could be saved, and thus neglected to minister to the Gentiles. They were a Laodicean people. Read chapter three of the Book of John and see a Jewish leader who thought he was just fine when in fact he was lost. Jesus did not leave him without telling him he needed to be converted, and telling him how to be born again of the Spirit. What must we do in order to be transformed?