All I have is Christ – You bore the wrath reserved for me, now all I have is grace.
”Yes what an exchange – My wrath for My grace. The one totally deserved the other completely undeserved and free. Make full use of this amazing gift, share and minister My grace with others that they too may participate and receive it. This is an eternal message and will take you into everlasting eternity. Never, never underestimate the vastness and value of My grace. It cost My son Jesus’s life to give it to you. “
Today we continue through this difficult section of Romans as Paul seeks to level the playing fields between Gentile and Jew. Since, though the principle of equality in the Church is important today, we no longer have these two distinct groups Paul was dealing with, I will not take us into the details of Paul’s argument, just highlighting a few important principles. Next week we will unravel the statement that “All Israel will be saved” . Read Romans 10:16 -11:24.
The opening vs 10:16 sets the tone which is rounded off in 11:32. Not all Israel accepted the good news. Paul goes on using several questions to carry his argument.
10:18 Did they not hear? Of course they did.
10:19 Did they not understand? Basically no, because their hearts were hardened.
11:1 Did God reject His people? By no means. 11:5 At the present time there is a remnant.
11:7 What then? What Israel sought earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. This refers back to God’s souvereign right to elect and show mercy to some.
11:11 Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all. This was an opportunity for the Gentiles to be included.
He then uses the example of an olive tree with some branches broken out – the Jews who were hardened, and others grafted in – the Gentiles. Following this with a warning that the Gentiles should not be arrogant as God can easily graft the natural branches back in, if He wants to.
That is basically the flow of his argument. What I took from all this is a picture again of the incredible complexity of God’s program and at the same time His supreme souvereignty, used with love and mercy. What a God we serve and what comfort we can take from this as we are reminded of our own security with Him.
God bless you all till next week.