Nov 24, 2019
Originally Presented: January 6, 2008
Scripture Reading: Romans 9:1-6
Romans 9-11 has been likened to the north wall of the Eiger mountain in Switzerland, known by mountain climbers for its difficulty. This section of Romans is the most difficult part of the book to grasp and contains some of the most problematic, and sometimes controversial, verses in the Bible.
It helps to see these three chapters in the context of the whole book. Paul has been unfolding the wonder of God's salvation in Jesus Christ. In chapter 8 he spoke of God's working all things together for the good of His people and of the certainty Christians being glorified one day.
It was natural for readers, especially in the first century, to wonder about the nation of Israel. God had made precious promises to the Jews and Jesus came and the Jews had rejected Him. What are we to make of the promises of God, which had not been fulfilled in Israel, His chosen people? Here is the relevance of this question for Christians. If God's Word, which calls Israel to become His people has somehow collapsed, then His promises are not reliable. If God has not fulfilled His promises made to Israel, then He may not fulfill His promises made to me.
If God is not faithful to His Word, then the entire doctrine of eternal life in Christ collapses and any hope we might have had in Jesus Christ to save us and bring us to God vanishes. For those who are familiar with the Old Testament, the discussion of Israel in Romans 9-11 is not a theological detour or sidebar parenthesis. The question of Israel is absolutely necessary to answer to support the whole doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ.