Category: salvation

Paul in examining if the message of the Gospel has reached Israel, offered up four questions and we take up our notes now to examine the third: It’s not is it, that they have stumbled so as to fall? (Rom 11:11)

“So fine, we were hardened so we stumbled so that we couldn’t believe and thus be ultimately cast off—is that what you’re saying Paul?”

The original question demands the negative: they did NOT stumble so as to fall. But their stumbling was to make the Gospel available to the Gentiles and then to provoke the Jews to be jealous.

Their stumbling brought riches to the world, brought salvation to a foreign people—how much more will the salvation of all of them (for that is what the full number means) bring to the rest of the world? How much greater will that be for everyone?

For you see, Paul’s point is that although they did stumble, because God had partially hardened them in unbelief, it wasn’t for the end goal of making sure they were damned to hell and cast off—but rather so that the entire world can reap the benefits of His awesome salvation.

All in all, Paul examines this as a group: Elect Israel was partially hardened so that the Gospel could go out to the entire world of UnElect Gentiles and finally in the end, Elect Israel as a Whole will believe bringing unimaginable riches (not in finances) to the entire world.

All of Israel will be saved just as it is written (11:26) and although the unbelieving Israel is currently (in regards to the gospel) enemies but according to God’s election they are loved because God’s gracious gifts are irrevocable.

Jews and Gentiles both stand on God’s mercy: both elect and unelect (categories which our Christian theologies have forced to mean unconditionally saved before the foundation of the world and unconditionally damned before the foundation of the world) stand on God’s mercy.

The truth of the matter is that God has shut everyone up as disobedient so that H could show mercy to all.

It’s no wonder that Paul can collapse into adoration and wonder at the depth of God’s riches and His unfathomable wisdom, unsearchable judgments and untraceable ways—for no one can know the mind of God who has conceived such a plan whereby all, and I mean all, can be saved.

Paul in examining if the message of the Gospel has reached Israel, offered up four questions and we take up our notes now to examine the second: It’s not is it, that Israel didn’t understand? (Rom 10:19)

"Well, true God we heard the message but our minds and hearts were darkened so we couldn’t possibly understand it therefore we couldn’t believe it." Is that their defense? Is that the unmentioned defense made by proponents of such a system?

Paul’s answer is once again grounded in Scripture after phrasing the question in such a way that it demands the negative.

As early as Moses, the Jewish writings taught that God would make them Jealous by means of a nation without understanding and Isaiah boldly states that God was found by those people that didn’t seek Him and He became manifest to those who didn’t ask for Him yet to Israel He says that He’s been waiting, with outstretched hands, to a disobedient and obstinate people.

In other words, the Gentiles were being converted by droves and the Israelites were witnesses of this as well. Indeed, their Bible said this was going to happen and if anyone would understand it they did because it was provoking to jealousy. These same Gentiles that were formerly pagans were now worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These same Gentiles were now calling on the name of the Living God and worshipping a Jewish Messiah as Lord.

And what were they doing? They were being disobedient while God in His longsuffering mercy and compassion stretches his hands out—look at the picture like a father with a disobedient and wayward child—all day long, waiting for them.

Oh the words of the Lord Jesus when He stood before Jerusalem and wept before entering in "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

Paul in examining if the message of the Gospel has reached Israel, offered up four questions and we take up our notes now to examine the first: It’s not is it, that Israel didn’t hear? (Rom 10:18)

For if Israel could state that they have never heard Christ’s Words then they might have a leg to stand on when it comes to judgment. Imagine the cosmic court room where Israel can say "No we didn’t have faith."

"Well then why not?"

"Well, we never heard anything."

"Yes, sorry, the preacher I tried to send could go so in turn you didn’t hear and thus you could never have faith. Be that as it may, you’re damned for eternity. Next."

So it’s not is it, that Israel has never heard? No, of course not—for they did hear, says Isaiah. The message has gone forth, it has gone out into all the earth. This doesn’t underscore the fact that Israel is part of the earth so they should’ve heard but rather it underscores the reach of the Gospel which the Jews were witness to.

They had the prophets before them speaking about this sort of thing, and they ignored it and denied it and railed against it: but it’s written down years before that this sort of thing was going to happen.

So they have heard.