ROMANS 11:25-36. THE MYSTERY OF GODS SALVATION
WHO LIKE’S A GOOD MYSTERY? LIKE THE MAGICIAN ON STAGE, WHO MANAGES TO MAKE A PERSON DISAPPEAR BEFORE YOUR EYES. “HOW DID HE DO THAT?” OR THE MURDER MYSTERY WEEKEND WHERE PROFESSOR PLUM IS REVEALED AS THE MURDERER. MAYBE YOU ENJOY A WORK OF FICTION, A DRAMA, OR A FILM DEALING WITH A PUZZLING CRIME. WHAT ABOUT THE MYSTERIES OF SECRET SOCIETIES LIKE THE FREE MASONS OR THE MYSTERY RELIGIONS OF THE EAST . MYSTERY INTRIGUES US ALL BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD ‘ SOMETHING WHICH BAFFLES OR ELUDES OUR UNDERSTANDING; AN ENIGMA:
1. THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION REVEALED V25 -27
PAUL HERE TALKS ABOUT A MYSTERY ROM 11:25 I DO NOT WANT YOU TO BE IGNORANT OF THIS MYSTERY, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORD MYSTERY IN CHRISTIANITY, HAS BEEN CONSECRATED AND TRANSFIGURED FROM THE MYSTERY RELIGIONS (INCOMPREHENSIBLE - INITIATED GRASP) BECAUSE CHRISTIAN TRUTHS ARE NOT INCOMPREHENSIBLE TRUTHS, BUT SECRETS DISCLOSED SO THAT THEY MAY BE COMPREHENDED BY ALL. (ROM 16: 25 -26) MADE KNOWN THROUGH THE BIBLE.
A) ABOUT THIS MYSTERY
HE DOES NOT WANT THEM TO REMAIN (V25) IGNORANT UNINFORMED, BECAUSE IT COULD LEAD TO A SENSE OF GENTILE SUPERIORITY ON THEIR BEHALF V25. BECAUSE OF THE JEWISH HARDENING IS A MEANS FOR THE FULL NUMBER OF GENTILES TO COME IN.
PAUL DESIRES HARMONY BETWEEN THE ELECT JEW AND GENTILE POPULACE IN THE CHURCH AT ROME. GAL 3:28 THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GENTILE, NEITHER SLAVE NOR FREE, NEITHER MALE OR FEMALE FOR YOU AE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS.
LIFE APPLICATION: BEWARE OF CONSIDERING YOURSELF SUPERIOR (AS A SAVED CHRISTIAN) TO OTHERS IN THE CONTEXT OF YOU RELATIONSHIPS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH. YOU ARE ONLY PART OF THE ELECT CHURCH BY GRACE OF GOD (NOT BY YOUR EFFORTS) AND SO TO OTHERS WHO AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME ARE HARDENED TO THE GOSPEL COULD WELL BECOME PART OF GODS ELECT CHURCH BY THAT SAME GRACE.
B) SO WHAT IS THIS MYSTERY?
(V26) ‘ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED.’ PAUL IS SAYING TO THE GENTILE BELIEVERS IN ROME THAT GODS ELECT FROM THE NATION OF ISRAEL THROUGHOUT HISTORY WILL BE SAVED. REMEMBER GOD HAS PRESERVED A REMNANT IN ELIJAH’S DAY (11:4) AND IN PAUL’S PRESENT DAY, WHOM ARE CHOSEN BY GRACE (11:5) AND SO TODAY SALVATION IS AT WORK AMONGST THE ELECT OF ISRAEL
• BUT HOW WILL ALL ISRAEL AS SPOKEN OFF BE SAVED?
THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL IS REVEALED TO US: GODS WORD COMMUNICATES THE ROUTE – THERE IS NO NEED FOR US TO BE IGNORANT IN REGARD TO THE WAY OF SALVATION, PAUL IS SPEAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF ISRAEL BUT ITS THE SAME FOR US ALL.
• “HOW IS A ANYBODY (INCLUDING JEW ) SAVED?” V26 -27
PAUL UNPACKS ISAIAH AND JEREMIAH : MANY HAVE WRONGLY PLACED THESE VERSES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 2ND COMING, SAYING THAT A GREAT INGATHERING OF JEWS WILL TAKE PLACE, TO DO THAT IS TO TAKE THE OT TEXTS OUT OF CONTEXT - AND FORGETTING THAT PAUL USES THEM TO SUBSTANTIATE THE MYSTERY REVEALED OF HOW THE JEWISH ELECT WILL BE SAVED.
PAUL IS SAYING THIS EVENT IS NOT SOME FUTURE EVENT BUT AN EVENT WHICH HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE AND IS THE INAUGURATION OF ALL ISRAEL BEING SAVED. PAUL SPEAKS OF.....
1. THE DELIVER WILL COME FROM ZION (ISAIAH 59:20 ) ( 1ST COMING OF CHRIST.)
2. HE WOULD TURN GODLESSNESS AWAY FROM JACOB (ISAIAH 27:9) (JACOBS SIN ATONED FOR AND REMOVED) THIS ISN’T REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL SALVATION FOR ISRAEL OR A SEPARATE WAY OF SALVATION FOR JEWS. BUT THE WAY IN WHICH ALL TRUE SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS OF JACOB WOULD TURN AWAY FROM GODLESSNESS)
3. HE WOULD ESTABLISH GODS COVENANT WITH THE PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS.JER 31:33.
JESUS WAS THE DELIVERER, HE ESTABLISHED GODS NEW COVENANT THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. REPENTANCE AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS WAS PREACHED AND BY FAITH IN CHRIST JEW AND GENTILES WERE SAVED.
SO HOW IS A PERSON SAVED? WHETHER YOUR A JEW OR GENTILE WHETHER YOUR WORKING, MIDDLE UPPER CLASS WHETHER YOUR BLACK OR WHITE , WHETHER YOU RELIGIOUS OR NOT THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION IS THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
THERE ISN’T ONE WAY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND ANOTHER WAY FOR CHRISTIANS THERE ISNT ANOTHER WAY FOR MUSLIMS AND ANOTHER WAY FOR HINDUS THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY FOR GODS ELECT TO BE SAVED AND THIS MYSTERY HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US ALL AND DO NOT BE IGNORANT OF THIS FACT OR CONSIDER YOURSELF SUPERIOR IN ANY WAY.
IT IS THOUGH JESUS CHRIST ALONE WHO SAID: JHN 14:6 I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.
AND SO THE MYSTERY OF GODS SALVATION IS THAT ALL OF GODS ELECT BOTH FROM THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND THE REST OF THE WORLD WILL BE SAVED. THIS IS THE MYSTERY OF GODS SALVATION REVEALED TO US ALL.
2. V28 – 32 THE MERCY OF GOD IN SALVATION
IN THE TOWN OF OLNEY IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE IN A PARISH CHURCHYARD THERE IS AN EPITAPH TO THE MERCY OF GOD. THERE STANDS A GRANITE TOMBSTONE WITH THIS INSCRIPTION: “JOHN NEWTON, CLERK [PASTOR], ONCE AN INFIDEL & LIBERTINE, A SERVANT OF SLAVERS IN AFRICA, WAS, BY THE RICH MERCY OF OUR LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, PRESERVED, RESTORED, PARDONED, AND APPOINTED TO PREACH THE FAITH HE HAD LONG LABORED TO DESTROY.”
YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER HIS NAME, BUT ALL OF US KNOW THE SONG HE WROTE AS A TESTIMONY OF HIS LIFE: “AMAZING GRACE.” HERE WAS A MAN WHO WAS ONCE DISOBEDIENT AND YET RECEIVED THE MERCY OF GOD.
V28 ISRAEL AS A NATION HAD REJECTED THE GOSPEL, THAT IS CLEAR ROM 9:30 10:4, 16-21 ISRAEL WAS ENTRENCHED IN UNBELIEF. THE APOSTLES HAD FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE OF THIS GOSPEL REJECTION JUST AS THE SAVIOR BEFORE THEM JHN1:12-13: WHO CAME TO HIS OWN AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.
V28 -29 PAUL WANTS THE GENTILES TO KNOW DESPITE THE CURRENT JEWISH REJECTION TO THE GOSPEL THERE IS STILL AN ELECT REMNANT WITHIN ISRAEL WHO WILL BE SAVED AND ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE GENTILE BELIEVERS. THESE PEOPLE ARE LOVED ON ACCOUNT OF THE PATRIARCHS (ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB ) WHO RECEIVED HIS IRREVOCABLE GIFTS AND CALL.
V30 HE WANTS THESE GENTILE BELIEVERS TO BE REMINDED OF THE MERCY OF GOD THEY HAVE RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE JEWISH REJECTION THE MERCY OF GOD IN SALVATION CAME TO THEM.
V31 AND AS A RESULT OF THE JEWS BEING AROUSED SEEING THE MERCY OF GOD TOWARDS GENTILES ( 11: 11 – 14) . THEY IN TURN MOVE FROM DISOBEDIENCE (UNBELIEF) TO FAITH IN CHRIST AND RECEIVE THE MERCY OF GOD IN SALVATION.
V32 SO THE POINT HERE IS THAT WE ARE BOUND OVER TO DISOBEDIENCE AND THE ONLY REASON WE ARE SAVED IS THE MERCY OF GOD IN SALVATION TO US ALL . (IN THE CONTEXT OF JEW AND GENTILE - GODS ELECT NOT UNIVERSAL ALL)
WHAT SHOULD OUR RESPONSE BE TO BEING BENEFICIARIES TO MERCY OF GOD IN SALVATION? V33-36 TO STAND IN AWE AND WONDER OF OUR GOD GIVING HIM ALL THE GLORY.
3. THE MEASURELESS WONDER OF GODS SALVATION PLAN V33-36
AT MOUNT GAMBIA THERE ARE SOME “SINK HOLES” VOLCANIC WELLS IN THE GROUND THAT FORMED NATURALLY AND ARE VERY DEEP. IN FACT, THEY ARE SO DEEP THAT GEOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FATHOM THE DEPTH OF THEM, TO REACH THE BOTTOM. THEY APPEAR BOTTOMLESS.
FRIENDS THE APOSTLE PAUL HAS MEASURED THE SINK HOLES OF GODS SALVATION PLAN AND HE IS LOST IN WONDER, ADORATION AND PRAISE V33 AT HE DEPTH OF THE RICHES OF THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
THROUGH THE LAST 11 CHAPTERS PAUL HAS BEEN UNPACKING THE MYSTERY OF GODS SALVATION PLAN WHICH HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: HE HAS TAKEN US FROM OUR TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF OUR OWN NATURE, TO OUR FUTURE GLORIFICATION. AND ON THE WAY WE HAVE SEEN HOW THE WRATH OF GOD HAS BEEN POURED OUT UPON THE WORLD, HOW ALL HAVE SINNED, HOW CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS, WAS RAISED FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION, UNITING US TO HIM IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, HOW WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER LAW BUT LIVING IN THE SPIRIT, HOW BOTH JEW AND GENTILE ARE BECOMING BENEFACTORS OF GODS ELECTING LOVE ALL AS A RESULT OF GODS RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED TO US THROUGH CHRIST.
TO PAUL GODS WORD IS NOT JUST SOME THEOLOGICAL EXERCISE WITH THE HEAD TO GRAPPLE WITH WITHOUT ENGAGING THE HEART (LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOU HEART SOUL STEGNTH AND MIND) PAUL MIND AND HEART ARE ENGAGED TOGETHER IN THE WORSHIP OF GOD AND PAUL HAS GONE AS FAR AS HE CAN …… AND ITS AS IF HE FALLS TO THE GROUND AND SIMPLY CRIES OUT IN ADORATION
PAUL HAS BEEN UNPACKING THE HEART AND MIND OF GOD, THESE THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS EFFECT HIM SPIRITUALLY IN THE INNER MAN – HIS THEOLOGY EFFECTS HIS WORSHIP OF GOD . AND THIS IS WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW - NOT ABLE TO REACH THE BOTTOM OF GODS INFINITE BEING AND WAYS.
V33 AT HE DEPTH OF THE RICHES OF THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. HOW UNSEARCHABLE HIS JUDGMENTS AND HIS PATHS BEYOND TRACING OUT!
34 -35. HE POISES THREE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS 1. WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD? 2. WHO HAS BEEN HIS COUNSELOR? 3 WHO HAS EVER GIVEN TO GOD, THAT HE SHOULD REPAY HIM?
TO SIMPLY DRIVE HOME THE GREATNESS AND THE MYSTERY OF GODS SALVATION PLAN. TO SHOW THAT WE ARE IN NO POSITION WHATSOEVER TO BE A CRITIC OF GOD.
CONSIDER RICHARD DAWKINS WITH HIS PHD, WITH HIS LECTURES, DEBATES , TV DOCUMENTARIES WRITING BOOKS AND RUNNING ATHEISTIC ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS ON THE LONDON BUSES, HE IS AN STUANCH ANTI CHRIST. TRYING HIS UPMOST TO EXPLAIN GOD AWAY….. IT’S REALLY LAUGHABLE. ITS LIKE THE BRAIN OF A FLEA COMING UP AGAINST A KRAY SUPER COMPUTER TIMES A ZILLION. (IF THERE IS SUCH A NUMBER!)
AS CHRISTIANS WE CAN BECOME A BIT OF CRITIC OF HIS WAYS, TO TALK BACK TO GOD, TO THINK THAT WE KNOW BEST IS FOOLISH. THE BOOK OF ROMANS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT BOOK TO GRAPPLE WITH BUT IT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODS SALVATION PLAN REVEALED TO US. IF WE FAIL TO REST AND SUBMIT TO GODS WAYS, WE WILL FAIL TO TRULY ENTER INTO ADORATION AND PRAISES OF GOD IN TRUE WORSHIP.
ONE LAST THOUGHT : REMEMBER AT ONE TIME YOU WERE GRATIFYING YOUR OWN SINFUL NATURE, A PEOPLE GOING YOUR OWN WAY - BUT GOD HAS STEPPED IN AND RESCUED US THROUGH HIS SON, SHOWN US HIS MERCY - LAVISHED HIS GRACE AND POURED OUT HIS LOVE. BROUGHT US INTO THE PRIVILEGES OF GODS SALVATION PLAN. THERE IS ONLY ONE RESPONSE, ONE OF ADORATION, THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US THIS IS WORSHIP!
AMEN
