Ministry in the Book of Romans - Part 2

Introduction

  • We are back to the book of Romans…
  • Over the past few months our study has brought us a long way.
    • From those who are without God and hope in the world because all have sinned and fall short of the glory God intends for His creation… Rom 3;9-23
    • To those who thru faith in Christ are more than conquerors, who cannot be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord… Rom 8;38
      • This is the extent of the gift of salvation that Jesus Christ brings ….
        • He literally moves us  from the gates of Hell to the inner courts of Heaven.
    • We take a literal view on these truths and we experience the impact on our daily lives, and we look forward to the literal return of the Lord Jesus to take us to be with Him in heaven.
  • That is the story of Romans 1-8 and its triumphant final call …
    • Who can separate us from the love of Christ … Rom 8;35
    • (Nothing nobody) can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord … Rom 8;39.
      • There is victory for me… in the blood of Christ my Saviour there is VICTORY
  • One would think that the next obvious responsibility is to present ourselves to God as his eternally grateful servants willing to undertake any service He calls us to … 
    • E.g. Given a new house … tell everybody. 
    • Therefore… in view of God’s mercies, present yourselves to God… which is your reasonable service or duty…Ch 12;1
  • Problem … that is not where Paul takes us … 
    • He adds in another 3 chapters (9-11) dealing specifically with the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob…Israel…
      • That is made very clear at the beginning of each chapter… Ch 9;1-5, 10;1 & 11;1
    • Chapter 9 deals with Israel's past …
      • Chapter 10 deals with Israel’s present situation…
      • Chapter 11 deals with Israel's  future. 
    • So we must understand why the Spirit placed them here and appreciate that herein we will find even more security and joy in our Saviour and salvation.

The early church… Background…

  • The make up of the very early church was Jewish …
    • The church in Jerusalem grew exponentially…
      • On one day 3000 added and numbers added on a daily basis… Acts 2;47
    • By agreement the Apostles preached to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles …
      • So eventually the churches became a mix of Jew and gentile but with time it became predominantly gentile… as was the case in Rome.
    • The Jews were people who knew the Old Testament truths and had practised the sacrifices and practises of the law …all their lives. 
    • Now the Apostles and Paul come along with what “seems” to be a “new and different” Gospel that says do away with the law and live in the freedom of faith 
      • No sacrifices, just communion every Sunday and not the Sabbath …
      • No circumcision necessary… no festivals etc…
      • Of course this was not a new gospel …
        • The gospel is firmly established in the Old Testament …Rom 3;4, 10-18 & ch 9;25-30
      • But the Jews believed they were God's elect nation, and acceptance by God is based on natural birth and works…  
        • They had been taught these things from infancy. 
          • And when that happens you don't just drop them like that. 
        • So on the one hand … 
          • Christians worshiping on Sundays …The temple worship was still being observed on the Sabbath …
            • And they are persecuting the Christians. 
    • For the new believers there are questions that needed to be answered. 
      • Like where does this faith in Jesus leave God's irrevocable unconditional, unilateral promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob 
      • And the covenant with David of an eternal dynasty. 
    • So the question is …
      • Did God reject his people… Ch 11;1
        • And the answer is NO, by no means … Ch 11;1
      • How can a Holy God set aside an unconditional promise …
      • If he does that to Israel, what about his promises to believers in Jesus 

Israel's Past… Covenants… Beriyth… Chapter 9

  • Now we move into chapter 9 and discuss Israel's past…
  • In the ancient world a covenant was the most solemn and binding relationship into which parties could enter.
    • The Hebrew word Beriyth is translated into the Greek Septuagint as Diatheke…
      • Meaning … A distribution of a will… an inheritance… which is completely unilateral covenant 
  • There are 4 unconditional Royal Grants (covenants) that God made that are important here. 
    • Noah … Never to flood the earth again… Gen 9;8-17 … literal history
    • Abram …Confirmation of previous everlasting covenants to his off-spring.… Gen 12;2-3, 13;14-17,15;9-21, 17;7-8… READ
    • David … Divine promise to Israel to maintain the Davidic dynasty forever and bring her into rest in the promised land … 2 Sam 7;16 
    • New covenant …Forgiveness for Israel's unfaithfulness and establish a new relationship on a new basis by writing the law on their hearts … Zec 31;31-34
      • These were unconditional, irrevocable, unilateral undertakings made by God to Israel… 
  • Further…Another promise by God…
    • To Moses on Sinai God promised to be Israel's God, protector and guarantor of blessing … Ex 19-24
      • But this promise was conditional on Israel's  consecration and obedience. 
  • Whilst God would not go back on His unconditional covenants Israel fails miserably in keeping her promise thru Moses to serve unconditionally…. Ex19;8
    • Consequently the presence of God and His blessings are impacted.
      • And to this day they are suffering like no other people.
  • However there was always a small remnant of faithful people within the ranks of Israel … 
    • And they were looking for the fulfillment of God's promises of a land to Abraham and the continuation of the Davidic dynasty  with its promise of rest..
      • So the disciples asked about the re-establishment of the kingdom to Israel …Acts 1;6
        • Jesus replied … It is not for you to know the dates or times the Father has set … Acts 1;7
          • It is coming but we do not know when. 
      • But it would seem that these questions were still being asked by the new believers in Rome…

Church in Rome

  • Paul understands the Jews uncertainty very well …
    • He has been thru it all and kicked against it before accepting Jesus… Acts 9;5 
  • But he never loses his love and concern for his own kin the nation of Israel… vs 1-4
    • Israel is God's elect nation that God has blessed with so many privileges .
      • The adoption … they are to inherit the land … 4
      • Divine glory … God's special nation…
      • The irrevocable covenants… of a Holy God
      • The temple worship …and the presence of God
      • The promises thru Moses…. The Law
      • The patriarchs and eventually the Messiah, Christ who is God over all…5
        • God gave them everything … Ch 9;4-5
    • But they rejected God and served other gods. 
  • So had God failed them ?…vs 6
    • Where did it all go wrong …

Israel …Because you have struggled with God and man and overcome… Gen 32;28

  • Remember Jacob wrestled all night and said …
    • I will not let you go unless you bless me … vs 26
    • He called that place Peniel …
      • Because I saw the face of God … vs 30
  • Clearly Jacob was a man of faith like his father and grandfather…
    • Who looked to God for blessing …
  • What we find is that God reaffirms the promises to Abraham with Jacob who is now renamed Israel…Gen 35;11-13
  • And God said to him …
    • I am God Almighty: be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you and I will give this land to your descendants after you… Gen 35;11-13
  • Jacob had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel …
  • Paul refers to…
    • His brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel… Rom 9;3-4
    • Elsewhere he speaks of his lineage as of the tribe of Benjamin and his own circumcision… Phil 3;5…
    • Clearly the context here demands a literal interpretation …
  • God in his sovereignty (God Almighty) elected the children of Jacob/Israel to be a special nation…
    • The purpose was 2 fold…
      • To produce Messiah/Jesus so that all the nations of the world could be blessed … Gen 12;3
      • Israel were to be a nation of priests, prophets and missionaries revealing God to the world…Ex 19;6
    • On the 2 points they failed as a nation…
      • But the Almighty God exercises His sovereign will and ensures that in the face of failure there is always a faithful remnant…
        • Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, the prophets, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, the Apostles etc
    • That remnant becomes an important body of faithful people in the Gospel story.
      • Andrew & Carlos will teach us more on that later.

Faith versus works

  • There are a number of questions being asked here…
    • Has God's word failed… Implied in the statement It is not as though God’s word has failed… vs 6
    • Is God unjust… vs 14
    • Why does God blame us… vs 19
    • Why did you make me like this… Vs 20
      • These are questions that are designed to question God’s integrity
      • And man uses them to discredit God …
  • But the Scriptures are very clear about God and His absolute holiness, faithfulness and purposes. 
    • So there must be answers to the questions. 

Question… Did God's word fail…

  • God’s word has not failed because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel … 6
    • God promised Abraham the impossible and he took God at his word …
      • And God counted that belief to Abram as righteousness … Gen 15;6
        • Notice there is no mention of service rendered or laws kept or rituals performed …
          • He simply took God at His word.
  • Paul made this point very clear earlier … Rom 4;3
    • Works of any kind earns a right to reward… men boast. 
    • What says Paul did Abrahan learn …
      • God rewards faith … not works … Rom 4;5
      • That  is the very foundation upon which all men must rely …Rom 4;11
      • The just shall live by faith … Rom 1;16-17 & Hab 2;4
        • Not just Israel
  • This was a very important lesson for the Jewish believers as they were very reluctant to let go of practices like circumcision. 
    • It was important because they pursued a law of righteousness (Works) thru circumcision etc but righteousness is by faith alone… Rom 9;31. 
  • The Jews of his day believed that because they were born into a Jewish family therefore they were God's elect .
    • Here Paul is assuring us that that is not true… vs 31
      • One becomes part of God's elect family thru faith alone.
    • So you may have been born into a Jewish family but that did not make you a true Israelite in God’s sight…Ch 9;6
  • The Jewish people in Jesus day claimed to be descendants of Abraham… Jh 8;33
    • And therefore he was their father /mentor
    • Jesus rebukes them because they are relying on being natural descendants and their works…vs 8,12
  • True Israelites wrestled with God, they looked to Him alone for blessing, it was not of works but of faith in a righteous God.
    • And it is by faith in God alone that we find the righteousness of God. 
      • True Israel … Are children of God thru faith alone. 

Conclusion

  • This passage is there to assure all mankind that the only way into God's favour is thru the individual choice to take God at his word… Faith in Christ
    • It is applicable to all of mankind, not just the Jews/Israel .
  • God elected Israel as a nation for a purpose but He chose Abraham because of his faith… And Isaac and Jacob.  
    • Israel was a people who undertook to follow God …Ex 19;8
      • But they relied on works and got it all wrong. 
  • You cannot call yourself a Christian unless you have believed God and His word… Ch 10;9 
    • Coming to church, good works, tithing generously, being offspring of devout parentage all count for nothing…
      • You must believe to be part of God's family.