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Romans 11:25-36 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, good morning. Please take your copy of God's Word. Join me in Romans chapter 11.
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Our text for today is Romans chapter 11, verses 25 through 36, which is to the end of the chapter.
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We're doing it. We're making it through chapter 11 today, Lord willing. Something could happen to me in the next 30 to 45 minutes.
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We have been wading in the deep waters of difficult texts these past weeks.
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Today, we're going to finish our consideration of chapter 11, which deserves a warning before we plumb its depths.
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Last week, I issued the warning. This week, I'm going to read to you a warning from the pulpit of Martin Lloyd-Jones.
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He said, and I quote,
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We must be careful that our proper interest in the content of this chapter does not become carnal excitement.
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That is, mental excitement.
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There is more than one way of being excited.
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We can be excited intellectually as well as emotionally.
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I warn those who are keen to find out what is going on to be said on this matter, or that, and particularly, on so shall all Israel be saved.
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This attitude is quite inappropriate when one comes to study the Scriptures.
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Let us remind ourselves at the outset of two things which we find in this chapter.
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The first is that the Apostle refers in it to a mystery.
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If, therefore, we think that we have this chapter all sorted out and tabulated, and that there could be no other view worth considering, we are already wrong.
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But the second is the way in which the Apostle concludes this chapter.
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Having written it, he finds in himself a state of mind and heart in which he can think of and do nothing else but praise and worship God.
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Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
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The consideration of this truth had that effect on him.
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So it should on us and on all who consider it.
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And that is what we now begin to do.
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End quote.
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So, let's approach this text together with humility and awe that moves us to praise.
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Romans 11, beginning in verse 25.
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Let me remind you before I read it, beloved, that this is God's word to us written for his glory and our good.
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So we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Let's read it in verse 26.
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Let's read it in verse 26.
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Lest you be wise in your own sight.
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I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers.
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A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
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And in this way all Israel will be saved.
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As it is written, the Deliverer will come from Zion.
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He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
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And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.
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As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake.
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But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
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For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
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For just as you were at one time disobedient to God, but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
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so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.
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For God has consigned all to disobedience that he may have mercy on all.
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Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.
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How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways.
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For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?
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Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?
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For from him and through him and to him are all things.
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To him be glory forever.
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Amen.
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Now, before making any comments about the details of this text,
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and we will not have time to talk about all the details of this text,
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let us set together in our minds what Paul is doing here.
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Remember back at the beginning of chapter 9,
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Paul is lamenting the unbelief of Israel as he works out the theological implications of divine election.
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When we arrive at chapter 11,
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we must see that the entirety of the chapter is framed by the question found at the beginning of verse 1.
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There he says,
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I ask then,
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has God rejected his people?
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He's working through this arc,
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this lament at the beginning of chapter 9,
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seeing that not all Jews will be saved.
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But has God rejected his people?
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He asks at the beginning of verse 1 of chapter 11.
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And he emphatically answers it,
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no.
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He says,
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by no means.
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Paul then offers himself as a witness to this truth.
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After all,
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God had saved him.
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He says,
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I myself have been saved.
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And he goes on in chapter 11 and verse 5,
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so too,
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just like in the days of Elijah,
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so too,
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at the present time,
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there is a remnant chosen by grace.
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It's about people from Israel chosen by grace.
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The primary doctrine of the chapter is God's faithfulness to his word and the saving of his people.
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The primary exhortation is for Gentile or non-Jewish followers of Christ,
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and it's found at the beginning of verse 18.
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There he says,
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do not be arrogant toward the branches.
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Right?
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In the middle of an analogy about branches being cut off so that they, as Gentiles, could be grafted in.
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He says,
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do not become arrogant.
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So you could walk away from this chapter.
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And I don't want to suggest for a moment that the entire chapter is not of value to us,
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but I want you to get, at very least, these two things.
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Right?
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In God's divine elective purpose,
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he has not rejected the Jewish people,
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and therefore,
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those of us who are non-Jewish Christians
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should not become arrogant
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towards the unbelief of Israel.
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Now, regardless of all the possible ways we can understand this chapter,
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we need to be careful not to miss those two points.
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Right?
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Again, God is faithful to his promises,
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and we,
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assuming you're like me,
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non-Jewish,
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should still see that God has a saving purpose for Israel.
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Paul compounds his exhortation against arrogance in verse 25.
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Boy, excuse me.
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I'm still fighting this cold a bit.
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There he says,
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lest you be wise in your own sight.
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I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery,
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brothers.
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A partial hardening has come upon Israel
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until the fullness of the Gentiles
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has come in.
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This mystery is that God,
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in his divine purpose,
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is employing a gospel-rejecting strategy
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for the sake of Gentiles,
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the Jews rejecting the gospel
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for the sake of the Gentiles,
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and a jealousy-provoking strategy
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for the sake of Jews,
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which we talked about at length last week.
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The purpose of God hardening some Jews
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who were unbelieving
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was that Gentiles would be saved.
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God working out his elective purpose
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through it all.
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So Gentile believer,
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do not become proud.
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Do not think yourself wise.
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God is mercifully saving his people.
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And this brings us to the challenge
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of today's text.
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And I am saying to you,
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it is a challenge.
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Some of the language here is difficult.
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And we see that summarized
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at the beginning of verse 26
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and explained throughout the end of verse 32.
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So let's read these verses all together again
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just to set them in our mind.
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Verse 26 through 32.
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And in this way,
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he's referring back to the fullness
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of the Gentiles coming in.
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It's a direct reference
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to the phrase previous to that
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in verse 25.
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And in this way,
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all Israel will be saved.
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As it is written,
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the deliverer will come from Zion.
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He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
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And this will be my covenant with them.
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when I take away their sins.
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As regards the gospel,
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they are enemies for your sake.
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But as regards election,
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they are beloved for the sake
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of their forefathers.
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For the gifts and the calling of God
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are irrevocable.
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They can't be taken away.
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For just as you were at one time
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disobedient to God,
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but now have received mercy
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because of their disobedience,
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so they too have now been disobedient
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in order that by the mercy shown to you,
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they also may now receive mercy.
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Right?
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Gospel rejecting strategy
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for the sake of Gentiles.
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Right?
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Gospel jealousy
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for the sake of Jews.
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For God has consigned
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all to disobedience
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that he may have mercy
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on all.
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Now,
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up to this point in the chapter,
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Paul has been making his case
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in the present tense.
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Right?
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Paul is writing.
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What is going on right now?
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What is he observing
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is happening in his day?
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And now he turns
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his writing and our minds
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eschatologically,
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that is,
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toward the end of the age.
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He is still speaking
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of God's present work,
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but he has fixed his gaze
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on the full realization
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of God's saving purpose.
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Now,
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we will not have the bandwidth
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this morning
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to pull apart
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each of those phrases.
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And frankly,
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you'll ask me
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and I'll go,
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yep,
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that's an interesting
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turn of phrase there.
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So,
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we're going to structure
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the study of our text
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this morning
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by thinking about
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what could be possibly
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meant by the phrase,
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in this way,
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all Israel
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will be saved.
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Right?
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Particularly that
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all Israel.
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What does that mean?
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And you can find
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many interpretations
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of this text.
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And this morning
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I'm just going to cover
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the four most common.
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And I'm going to begin
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with those least probable
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and move to those
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most probable.
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And I will tell you
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with a great deal
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of trembling
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what I think it means.
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So,
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here we go.
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Number one,
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least probable
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to the most probable
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interpretations.
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So,
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number one,
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all Israel means
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every ethnic Jew
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throughout history
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will be saved.
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Right?
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That's one position.
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Right?
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All Israel means
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every ethnic Jew
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throughout history
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will be saved.
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And we find
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some evidence
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to support
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this position
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in verse 12
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as an example
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of chapter 11.
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If their trespass
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means riches
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for the world
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and if their failure
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means riches
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for the Gentiles,
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how much more
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will their
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full inclusion
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mean?
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And in today's text,
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specifically,
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verse 28
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and verse 32,
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right?
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As regards election,
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they are beloved
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for the sake
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of their forefathers.
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Broad reference
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to Israel.
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Verse 32,
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for God has
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consigned
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all to disobedience
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that he may
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have mercy
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on all.
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Now,
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if we take
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the phrase
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all Israel
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in verse 12
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and 28
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and 32
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at face value,
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then it would be
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proper to conclude
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that in God's
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divine purpose,
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every ethnic Jew
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throughout history
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will be saved.
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So how can we
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know that this
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is not the
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proper way
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to interpret
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this text?
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We can know
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this because
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if this is
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what Paul means,
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then he would
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have no reason
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to be grieved
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by the unbelief
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of Jewish people.
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Why would he
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be concerned
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at all
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if he believes
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that in the end
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all ethnically
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Jewish people
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will be
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saved?
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Remember back
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Romans chapter 9,
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and I've referenced
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it a few times,
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but just hear it
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beginning in verse 1.
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He says,
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I'm speaking the
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truth in Christ.
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I am not lying.
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My conscience
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bears me witness
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in the Holy Spirit
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that I have
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great sorrow
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and unceasing
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anguish
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in my heart.
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Why is this?
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Because he's been
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talking about
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God's elective purpose
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at the end
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of chapter 8.
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In order to
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found our faith
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on God's work
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in our lives,
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who shall separate
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us from the love
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of Christ?
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No one is his
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answer.
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And what he does
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with that then,
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he says,
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but what about
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those unbelieving
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Jewish people?
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He has great
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sorrow and
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unceasing
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anguish
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in his heart.
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And then verse 3
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says,
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for I could wish
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that I myself
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were accursed
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and cut off
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from Christ
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for the sake
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of my brothers,
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my kinsmen,
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according to the
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flesh.
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He's so grieved
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that he himself
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would be separated
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from Christ
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for their
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sake,
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that they would
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believe the
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gospel.
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He would have
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no reason
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to feel this
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way at all,
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to feel it so
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strongly,
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if in just a few
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short chapters
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he's going to
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teach us that
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all ethnic
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Jews will be
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saved.
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Additionally,
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we can see
14:54
in chapter 11
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that not all
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Jewish people
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were saved
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in his
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day.
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So he's a
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witness to
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this.
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Look at the
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beginning of
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the chapter,
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verse 2
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through 7.
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Again,
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he's answering
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this question,
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has God
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rejected his
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people?
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And he says,
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God has not
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rejected his
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people,
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whom he
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foreknew.
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He qualifies
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it there.
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Do you not
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know what the
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scripture says
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of Elijah,
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how he appeals
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to God
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against Israel?
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Remember,
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you may know
15:27
the story of
15:27
Elijah.
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He had
15:29
issued this
15:30
challenge against
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the prophets
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of Baal.
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It's the
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altars and
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the altars
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that burn
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and the
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altars that
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don't burn.
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This major
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victory has
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taken place
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and yet
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his life
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is being
15:43
sought.
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All of
15:44
Israel hasn't
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turned back
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the way he
15:47
had hoped
15:47
would happen
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and so he
15:49
issues this
15:49
complaint and
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we see the
15:50
record of it
15:51
there in
15:51
verse 3.
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Lord,
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they have
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killed your
15:52
prophets,
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they have
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demolished
15:54
your altars
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and I
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alone am
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left and
15:56
they seek
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my life.
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And then
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Paul asks,
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but what is
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God's reply
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to him?
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God says,
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I have
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kept for
16:03
myself
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7,000 men
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who have
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not bowed
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the knee
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to Baal.
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So there's
16:09
a remnant
16:10
that is
16:10
kept
16:11
faithful.
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So too,
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Paul says,
16:14
verse 5,
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at the
16:16
present time
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there is
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a remnant
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chosen
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by grace.
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And then
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he makes
16:23
the point,
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but if it
16:24
is by grace,
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it is no
16:26
longer on
16:26
the basis
16:27
of works,
16:27
otherwise grace
16:28
would no
16:30
longer be
16:31
grace.
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What then,
16:34
verse 7,
16:34
Israel failed
16:35
to obtain
16:35
what it
16:36
was seeking,
16:36
the elect
16:37
obtained it,
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but the
16:38
rest were
16:40
hardened.
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So,
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in Paul's
16:43
day,
16:43
not all
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Jewish
16:44
people are
16:46
going to
16:46
be saved.
16:46
In the
16:47
days of
16:47
Elijah,
16:48
not all
16:48
Jewish
16:49
people were
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saved.
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And I
16:52
would suggest
16:53
to you,
16:53
in our
16:53
day,
16:54
not all
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Jewish
16:55
people
16:56
are
16:57
saved.
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Further,
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this view
17:00
would also
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have to
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support the
17:02
idea that
17:02
a person
17:03
can be
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saved
17:04
apart
17:04
from
17:05
faith
17:06
in the
17:06
person
17:06
and
17:07
work
17:07
of
17:08
Christ,
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which
17:09
just
17:10
isn't
17:11
the case
17:12
and rips
17:13
this chapter
17:13
from
17:14
its
17:15
surrounding
17:15
context.
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If you
17:18
look back
17:18
just a
17:19
chapter,
17:20
Romans
17:20
chapter 10,
17:21
we don't
17:22
have to
17:22
go far
17:23
in Paul's
17:23
theology.
17:25
He says,
17:26
verse 12,
17:26
there is no
17:27
distinction between
17:28
Jew and
17:28
Greek,
17:29
for the
17:29
same Lord
17:30
is Lord
17:30
of all,
17:31
bestowing
17:31
his riches
17:32
on all
17:33
who call
17:34
on him.
17:35
For everyone
17:36
who calls
17:36
on the name
17:37
of the
17:37
Lord
17:38
will be
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saved.
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How then
17:42
will they
17:42
call on him
17:43
in whom
17:43
they have
17:44
not
17:44
believed?
17:45
He's asking
17:46
rhetorical
17:46
questions.
17:48
And how
17:48
are they
17:49
to believe
17:49
in him
17:50
of whom
17:50
they have
17:51
never
17:51
heard?
17:53
And how
17:53
are they
17:53
to hear
17:54
without
17:54
someone
17:55
preaching?
17:57
And how
17:57
are they
17:57
to preach
17:58
unless they
17:58
are sent
17:59
as it
17:59
is written?
18:00
How
18:00
beautiful
18:00
are the
18:01
feet
18:01
of those
18:02
who
18:03
preach
18:03
the good
18:05
news.
18:05
So Paul's
18:06
already made
18:06
the case
18:07
that we
18:08
will be
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saved,
18:08
we call
18:09
on the
18:09
name of
18:10
Christ,
18:10
but for
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us to
18:11
do that
18:12
we have
18:12
to know
18:13
the gospel
18:14
of Jesus
18:15
Christ.
18:16
It has
18:17
to be
18:17
preached
18:17
to us
18:18
that we
18:18
might
18:18
believe
18:19
in it.
18:20
Just a few
18:21
verses later,
18:22
verse 17,
18:22
chapter 10,
18:23
he says,
18:23
so faith
18:24
comes from
18:25
hearing,
18:25
and hearing
18:26
through the
18:27
word
18:27
of Christ.
18:31
So,
18:32
it's one
18:32
position,
18:33
all Israel
18:33
means every
18:34
ethnic Jew
18:35
throughout
18:36
history
18:37
will be
18:38
saved,
18:38
which I
18:39
think we
18:39
do well
18:40
to reject
18:40
altogether.
18:42
Second,
18:44
probable,
18:45
little more
18:49
probable
18:49
position.
18:51
All
18:51
Israel
18:51
means
18:52
the
18:54
church.
18:55
This
18:55
position
18:56
holds
18:56
that Paul
18:56
is not
18:57
talking
18:57
about
18:58
ethnic
18:58
Israel
18:59
at this
18:59
point,
19:00
but all
19:01
those who
19:01
will ever
19:02
be saved
19:03
by Christ.
19:06
Proponents
19:06
of this
19:07
view
19:07
appeal
19:07
to
19:08
texts
19:08
like
19:09
Romans
19:09
chapter 2,
19:10
verse 28
19:11
and 29.
19:12
There Paul
19:12
says,
19:13
for no
19:13
one is
19:14
a Jew
19:14
who is
19:15
merely
19:15
one
19:15
outwardly,
19:16
nor
19:17
is
19:17
circumcision
19:18
outward
19:18
and
19:18
physical,
19:19
but a
19:19
Jew
19:19
is
19:19
one
19:20
inwardly,
19:21
and
19:21
circumcision
19:22
is a
19:22
matter
19:22
of the
19:22
heart,
19:23
by the
19:23
spirit,
19:23
not by
19:24
the
19:24
letter.
19:25
His
19:25
praise
19:25
is not
19:26
from
19:26
man,
19:27
but
19:27
from
19:27
God.
19:28
And
19:28
Romans
19:29
chapter 9,
19:30
verses 6
19:30
through 8.
19:32
But it's not
19:32
as though the
19:32
word of God
19:33
has failed,
19:34
for not
19:34
all who
19:34
are
19:35
descended
19:35
from
19:35
Israel
19:36
belong
19:36
to
19:37
Israel,
19:38
and
19:38
not
19:38
all
19:39
are
19:39
children
19:39
of
19:39
Abraham
19:40
because
19:40
they are
19:40
his
19:40
offspring,
19:41
but
19:41
through
19:42
Isaac
19:42
shall
19:42
your
19:42
offspring
19:43
be
19:43
named.
19:44
This
19:45
means
19:45
it is
19:45
not
19:45
the
19:45
children
19:46
of
19:46
the
19:46
flesh
19:46
who
19:46
are
19:46
the
19:47
children
19:47
of
19:47
God,
19:47
but
19:47
the
19:47
children
19:48
of
19:48
the
19:48
promise
19:48
are
19:49
counted
19:49
as
19:51
offspring.
19:51
So he's
19:52
saying,
19:52
and he makes
19:53
the case
19:53
in other
19:54
places
19:54
as well,
19:56
that there's
19:57
a spiritual
19:58
Israel
19:59
that's
20:00
saved
20:00
by
20:01
God.
20:03
And I
20:03
like this
20:03
position
20:04
for its
20:05
intended
20:06
tidiness,
20:08
but I
20:09
find it
20:09
very
20:10
difficult
20:10
to
20:10
support
20:10
it
20:11
in
20:11
the
20:11
immediate
20:11
context.
20:13
He sure
20:13
seems to
20:13
be talking
20:14
about
20:14
ethnically
20:15
Jewish
20:15
people,
20:17
especially
20:18
as he's
20:18
talking about
20:19
their
20:19
rejection
20:19
for the
20:20
sake
20:20
of
20:21
Gentiles,
20:22
as you
20:22
read
20:22
through
20:23
chapter
20:24
11.
20:24
I'd
20:24
love to
20:25
unlock
20:25
some
20:25
kind
20:26
of,
20:26
you know,
20:26
have
20:27
the
20:27
key
20:27
and
20:27
unlock
20:28
it
20:28
and
20:28
show
20:28
you
20:28
that
20:29
that's
20:29
what
20:29
it
20:29
means.
20:29
I
20:30
just
20:30
think
20:30
it's
20:30
really
20:30
difficult
20:31
to
20:31
make
20:31
that
20:32
case.
20:34
Two
20:35
examples
20:35
from
20:35
Romans
20:35
11.
20:39
Paul
20:46
there
20:46
is not
20:46
only
20:46
saying
20:47
that he
20:47
is an
20:47
Israelite,
20:48
but he
20:48
goes on
20:49
to talk
20:49
about
20:49
ethnically.
20:52
He's
20:52
very
20:52
clear.
20:53
That's
20:53
what he's
20:54
saying.
20:55
A
20:55
descendant
20:55
of
20:55
Abraham,
20:56
a
20:56
member
20:56
of
20:57
the
20:57
tribe
20:58
of
20:59
Benjamin.
21:00
And
21:00
then in
21:01
our
21:01
text
21:01
today,
21:02
verse
21:02
25,
21:03
must
21:04
you be
21:04
wise in
21:04
your own
21:05
sight.
21:05
Don't
21:05
be
21:06
unaware
21:06
of
21:06
this
21:06
mystery,
21:06
brothers.
21:08
A
21:08
partial
21:08
hardening
21:08
has
21:08
come
21:09
upon
21:09
Israel
21:10
until
21:11
the
21:11
fullness
21:11
of
21:12
the
21:12
Gentiles
21:12
has
21:13
come
21:14
in.
21:15
There
21:15
he's
21:15
talking
21:16
about
21:16
ethnic
21:17
groups
21:17
in
21:18
that
21:19
case.
21:19
So
21:19
it's
21:20
very
21:21
tidy.
21:21
I
21:21
really
21:22
would
21:22
love
21:22
for
21:22
it
21:22
to
21:22
be
21:22
the
21:23
case,
21:23
but
21:23
I
21:23
also
21:23
think
21:24
we
21:24
can
21:24
safely
21:25
and
21:25
we
21:25
do
21:25
well
21:26
to
21:26
reject
21:26
this
21:27
position.
21:29
I
21:29
stated
21:30
that we
21:30
move
21:30
from
21:31
less
21:31
probable
21:32
to
21:32
more
21:33
probable
21:33
interpretations.
21:35
To
21:36
be
21:36
clear,
21:37
I
21:37
find
21:38
those
21:38
first
21:38
two
21:39
previously
21:39
stated
21:40
positions
21:40
to be
21:41
impossible
21:41
and so
21:42
just
21:43
wrong.
21:45
Now we
21:45
move on
21:46
to two
21:46
positions
21:46
I find
21:47
actually
21:49
probable.
21:49
So the
21:52
third,
21:53
all Israel
21:54
means a
21:55
dramatic
21:56
future
21:57
salvation
21:57
for ethnic
21:59
Jews.
22:00
A dramatic
22:00
future
22:01
salvation
22:02
for ethnic
22:03
Jews.
22:03
Jews
22:04
this
22:05
is
22:05
a
22:06
popularly
22:07
held
22:07
position.
22:09
The
22:09
holders
22:10
of it
22:10
have
22:10
their
22:11
variations
22:11
in the
22:12
specifics,
22:13
but generally
22:14
agree that
22:15
there will
22:15
be some
22:16
great
22:16
inclusion
22:17
of ethnic
22:18
Jews
22:18
into the
22:19
church
22:19
before
22:20
Christ's
22:21
return.
22:23
Most
22:23
believe
22:24
that
22:24
all Jews
22:26
alive
22:26
at that
22:27
time
22:27
is what
22:28
Paul
22:28
means
22:29
there.
22:30
this
22:32
view
22:32
is held
22:32
by men
22:34
like
22:34
John
22:34
MacArthur,
22:35
John
22:36
Piper,
22:37
and
22:37
Jonathan
22:38
Edwards.
22:40
It is
22:40
not the
22:41
view
22:41
that I
22:42
hold,
22:43
but I
22:43
always
22:43
shudder
22:44
to disagree
22:44
with the
22:46
Johns.
22:47
So
22:47
I
22:49
disagree
22:50
very loosely
22:51
and very
22:52
humbly.
22:54
This is
22:54
an orthodox
22:55
position
22:56
to hold
22:57
of this
22:58
chapter.
22:59
This view
23:00
is careful,
23:01
it is
23:01
articulate,
23:03
the fact
23:03
that throughout
23:04
the Old
23:05
Testament
23:05
of chapter
23:06
11,
23:08
and the
23:09
fact that
23:10
throughout
23:10
the Old
23:10
Testament,
23:11
the remnant
23:12
preserved
23:12
within Israel
23:13
is always
23:14
a sign
23:15
of hope
23:16
for Israel
23:17
as a
23:18
whole.
23:20
Like I
23:20
said,
23:21
you are in
23:21
good company
23:22
if you
23:22
hold this
23:22
position,
23:23
and if
23:24
you want
23:24
to read
23:25
and understand
23:25
more about
23:26
it,
23:26
I encourage
23:27
you to
23:27
read Tom
23:28
Schreiner's
23:28
commentary
23:29
on these
23:30
verses.
23:30
It's a
23:31
position he
23:31
holds,
23:31
he does
23:32
a very
23:32
good job
23:33
of explaining
23:34
it,
23:35
and the
23:35
whole commentary
23:35
is commendable,
23:36
it's a good
23:37
resource for
23:39
a study
23:39
of Romans.
23:41
I do
23:42
find that
23:43
some of the
23:44
arguments for
23:44
this view
23:45
seem to be
23:46
carried along
23:47
by mere
23:48
optimism,
23:50
and I
23:50
try not to
23:51
be a person
23:52
who's known
23:52
as pessimistic,
23:53
I try to be
23:54
optimistic,
23:55
optimistic,
23:55
but I
23:56
also try
23:56
not to
23:57
interpret
23:59
things by
24:00
optimism.
24:02
I hold
24:02
the final
24:03
view I
24:03
will present
24:03
to you
24:04
that all
24:05
Israel means
24:08
a remnant
24:08
of ethnic
24:09
Jews
24:09
throughout
24:10
history,
24:11
which I
24:12
do not
24:12
hold
24:13
pessimistically,
24:14
but listen
24:15
to what
24:15
Schreiner says
24:16
concerning
24:16
this position.
24:17
This is to
24:17
that point,
24:18
and it
24:19
seems carried
24:19
along by
24:20
optimism.
24:21
So to
24:21
my position,
24:22
he says,
24:22
the difficulty
24:23
with the
24:23
remnant
24:24
throughout
24:24
history
24:24
interpretation
24:25
is that
24:26
the mystery
24:27
revealed
24:27
is stunningly
24:29
anticlimactic.
24:32
That is,
24:32
his primary
24:33
defense against
24:33
the position
24:34
that I hold
24:34
is that
24:35
it's stunningly
24:36
anticlimactic.
24:38
And I
24:39
just don't
24:39
find that
24:40
what does
24:41
or doesn't
24:41
make for a
24:42
good story
24:43
from our
24:43
perspective
24:44
to be a
24:44
very reliable
24:45
hermeneutic.
24:47
But I
24:49
digress.
24:49
This is a
24:50
commonly held
24:51
view.
24:51
There's going
24:52
to be a
24:52
dramatic
24:53
future
24:53
salvation
24:55
for ethnic
24:56
Jews.
24:58
And hear
24:58
me very
24:59
carefully.
24:59
I am on
25:00
board with
25:00
it if this
25:01
is what
25:02
Paul means
25:02
by that.
25:03
I'm a
25:03
fan if
25:04
that is
25:04
what Paul
25:06
means.
25:07
But I
25:08
don't think
25:08
it's what
25:09
he means,
25:09
and I'm
25:09
just briefly
25:10
going to
25:10
show you
25:10
why.
25:11
Number
25:12
four,
25:13
fourth
25:14
position,
25:14
the one
25:14
I hold,
25:15
all Israel
25:15
means a
25:17
remnant
25:18
of ethnic
25:19
Jews
25:19
throughout
25:20
history.
25:21
without
25:22
placing
25:22
any
25:23
particular
25:23
number
25:23
on
25:24
what
25:25
that
25:25
may
25:26
mean.
25:27
And I
25:27
hold this
25:28
position
25:28
because I
25:28
find that
25:29
this position
25:29
squares what
25:30
Paul has
25:31
been teaching
25:31
about divine
25:32
election and
25:33
a Jewish
25:34
remnant from
25:34
the beginning
25:35
of chapter
25:37
nine.
25:37
So I know
25:38
if you're a
25:38
guest this
25:39
morning and
25:39
you're here
25:40
sitting in the
25:41
middle of this,
25:41
you don't know
25:41
what I'm
25:42
talking about.
25:44
I encourage you
25:45
to go back
25:45
and listen.
25:45
If you've
25:46
been here,
25:46
you know
25:47
this is what
25:48
we have
25:48
been talking
25:49
about from
25:50
the beginning
25:50
of chapter
25:52
nine.
25:54
I do not
25:54
find this
25:54
view to be
25:55
at all
25:55
pessimistic
25:56
or
25:56
anticlimactic
25:57
when understood
25:58
in the light
26:00
of our
26:00
severe rebellion
26:01
and God's
26:02
immeasurable
26:03
grace
26:04
and mercy.
26:06
I think
26:07
that we
26:07
have all
26:08
that Paul
26:08
has taught
26:09
from the
26:09
beginning
26:10
of this
26:10
letter
26:10
in our
26:11
minds
26:12
if we
26:13
find ourselves
26:13
in the
26:14
end of
26:15
chapter
26:15
one and
26:16
in chapter
26:16
two,
26:17
and in
26:17
chapter
26:17
three,
26:18
as we
26:19
should,
26:21
rebels
26:22
against a
26:23
good,
26:23
kind,
26:24
loving
26:24
king,
26:25
having
26:26
rejected
26:26
his
26:27
rule
26:27
in our
26:28
lives.
26:29
We
26:29
deserve
26:30
eternal
26:30
damnation.
26:32
We should
26:32
be very
26:32
aware of
26:33
our
26:33
spiritual
26:34
unworthiness.
26:36
If we
26:36
have our
26:37
minds
26:37
there,
26:39
then we
26:39
will be
26:39
absolutely
26:40
astounded
26:41
that God
26:42
saves
26:43
at all.
26:45
That he
26:45
saves our
26:46
rebellious
26:47
souls and
26:47
that he
26:47
has and
26:49
will
26:49
save the
26:50
rebellious
26:50
souls of
26:51
others,
26:52
both Jews
26:53
and Gentiles.
26:56
So it's
26:56
not at all
26:56
pessimistic to
26:57
read this and
26:58
just say,
26:58
I think Paul's
26:59
just saying
27:00
that God's
27:01
going to save
27:01
all those
27:01
Gentiles he
27:02
intends to
27:02
save and
27:03
God's going
27:03
to save
27:03
all those
27:04
Jews that
27:04
he intends
27:05
to save
27:05
because nobody
27:06
deserves it.
27:08
If you
27:09
deserve
27:09
anything at
27:10
all,
27:10
it's a
27:11
little
27:11
miniature
27:12
catechism in
27:12
our house
27:13
with our
27:13
boys.
27:14
Boys,
27:14
what do you
27:14
deserve?
27:15
When they
27:15
act like
27:15
they deserve
27:16
something,
27:16
they act
27:17
entitled,
27:18
what do you
27:18
deserve?
27:19
And they've
27:19
been taught
27:19
to say,
27:20
death and
27:20
health.
27:23
If we
27:23
have that
27:23
mind,
27:24
which is
27:25
true,
27:26
it's what I
27:26
deserve for
27:27
my rebellion
27:28
against God.
27:30
But when I'm
27:31
dismissed from
27:33
that punishment,
27:34
when I'm let
27:35
out of the
27:35
courtroom,
27:36
right,
27:36
from death
27:37
to life,
27:39
I don't think
27:40
I'm going to
27:40
yell things
27:41
over my
27:41
shoulder.
27:42
But that's
27:42
not fair.
27:44
How dare
27:45
you?
27:46
I would
27:46
just leave
27:47
with gratitude
27:47
because I
27:48
know what I
27:48
deserved and
27:49
I know what
27:50
I've been
27:50
granted,
27:51
salvation in
27:53
Christ.
27:53
What an
27:54
incredible thing
27:55
that God
27:55
saves at
27:56
all,
27:56
that he
27:56
saves people
27:58
of all
27:59
kinds,
28:01
right,
28:01
both Jew
28:02
and Gentile.
28:05
It's the way
28:05
we should read
28:06
this chapter.
28:08
Now,
28:09
as I said,
28:10
you are most
28:10
welcome to
28:11
disagree with
28:11
me.
28:13
Please come
28:13
tell me.
28:14
It won't hurt
28:15
my feelings.
28:16
I'm sure that
28:17
it hasn't been
28:17
the first and
28:18
won't be the
28:18
last time that
28:19
you disagree
28:19
with me.
28:21
But let us
28:21
not miss that
28:22
we have failed
28:23
to understand
28:23
this text if
28:24
we become
28:25
arrogant toward
28:26
ethnic Jews,
28:27
if we stop
28:27
caring that the
28:28
gospel we preach
28:29
to them,
28:29
and if we are
28:30
not moved
28:31
to praise.
28:34
Let's spend
28:34
the rest of
28:35
our time
28:35
together on
28:36
the praise at
28:37
the end of
28:39
chapter 11.
28:40
Beloved,
28:42
good theology
28:43
rightly held,
28:45
it's possible
28:46
to believe the
28:47
right thing
28:47
and to believe
28:48
it wrongly
28:49
in the way
28:50
that you hold
28:50
it.
28:50
Good theology
28:51
drives doxology.
28:55
If you're
28:55
believing things
28:56
that the Bible
28:57
teaches rightly,
28:58
it should lead
28:59
you to praise.
29:02
And that's
29:03
where Paul goes.
29:03
I just imagine
29:05
him bursting into
29:06
this kind of
29:07
praise of God.
29:09
He hasn't
29:10
written an
29:11
outline and
29:12
thought,
29:12
boy, at the
29:14
end of chapter
29:14
11, I must
29:15
say something
29:15
glorious.
29:16
I'm about to
29:17
transition to
29:18
the practical
29:18
stuff, so I
29:19
better really
29:20
have a reason
29:22
to slip an
29:22
amen in there.
29:24
I think he's
29:25
just moved as
29:26
he's considering
29:27
this and
29:27
thinking about
29:29
this.
29:29
And he says,
29:30
I'm going to
29:30
read it for you
29:30
again,
29:31
O the depth
29:32
of the riches
29:33
and wisdom
29:34
and knowledge
29:35
of God.
29:37
How unsearchable
29:38
are his judgments
29:39
and how inscrutable
29:40
his ways.
29:42
For who has
29:43
known the mind
29:44
of the Lord
29:44
or who has
29:45
been his
29:45
counselor?
29:46
Or who has
29:47
given a gift
29:47
to him that
29:48
he might be
29:49
repaid?
29:50
For from
29:51
him and
29:52
through him
29:53
and to him
29:54
are all
29:55
things.
29:55
To him
29:56
be glory
29:57
forever.
29:58
An interjection
29:59
of strong
30:00
emotion.
30:02
That O is
30:03
there in the
30:04
original language.
30:06
He's moved.
30:07
It's a guttural
30:08
thing that he
30:08
is beginning
30:09
to do here.
30:11
Oh, the
30:11
depth of
30:13
the riches
30:14
and wisdom
30:14
and knowledge
30:15
of God.
30:18
Immeasurable
30:18
weight that
30:20
he's trying to
30:20
express here.
30:22
How unsearchable
30:23
are his
30:24
judgments.
30:24
How inscrutable
30:25
or impossible
30:26
to understand
30:28
are his
30:29
ways.
30:30
The mystery
30:31
of how it
30:32
is that God
30:33
is saving a
30:34
people for
30:35
his glory
30:36
is what Paul
30:37
is expressing
30:38
here.
30:40
For who has
30:40
known the
30:41
mind of the
30:41
Lord or who
30:42
has been
30:43
his counselor?
30:44
There's a
30:44
citation from
30:45
Isaiah chapter
30:46
40 and
30:48
verse 13.
30:50
God's
30:51
thoughts,
30:52
not our
30:53
thoughts.
30:54
I have
30:55
often tried to
30:56
work out some
30:57
of the
30:58
tensions that
30:58
are presented
30:59
in the
30:59
Bible.
31:01
Been frustrated
31:02
by them,
31:03
thinking somehow
31:04
that I ought
31:04
to be able
31:05
to do it.
31:06
And I've
31:07
decided rather
31:07
just to
31:08
trust what
31:09
the Bible
31:10
teaches.
31:11
perhaps a full
31:13
understanding of
31:14
it would split
31:15
my head
31:15
open.
31:16
And God
31:17
in his
31:17
infinite wisdom
31:18
recognizes my
31:20
finite frailty
31:22
and just
31:23
teaches me
31:24
what I
31:25
need
31:26
to know.
31:28
He is
31:29
sovereign over
31:30
my salvation.
31:32
I am
31:32
responsible
31:33
for my
31:34
belief.
31:36
I know,
31:36
I know
31:37
that's
31:38
attention.
31:40
It's one I
31:41
think that
31:42
we're meant
31:42
to hold.
31:44
A couple
31:44
chapters later
31:45
in the book
31:45
of Isaiah
31:46
chapter 55
31:46
verse 8
31:47
and 9
31:47
God there
31:49
says,
31:49
not Paul,
31:50
God says,
31:51
for my
31:51
thoughts are
31:51
not your
31:52
thoughts,
31:52
neither are
31:53
your ways
31:54
my ways.
31:56
For as the
31:56
heavens are
31:57
higher than
31:57
the earth,
31:58
so are my
31:58
ways higher
31:59
than your
32:00
ways,
32:00
and my
32:01
thoughts
32:02
than your
32:03
thoughts.
32:04
infinitely,
32:05
heavens higher
32:06
than the
32:08
earth.
32:10
And so
32:10
it's okay
32:11
to not
32:12
understand
32:12
everything
32:13
that's in
32:14
the Bible.
32:14
It's okay
32:15
to ask
32:16
questions.
32:17
I encourage
32:18
the asking
32:18
of questions,
32:20
but we
32:20
need to
32:21
ask
32:21
questions
32:22
rightly.
32:24
We need
32:25
to go
32:25
to the
32:26
text
32:26
humbly,
32:27
right?
32:27
Be
32:27
underneath
32:28
it,
32:28
submit
32:29
ourselves
32:29
to it,
32:30
recognize
32:31
that it's
32:31
authored
32:32
by God
32:32
himself.
32:34
That he's
32:34
chosen to
32:35
reveal himself
32:36
to us
32:36
in this
32:37
way.
32:37
In chapter
32:38
11,
32:38
I've joked
32:38
with some
32:39
of you
32:39
that I
32:39
kind of
32:39
wish Paul
32:40
had an
32:40
editor for
32:41
chapter 11
32:41
and would
32:41
have condensed
32:42
it and
32:42
simplified it
32:43
for us.
32:44
I think
32:45
we're meant
32:45
to see it
32:46
as a
32:46
mystery.
32:47
I think
32:48
we're meant
32:48
to go,
32:49
man,
32:49
God's saving
32:49
purpose is
32:50
difficult to
32:51
understand.
32:52
And then
32:52
we're meant
32:53
to be moved
32:54
to praise
32:55
in this
32:56
way.
32:58
Paul
32:58
rebukes
32:59
the kind
33:00
of questioning
33:01
that doesn't
33:01
approach the
33:02
Bible that
33:02
way.
33:03
who are
33:04
you,
33:04
oh man,
33:05
to answer
33:06
back to
33:07
God,
33:07
he says in
33:08
chapter 9
33:08
and verse
33:09
20.
33:10
It's as if
33:10
he's saying,
33:11
who are you
33:11
to stand in
33:12
judgment over
33:12
what God
33:13
has said?
33:16
Will what is
33:17
molded say
33:17
to its
33:18
molder?
33:18
why have you
33:19
made me
33:19
like this?
33:22
A rhetorical
33:23
mocking
33:24
question.
33:25
We ought
33:26
not approach
33:26
God with
33:27
questions in
33:28
that manner.
33:29
But we
33:30
can ask
33:30
the questions
33:31
and we
33:31
can go to
33:32
the text
33:32
and we
33:33
can have
33:33
good
33:33
conversation
33:34
about what
33:35
God has
33:36
said about
33:36
himself
33:37
and his
33:38
word.
33:39
Who has
33:39
known the
33:40
mind of
33:40
the Lord
33:41
or who
33:42
has been
33:42
his
33:43
counselor?
33:44
No one.
33:47
No one.
33:48
Or who
33:49
has given
33:49
a gift
33:49
to him
33:50
that he
33:51
might be
33:51
repaid?
33:52
God owes
33:53
us nothing.
33:54
He's citing
33:54
our Job
33:54
40 and
33:56
verse 11.
33:58
For from
33:59
him and
33:59
through him
34:00
and to
34:01
him are
34:03
all things.
34:03
God is
34:04
the author,
34:06
he is the
34:07
agent,
34:07
and he
34:08
is the
34:09
aim.
34:10
Everything
34:11
exists for
34:13
his
34:14
sake.
34:15
That
34:16
includes
34:16
you
34:17
and I
34:18
and that
34:19
is
34:20
good.
34:22
And notice
34:22
what Paul
34:22
does right
34:23
after that.
34:24
To him
34:25
be glory,
34:27
magnification,
34:28
that God
34:28
will be known
34:29
for who he
34:29
is.
34:29
To him
34:30
be glory
34:31
forever.
34:33
Amen.
34:36
I love
34:37
from the
34:38
beginning,
34:39
verse 8,
34:40
chapter 8,
34:40
verse 28,
34:42
to the end
34:42
of this
34:43
chapter.
34:43
If you're
34:44
wrestling with
34:44
any of
34:45
this,
34:45
read it
34:45
from there,
34:46
chapter 8,
34:46
verse 28,
34:47
through the
34:48
end of
34:49
chapter 11.
34:52
Paul,
34:53
not fully
34:54
comprehending
34:55
everything,
34:56
is moved to
34:57
this kind of
34:57
praise.
34:58
God,
34:59
this is a
34:59
mystery.
35:01
He trusts
35:01
the Lord,
35:02
he defends
35:03
the Lord,
35:03
and he's
35:04
moved to
35:05
praise in
35:05
this way.
35:06
To him
35:06
be glory
35:07
forever.
35:09
Amen.
35:10
Amen.
35:12
It's a
35:12
little bit
35:13
of application.
35:14
It's very
35:14
similar to
35:15
last week.
35:17
For those
35:18
of us who
35:18
are in
35:19
Christ,
35:20
who have
35:21
already
35:21
placed
35:21
saving
35:23
faith in
35:24
him,
35:24
we should
35:25
be amazed
35:26
at God's
35:27
sovereign plan
35:28
of salvation.
35:29
We should
35:30
just be
35:30
absolutely
35:30
astounded
35:31
by it.
35:32
We should
35:32
be amazed
35:34
that we
35:34
are any
35:34
part of
35:36
it.
35:36
number
35:37
two,
35:38
we should
35:38
be humble
35:38
because our
35:39
salvation
35:39
is by
35:41
grace alone,
35:42
through faith
35:42
alone,
35:44
in the
35:44
person and
35:45
work of
35:46
Jesus Christ
35:46
alone.
35:48
And this
35:48
should give
35:49
us a
35:49
great
35:50
confidence
35:50
before our
35:51
God.
35:52
Daniel
35:53
Caudry,
35:54
17th
35:54
century
35:55
pastor said,
35:57
if all
35:57
the graces
35:58
of God
35:58
are precious
35:59
pearls,
36:00
then humility
36:01
is the
36:02
string that
36:03
ties them
36:03
all together.
36:06
And thirdly,
36:07
we should
36:08
plead God's
36:09
saving grace
36:10
for all
36:11
peoples.
36:13
If we
36:14
understand that
36:15
God has a
36:15
sovereign plan
36:16
of salvation
36:16
for the
36:18
world,
36:19
if we're
36:19
amazed by it
36:21
as we
36:21
should be,
36:22
then we
36:22
should desire
36:23
to be a
36:23
people who
36:24
are sent,
36:25
who preach
36:26
that good
36:27
news to
36:28
everyone.
36:29
Whether it's
36:30
your neighbor
36:31
and co-worker
36:32
in Dahlonega,
36:33
your classmate,
36:34
or God sends
36:35
you to the
36:36
very end
36:37
of the
36:38
earth.
36:40
For those
36:40
this morning
36:41
who are
36:41
not in
36:42
Christ,
36:44
your rejection
36:45
of the
36:45
saving work
36:46
of Jesus
36:46
Christ is
36:47
keeping you
36:48
from the
36:49
goodness
36:49
of God.
36:51
Repent of
36:51
your sin
36:52
and put your
36:52
faith in
36:53
him for
36:54
the salvation
36:54
of your
36:55
soul.
36:57
He lived
36:57
the life
36:57
God requires
36:58
of you and
36:59
died the
36:59
death that
37:00
you deserve.
37:02
Jesus will
37:02
grant you
37:03
his perfection
37:03
and he
37:05
took your
37:05
punishment
37:06
if you
37:07
will just
37:07
believe that
37:08
his work
37:09
was effectual
37:10
for you.
37:12
Just turn
37:12
from your
37:13
sin and
37:14
flee to
37:15
Christ.
37:16
Let's pray
37:17
together.
37:17
for you.