Sunday Morning Audio Message: Because we are currently under a winter storm warning, with snow, ice and high winds, our Sunday morning service was cancelled due to dangerous road conditions. This morning's message is rescheduled for next Sunday, and the recording will be uploaded afterward.
Bobservations' Column
Titled - "Paul's Continual Sorrow"Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
The title for today’s teaching reflects the Apostle Paul’s heartache, from the time of His Damascus Road Conversion. Having lived on both sides of the fence, first as a Jewish believer, following The Law to perfection, and then as a Believer in Jesus, enjoying the freedom of His new-found faith.
For Paul, this was still a battle between the flesh and the Spirit. His life in monotheistic Judaism was the perfect background to confront the multitude of Gentile gods worshiped everywhere else. The Triune God of the Jews had to be conveyed to the Gentiles in simple, but profound ways. The roles of multiple gods of idolatrous religions were all performed by the much more powerful and limitless authority of the God of the Jews.
As evidenced by the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4), Jehovah was to be worshiped in mind, body, and Spirit. And this was the design and image to which human man was made. We too are 3-in-1 beings, mind, body, and in Christ, a renewal of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:10-12). Indeed, Paul saw the lack of the Spirit in his former faith and was grieved by what the Temple Leaders had missed for eons.
Paul’s joy was full in Christ, but he grieved for his former friends. What a loss; but for God’s grace to him, he would be as lost as they. The Spirit-life was so much more fulfilling. Sharing Christ with others was a work of the Spirit. Following The Law of the Levites was an endless work in the flesh, making one’s self righteous, rather than allowing Jesus to declare us righteous because of our faith. This was the true freedom from The Law.
And so, the battle between the flesh and the Spirit continues to this day.
So many are yet lost.
From Acts 13:46 -
"Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
Bobservations' Column: Audio Version
Sunday Morning Message:
Romans 9:1-13 - "Paul's Continual Sorrow"
Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:
This week we are in chapter 9 of Romans. Chapter 9 starts a new section in Paul’s letter to the Romans. He had written extensively in the first 8 chapters about the non-partiality of God (Romans 2:11); that all have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:26); and that Jews were in the exact same boat is the Gentiles, spiritually speaking (Romans 3:22, 29); that all are saved by faith not works of the Law (Romans 3:28).
A question about God’s faithfulness might arise from this kind of argumentation, so Paul wrote this chapter to address that issue. Has God rejected His own chosen people? And if God specifically chose Israel, and now says that they are no different than Gentiles, has He gone back on His promise? And if He has, can He be trusted to be faithful to the magnificent promises that were just declared in chapter 8?
Paul had just enthusiastically declared God’s faithful people to be overwhelming conquerors in Christ, and that no outside force could possibly come between them and the love of their Creator (Romans 8:37-39). And yet in the very next sentence he declares his “great sorrow and unceasing grief” (verse 2) for his “kinsmen according to the flesh” (verse 3), because they were “accursed” (verse 3) by God.
Israel was immeasurably blessed by God. The Lord had personally adopted them has His children, had shown them His personal “Shekinah” glory (Exodus 13:21-22; 40:36-38), established a unique covenant and Law with them, and most importantly, had brought the Messiah promised to the Patriarchs into the world, through them (verses 4-5).
So, does the fact that such a privileged people, hand-selected by God to give us the Christ, have now been rejected and “accursed” by God mean that God’s promises have somehow failed (verse 6)? The answer is, “Of course not!” The simple truth is that God chose Israel to fulfill His purposes, but He did not promise eternal salvation to each Jew unconditionally individually.
We will see the logic of this argumentation fleshed out in next week's teaching, but in today’s verses Paul shows us that not everyone who is a descendant from physical Israel can rightly claim to be a part of spiritual Israel (verse 6). There has always been a “faithful remnant” of God's people, even when the majority had disobediently rebelled against Him (consider 1 Kings 19:18).
Neither are all people called the children of Abraham just because they are physical descendants of Abraham (Matthew 3:9), or even of Isaac (verses 7-12). The point is that God chooses people in exactly the WAY that He does, and for the REASONS that He does, in order to serve His good purposes. And when all is said and done, only those who have been made righteous through faith will be saved by God’s grace and be considered his spiritual descendants (Romans 4:13-16).
Sunday Morning Audio Message: Because we are currently under a winter storm warning, with snow, ice and high winds, our Sunday morning service was cancelled due to dangerous road conditions. This morning's message is rescheduled for next Sunday, and the recording will be uploaded afterward.
This week we are in chapter 9 of Romans. Chapter 9 starts a new section in Paul’s letter to the Romans. He had written extensively in the first 8 chapters about the non-partiality of God (Romans 2:11); that all have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:26); and that Jews were in the exact same boat is the Gentiles, spiritually speaking (Romans 3:22, 29); that all are saved by faith not works of the Law (Romans 3:28).
A question about God’s faithfulness might arise from this kind of argumentation, so Paul wrote this chapter to address that issue. Has God rejected His own chosen people? And if God specifically chose Israel, and now says that they are no different than Gentiles, has He gone back on His promise? And if He has, can He be trusted to be faithful to the magnificent promises that were just declared in chapter 8?
Paul had just enthusiastically declared God’s faithful people to be overwhelming conquerors in Christ, and that no outside force could possibly come between them and the love of their Creator (Romans 8:37-39). And yet in the very next sentence he declares his “great sorrow and unceasing grief” (verse 2) for his “kinsmen according to the flesh” (verse 3), because they were “accursed” (verse 3) by God.
Israel was immeasurably blessed by God. The Lord had personally adopted them has His children, had shown them His personal “Shekinah” glory (Exodus 13:21-22; 40:36-38), established a unique covenant and Law with them, and most importantly, had brought the Messiah promised to the Patriarchs into the world, through them (verses 4-5).
So, does the fact that such a privileged people, hand-selected by God to give us the Christ, have now been rejected and “accursed” by God mean that God’s promises have somehow failed (verse 6)? The answer is, “Of course not!” The simple truth is that God chose Israel to fulfill His purposes, but He did not promise eternal salvation to each Jew unconditionally individually.
We will see the logic of this argumentation fleshed out in next week's teaching, but in today’s verses Paul shows us that not everyone who is a descendant from physical Israel can rightly claim to be a part of spiritual Israel (verse 6). There has always been a “faithful remnant” of God's people, even when the majority had disobediently rebelled against Him (consider 1 Kings 19:18).
Neither are all people called the children of Abraham just because they are physical descendants of Abraham (Matthew 3:9), or even of Isaac (verses 7-12). The point is that God chooses people in exactly the WAY that He does, and for the REASONS that He does, in order to serve His good purposes. And when all is said and done, only those who have been made righteous through faith will be saved by God’s grace and be considered his spiritual descendants (Romans 4:13-16).
Sunday Morning Audio Message: Because we are currently under a winter storm warning, with snow, ice and high winds, our Sunday morning service was cancelled due to dangerous road conditions. This morning's message is rescheduled for next Sunday, and the recording will be uploaded afterward.
Key Words and Definitions with Reference:
Conscience (9:1) - Only when the Spirit controls the conscience can it be trusted - but it remains imperfect, and its warnings must always be evaluated against the Word of God. (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5).
Accursed (9:3) - The Greek word is anathema which means "to devote to destruction in eternal hell" (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3; 16:22; Galatians 1:8, 9). Although Paul understood the exchange he was suggesting was impossible (8:38;39; John 10:28), it was still the sincere expression of his deep love for his fellow Jews (cf. Exodus 32:32).
Israelites (9:4) - The descendants of Abraham through Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28).
Adoption (9:4) - Not in the sese of providing salvation to every person born a Jew (see notes on 8:15-23; cf. 9:6), but sovereignly selecting an entire nation to receive His special calling, covenant, and blessing and to serve as His witness nation (Exodus 4:22; 19:6; Hosea 11:1; cf. Isiah 46:3, 4).
Glory (9:4) - The glory that God had revealed to them in the cloud (Shekinah) that pictured God's presence in the Old Testament (Exodus 16:10; 24:16, 17; 29:42, 43; Leviticus 9:23). His glory was supremely present in the Holy of Holies in both the tabernacle and the temple which served as the throne room of Yahweh, Israel's King (Exodus 25:22; 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11). The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. The glory of man—human dignity and honor—fades (1 Peter 1:24). But the glory of God, which is manifested in all His attributes together, never passes away. It is eternal.
Covenants (9:4) - A covenant is a legally binding promise, agreement , or contract. Three times in the NT the word covenants is used in the plural (Galatians 4:24; Ephesians 2:12). All but one of God's covenants with man are eternal and unilateral - that is, God promised to accomplish something based on His own character and not on the response or actions of the promised beneficiary.
Service (9:4) - Refers to the "temple service," the entire sacrificial and ceremonial system that God revealed through Moses (cf. Exodus 29:43-46).
Promises (9:4) - The promised Messiah, who would come out of Israel, bringing eternal life and an eternal kingdom (cf. Acts 2:39; 13:32-34; 26:6; Galatians 3:16,21).
Fathers (9:5) - The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, through whom the promises of the Messiah were fulfilled.
Christ . . . the Eternally Blessed God (9:5) - This is not intended primarily as a benediction, but as an affirmation of the sovereignty and deity of Christ.
Word of God (9:6) - This refers specifically to the privileges and promises God had revealed to Israel (v. 4; cf. Isiah 55:1; Jeremiah 32:42).
Not All Israel Who Are of Israel (9:6) - Not all the physical descendants of Abraham are true heirs of the promise.
Children of the Flesh . . . Children of God (9:8) - Abraham's other children by Hagar and Keturah were not chosen to receive the national promises made to him. No Israelite would have disagreed with Paul's example in the previous verse. He pointed out that not all of Abraham's children were included in the line of God's promises to Israel. Only those who came through Isaac were included. So, while the promise was certainly given to Abraham's offspring, it was not promised to absolutely all his descendants.
Now, though, Paul gets to the point of his illustration: It's not enough to simply be born "of the flesh" into Israel. It is the children of the promise who count as offspring. They are the ones who are truly Israel and will inherit God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paul will build from this argument to describe the difference between these two groups.
This parallels similar statements made by Jesus, who pointed out that being a true "child," spiritually, is not a matter of biology. It's a question of one's spiritual state, and their relationship with God (John 8:36–39).
Now, though, Paul gets to the point of his illustration: It's not enough to simply be born "of the flesh" into Israel. It is the children of the promise who count as offspring. They are the ones who are truly Israel and will inherit God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paul will build from this argument to describe the difference between these two groups.
This parallels similar statements made by Jesus, who pointed out that being a true "child," spiritually, is not a matter of biology. It's a question of one's spiritual state, and their relationship with God (John 8:36–39).
The Children (9:11) - Referring to Jacob and Esau.
Done Any Good or Evil (9:11) - God's choice of Jacob, instead of Esau, to continue the physical line was not based on his personal merit or demerit.
The purpose of God According to Election (9:11) - Paul wants us to understand that God's choice was not based on behavior, good or bad, since the boys were still unborn. He repeats that it was not because of their works. Clearly, God's choice was not because one was born to one woman and not another. And as the following verse will show, God did not make the choice based on their birth order.
Paul used the word elect in the previous chapter (Romans 8:33) to refer to all of us in Christ chosen by God to be included in His family through faith in Christ. Now he uses the word election to describe God's action in choosing one son of Isaac over another to include in His covenant promises.
Paul used the word elect in the previous chapter (Romans 8:33) to refer to all of us in Christ chosen by God to be included in His family through faith in Christ. Now he uses the word election to describe God's action in choosing one son of Isaac over another to include in His covenant promises.
Jacob I have Loved, But Esau I Have Hated (9:13) - Quoted from Malachi 1:2, 3. Actual emotional hatred for Esau and his offspring is not the pint here. Malachi, who wrote this declaration more that 1,500 years after their death, was looking back at these two men - and by extension the nations (Israel and Edom) that came from their loins. God chose one for divine blessing and protections, and not the other. The bigger issue for Paul's argument is that God made this decision based on nothing more than the fact that God has the right to decide. Is that fair? Paul will address that in the following verses.
Is There Unrighteousness With God? (9:14) - Paul once again anticipating his readers' objection to Paul's theology. Paul has just described how God chose to whom His covenant promises to Israel would be given—and to whom they would not be given. In the case of Rebekah's twins, God made this decision before they were even born. God's judgment was in no way based on either Jacob's or Esau's actions or birth order or parents. It was entirely a matter of His omniscience and sovereignty.
In the previous verse, Paul quoted the Old Testament prophet Malachi, who recorded God's words saying that He "loved Jacob" and "hated Esau" even before they were born. This was not a reference to the emotion we describe using the English word "hate" today. "Love" in Scripture is usually a reference to how one acts, and "hate" here is meant as a contrast to it. Exaggerated parallels were common in speech of ancient times (Luke 14:26). God simply chose to give extreme blessings to Jacob, and—relatively speaking—none to Esau.
Now Paul puts the question in the mouth of his readers, "Is that injustice on God's part?" By no means! But this naturally leads one to ask how is it just, then? Paul will address that in the following verses.
In the previous verse, Paul quoted the Old Testament prophet Malachi, who recorded God's words saying that He "loved Jacob" and "hated Esau" even before they were born. This was not a reference to the emotion we describe using the English word "hate" today. "Love" in Scripture is usually a reference to how one acts, and "hate" here is meant as a contrast to it. Exaggerated parallels were common in speech of ancient times (Luke 14:26). God simply chose to give extreme blessings to Jacob, and—relatively speaking—none to Esau.
Now Paul puts the question in the mouth of his readers, "Is that injustice on God's part?" By no means! But this naturally leads one to ask how is it just, then? Paul will address that in the following verses.