In Wednesday's passage we found Paul assuring the Gentile believers in Rome that they are not any less in God's eyes than God's chosen people Israel. The Romans would naturally wonder now: what of Israel? What of the nation whose religious leaders rejected Jesus the Messiah? Has God forsaken them? Has He replaced them with the Gentiles as His chosen people? Paul is going to address these questions in today's passage and in tomorrow's passage. God has not forsaken His people Israel. While it's true that the Gentiles were more eager and willing to accept Jesus as the Messiah than Jesus' own people, God will never break a single promise He has ever made to Israel.
God still loves Israel and Paul, though he is called to be an apostle to the Gentiles, loves Israel too. "I speak the truth in Christ---I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit---I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel." (Romans 8:1-4a) Paul says, "Christ is my witness that this is the truth, and the Holy Spirit confirms it is the truth because if I were lying the Holy Spirit would reveal it to my conscience. I love my people so much that I would almost be willing to forfeit my own salvation in Christ if that were able to bring all my fellow Israelites to Christ."
What a strong statement! What love! It's hard to imagine being willing to give up the eternal salvation of one's soul for the sake of another. Thankfully, none of us ever has to do this. Giving Christ up won't help anyone else to get to Him. Giving Christ up would only destroy our testimony, our lives, and our souls. Paul couldn't sacrifice himself for Israel anymore than you or I can sacrifice ourselves to save our loved ones. Christ is the only One who could sacrifice Himself to save souls.
Paul goes on to say of Israel, "Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." (Romans 9:4b-5) He tells the Romans, "The people of Israel are God's children. His glory came down to them in the sanctuary. He gave them His covenants, His laws, and His promises. God has richly blessed Israel because He richly loves Israel."
So what about the promises? Are they made void because the majority of Jesus' countrymen did not accept Him? "It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." (Romans 9:6) Ever since Israel first became a nation, there have been citizens who were faithful to the Lord and citizens who were unfaithful to Him. We find many examples of this throughout the Old Testament. A person can be born an Israelite but not have a heart for the Lord, and this is why Paul says not everyone who is descended from Israel (Jacob) is a true Israelite. A true Israelite is a person who has a heart for the Lord. Previously in our study of the book of Romans we pointed out that the same thing happens in modern churches. There are people who join a church and attend services regularly, but in reality their hearts are far from God. They want the benefits that come with being part of the church body without truly giving themselves to the Lord. Some of Paul's countrymen wanted the benefits of being a citizen of Israel without truly giving themselves to the Lord.
God's word has not failed. A great deal of His chosen people Israel have accepted Christ. Some did so while Christ walked the earth, some did so following His resurrection, some did so through the preaching of the apostles, some are still doing so today, and many more will do so in the future. Many of the promises God made to Israel are of a political nature and He will keep those regardless of the faithfulness or faithlessness of the people. Other promises are spiritual and conditional upon the people's faithfulness to Him. Faith is what makes us chosen people of God. It's not our nationality, it's not our family history, and it's not our attendance to synagogue or church services. Faith is what makes us His, for faith is the only way to be pleasing in the sight of God, as Paul so beautifully explains it in Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
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