1: I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2: God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3: Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4: But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5: Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6: And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7: What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8: (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9: And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them: 10: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always. 11: I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12: Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? 13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15: For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16: For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17: And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18: Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19: Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20: Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22: Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23: And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24: For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26: And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28: As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30: For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32: For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 33: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? 35: Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Very few can read this Romans chapter 11 without being very conscience that there are some aspects revealed of the character of God that are not always very expectable in the first reading. This scripture says don't forget that God is not only good but He is severe. This scripture says don't forget God is severe, He is also good. Don't forget that He came down in judgment upon some of His own people. Don't forget that all Israel shall be saved. Don't forget the very casting away of that people was a foreknown opportunity by Him to open the door for you and me, the Gentile, to come in. And by the time that you have balanced it out between one side and the other it should induce in us a little bit of humility. And so you see, we are so tempted to argue with God or about God, or whether He should do this or should do that. And we are going to get put in out right place as we consider some of the testimony of Romans 9, 10, and 11 with regard to the question that is before us, the nature of calling.
The very word calling means a selection. Because if every body without discrimination or exception is called, it ceases to be what the scriptures indicate, a calling. And the church is a called out people. Separated from others. Well that means that others are not so called out. Well then comes the thought in the mind, well that seams unfair. And some have taken the stand that they will not have this emphasis and more or less tone it down. And others have taken the other side and they invented a system of teaching that practically makes God such a tyrant that you could hardly understand how their teaching can co-inside with scriptures. And you say, what are we going to do. Well we shall be very much of the same character unless we are lead very closely to the word of God and by His Spirit. So recognizing the difficulties before us and the problems there are, let us come and look at this question of the calling that is stressed in Romans 9, 10, and 11 as a contribution to this great study which we have in front of us. Callings of all kinds and characters.
Now we first of all think that Romans 9, 10, and 11 is an isolated section. And it is convenient to say that the doctrine concludes with that glorious testimony of Romans the 8th chapter, no condemnation, no separation, nothing possible to come between us and the love of God. Then comes this 9, 10, and 11, and we think that we might just pass over that and go on to something else. But, there is a possibility that 9, 10, and 11 was the prime object the moved the Apostle to write the whole epistle. The problem that he had to face, and others were facing, if we are going to believe that God stands by His word and He chose Abraham and He chose this people and now they are being set aside, well if that is the case with one calling it may be in another. So, it necessitated and inspired an explanation and that is more or less what we have in front of us.
To get this started correctly lets look at chapter 3, to show you that some of the thoughts that are more expanded in 9, 10, and 11 have been suggestive. You know how chapter 9 commences, this man, although he was the Apostle to the Gentiles never forgot that he was one of the ancient people. Never forgot God's chosen people Israel. Never forgot that he was an Hebrew. And he goes to the extreme in saying his hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. And is almost willing to be and Anathema for their sakes. Then in that chapter 9, he gives a little resume of the advantage of being a Jew. verse 3 my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption,... Adoption is the first born son, the heir. [[[ and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5: Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.... look at the testimony there to the advantage of being a Jew. So you know that I am quoting chapter 3, giggles, did you know that. He has already ventilated it. In chapter 2, he staggard the Jew by saying alright I quite agree with you that the Gentiles are a terrifically bad lot. And they were all nodding their heads saying, oh yes they are. And he said, do you think that you are going to get away with it because you happen to be a Jew? IF you are breaking the law in the same way God will deal with you in the same way. Ohhhh, well if that is the case, what advantage then has the Jew? Or what profit is there in circumcision? And Paul says much in every way. And instead of giving that long list of Romans 9 he focuses on one great feature, chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God. Then comes the question, what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God non effect? Don't you see, it is ventilating the problem already.
Then in chapter 9 we get the rebuke. He says in verse 14 What shall we say then?... Paul is asking you and me Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.... And presently, who art thou oh man that reply's against God. Well, you may say, I am a believer, I am a child of God, I go to church, oh yes, and if you got something wrong with you to reply against God, are you going to bring Him before your judgment seat and tell Him that you don't quite agree with that. Well you know God is not going to change His plan because we don't agree with it. All the adjuration in the world will not make one difference. HE has a purpose and it is wise for us to begin to realize that WE have know word to say, that if He left us in our lost estate we should not even have any interest or quarrel with Him in regard to these things. Let us be glad that our eyes have been opened.
And before we go any further, it may be true, that we are entrusted with positive truth, and the good many of the squabbles and troubles that are cutting across the Christian faith is because we go out side of our calling. In stead of positively teaching that by grace we are saved we are worrying our heads about all those who never heard the gospel, who died in heathen lands, as though God didn't know about them. But He has never told us. And then we feel affronted because we can't give a complete answer to every problem that is put before us. That is not our position. We might merit the rebuke that Peter received. He said what shall man do, and the Lord said to him, Peter if you knew what I know about you, you'll have enough to do just to look after yourself. And that is true of all of us. Don't make a split on what God is going to maybe do or said He is going to do or He has not told us what He is going to do with regard to a certain company. Lets get positive truth in what He said about you and me in this present calling. And that will be enough to occupy our time and it will be a word in season.
So then we come back to chapter 3 and we find that there is the thought that even God says that I know that you are going arraign Me before your Judgment seat. He says in verse 3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4: God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;... That is a very difficult possession to take. But it is the soundest one. Because if the slightest possibility creeps in to our heart and mind that we have to apologize for God or explain something away to save His character, our salvation is in jeopardy. But it depends on the utter faithfulness and righteousness of the living God. So he says, let God be true, even though it makes every man a liar. You can see the point there. as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged... That is God speaking. That He is to over come when He's judged. So He has already indicated to us that He knows that we are sometimes query. Well, lets do it in a very humble spirit as a child asking a Father, and not bringing God before our judgment seat and telling Him we are not quite happy about that being in the bible.
Lets come a stage nearer. We may think that the doctrinal sense of the epistle of the Romans is this insistence upon righteousness. And you know how it comes in the early parts of Romans and that he even says that is the power of God unto salvation for every one who beleiveths for there in is the righteousness of God revealed. And he speaks about justification by faith and we know that every one who seeks to teach justification by faith realizes that Romans is the epistle to go to, to get all its teaching. But don't forget that this righteousness is perusing us in 9, 10, and 11. We haven't done with it, its all an integral part. Chapter 9 verse 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31: But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32: Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;... So here is the reason why some thing happened to the people of Israel that caused a halt. They stumbled at that stumbling stone. And that rock of a fence was Christ. And so he continues the subject in chapter 10 verse 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2: For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3: For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,... Now they knew a lot about the laws righteousness, but it was God's righteousness that they were ignorant about. and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.... and so it goes on to verse 5, verse 6. You see, this emphasis of righteousness is not limited to the doctrinal section, but carries on in to this. verse 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation....
The end of this story then. Chapter 11 verse 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.... This story begins with sorrow but it ends with song. And it is sometimes a very wise thing to get a glimpse of the end before we start traveling the whole journey. Get a glimpse of what God is out to do. And sometimes though you are baffled because of the pathway takes this turn and that turn and that some things stop and some things pick up, you'll say No, that's alright, I don't quite see how this is all going to be untangled, but that is not my affair. He knows, and He has given us a hint here. That He can over rule even the failures of some of His people. And this we ought to be thankful. So we have the beginning, sorrow. And we have the song verse 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how un searchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? 35: Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.... As we continue looking to see our calling, let us be very thankful that He has called us.