Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA)
As we begin this particular chapter of Romans I must make note of the fact that there is contained here an issue that divides the church into two camps. I was first made aware of this fact when we began our ministry here in Whitehall. A gentleman who was dissatisfied with his congregation and curious about the Reformed doctrines attended several Bible studies and a worship service. In several letters and phone calls we explored various issues that defined the faith. It was this particular chapter and his understanding of it that persuaded him that God had not predestined him to be a presbyterian! And that issue was the future of Israel in our day and time. Like Hal Lindsey and others, that very fine Christian gentleman believed that the original promises made to the ethnic descendants of Jacob are still in force. And like many others in our day and time, the emotional issues raised by Paul are taken by him literally instead of figuratively.
John Murray notes that this "question on which expositors are divided is whether the clause applies to the people of Israel as a whole or whether it is to be understood restrictively as applying only to the elect of Israel in distinction from the nation as a whole." The clause in question is found in verse two. "God did not reject his people, whom he forenew." Both Hodge and Calvin support Murray's understanding that "in the present instance the election of grace is the demonstration that Israel as a people had not been completely cast off by God."
Yes, verse one speaks of the people as a whole, yet as Paul goes on to illustrate and answer the emotional issue, the focus of the passage hinges on the remnant and leaves the rest. For those of you have have a NIV translation the title, (which is not scripture) just before verse twenty-five would be better left out. The titles in your Geneva Bibles are better, but I think all of our study Bibles have a tendency to inflate an issue that has become doctrinal in an century of supporting the Zionists in the Middle East.
When I was in Seminary, I did not understand this passage as I do now. During the 73 war the handful of conservatives were cheering on the Israeli Army to conquest when the liberal students were fasting and protesting. I really hate to admit it, but the liberal humanist pacifists were right on this one issue at the time and I was wrong. But both groups were caught up emotionally and we had all arrived at our conclusions for all the wrong reasons. Years later I can better appreciate the complexity of life and conflict. I can now see that the major reason for the dissension in the Middle East is that Israel, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Iran would all like to revive their ancient claims to territory that once was part of their ethnic heritage And I sincerely doubt that American support for any one side is politically responsible if we wish to hold up that area of life to the light of God's revealed law and purpose. But enough of this issue, very many people can get easily sidetracked here and other places with theories and emotional trips that do not point Jew or Gentile to our Lord Jesus Christ.
That after all is the purpose of all of Scripture, worship and witness. And to that proper end Paul clearly points us in this passage. To this end he gives us three examples: the fact of his faith, the example of Elijah and the promise of the remnant. For the rest who miss the focus on Christ, there is only pity as we shall soon see. So let us take these four examples and consider them carefully for any meaning which we may apply to our lives and thought.
First, there is the testimony of Paul. To Paul this is the proof that God's Covenant promise is being fulfilled. The sense of that fulfillment is in this illustration. Recently, my English students have been reading from James Fenimore Cooper series of fiction. One of the book titles mentioned was The Last of the Mohicans. In the context of the movie and book one of the students once remarked that it was sad that the last two warriors of the Mohicans were killed. Certainly, many tribes and people groups have disappeared from history. But that is not the point of the fictional series, I pointed out that one Mohican did indeed survive! That was the adopted son, Hawkeye, the Deerslayer or Nattie Bumpo as the hero of the series was variously called. In the same way Paul's spiritual children, whether they lived in Thesolonika, Corinth, Athens, and Rome are assuredly children of the Covenant promise even if the ethnic descendants of Jacob go astray. In a historical sense, the disappearance of the Mohicans was not total, many scattered survivors were absorbed into the other Iroquois tribes but the intellectual spirit of Hiawatha was most evident in the ethics and actions of the adopted son Hawkeye. So to may we understand that in a real spiritual sense, our Christian gathering here today is more truly Israelite than any Jewish gathering yesterday anywhere in the world.
Our second and third examples comes from the experience of Elijah. In his day Elijah felt very alone in his relationship with our Father God. And as the scripture reports the Lord God of heaven pointed out to Him that He had indeed kept a remnant for Himself out of all of Israel. While the rest may certainly have departed from the faith, those 7,000 had remained faithful. "So too", Paul argues, "at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace." Even in the midst of a wicked and murderous throng who had executed the very Son of God, the Father of Israel kept for Himself some remnant of Jewish descent. A long time ago I read that an estimated two million Jews came over to the Christian faith in the generation after Christ. If those numbers are true we can certainly appreciate how busy the other eleven Apostles were and why Paul almost alone was sent out to the Gentile world. The rest however had things other than Christ on their minds.
And it is these rest which verses seven through ten focus on. So let us lastly consider those who missed the bus. Yes, as we have heard Paul report, the Pharisees and Sadducees very earnestly studied the law and lived very religious lives. So too do some of the Jewish members of our society today. And just as we noted last week, even some of the Jews of Jesus time did not hear, did not understand and most assuredly did not believe. God left the rest to their own religion. And how appropriate is the last phrase taken from Deuteronomy and implied from Isaiah: "to this very day". Even our own day. Yes, our country like the Lord God Himself allows the freedom of worship so that each and every soul can worship the object of their own choice. And we well know how dark and burdensome so many of the other religions are in the remote Balkan valleys of Europe, the dark hills of Islam and the politically correct avenues of new age power.
Does God reject his people? By no means, we may answer with Paul, because He has called us into the light and life of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Let us be certain to gather around His table next week and leave the tables of destruction to those who will not worship our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Resources Used: The Holy Bible, New International Version
Places Preached:Hodge, Charles. Romans. Mackenzie, R. Calvin's New Testament Commentaries: Romans. Murray, John. New International Commentary: Epistle to Romans.
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America) Post Office Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213-7926
Rom11b.htm 24 December 95
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