Week 6 - Romans 11:25-36
Romans 11:25-36
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Interestingly and importantly, after the Jew and Gentile believers had been both encouraged and slightly reprimanded by Paul, he now refers to them all as brothers and sisters (acknowledging their union in the same family). It was probably needed and a great reminder that they were all in this thing together and that Paul’s heart (and the gospel) was for all of them.
Paul concludes this section by talking about a great mystery. We all love mysteries or are at least intrigued by them and the Romans reading this letter were no different. So Paul begins to finalize his thoughts regarding the kinship of the Jewish and Gentile believers by laying out the mystery of the gospel: the secret plan of God. This plan was now unveiled in and through Jesus the Messiah and answers the question of how God will save all His people, both Jew and Gentile. Paul uses a combination of Old Testament passages to show God working for the benefit of Gentiles through the fulfillment of the covenant with Israel. These same passages show God re-affirming that covenant itself not by pretending that all Jews do after all have a private path to salvation irrespective of the fact that they are sinners just like the Gentiles, but by declaring that, in the course of his continuing work in the world, he will also ‘turn away ungodliness from Jacob’ and ‘take away their sins.’ This was God’s path and plan all along as He worked within the world to save the world.
This “plan” probably left some wondering “why did God have to do it that way?” or “wasn’t there a simpler way to accomplish His plan?” to which Paul responds with verses 33-36. Let us be reminded to not forget the wisdom and knowledge of God and our inability to search His judgments or fathom His ways. He is God and from Him, to Him and through Him are all things. He will be glorified. God’s project of restoring creation through His image bearers will ultimately work itself out and we are to be filled with gratitude to share in the process and the plan.
Questions:
How does seeing fellow believers in Jesus as brothers and sisters change your thoughts and feelings regarding them?
In considering God’s plan of salvation and redemption for humans, do you find yourself questioning God’s methods or decision making (if so, how?) or does it fill you with gratitude? Express this gratitude to God in prayer.