ROMANS, CHAPTER 11
[Verses 1-6]
(1-4-12)
Review:
Romans 10:17) [NIV] Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
QUESTION: Why doesn’t everyone who hears the Gospel get saved?
ANSWER: Some refuse to believe “our message.”
QUESTION: Where does saving faith come from?
ANSWER: Faith comes as a result of hearing the “message,” and the saving “message” comes from what the Lord Jesus taught us through His own words and the words of His Apostles.
NOTE: We can bring another message to people, but the only message that will save them in the Gospel message.
18) [NIV] But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
19) [NIV] Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
20) [NIV] And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
21) [NIV] But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
QUESTION: Why, then didn’t all the Jews become Christians?
ANSWER: They heard the message from the Apostles, but they didn’t believe it.
QUESTION: What was God’s response to the disbelief of the Jews?
ANSWER: God said He would make Israel jealous by moving in the lives of people who were not a nation. That’s referring to Christians. We are not a nation in the sense that Israel is a nation; rather, we are made up of people from all nations.
QUESTION: What people found God?
ANSWER: People whose history had not been one of seeking the God of the Jews found Him.
QUESTION: How?
ANSWER: God revealed Himself to them.
QUESTION: Again, why didn’t the majority of the Jewish people find Him?
ANSWER: They ignored all of God’s messages and invitations to them.
On To This Week’s Lesson:
Romans 11:1-6) [NIV] I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
QUESTION: What is Paul about to get into here?
ANSWER: God has never forsaken Israel.
2) [NIV] God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah-how he appealed to God against Israel:
3) [NIV] “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?
4) [NIV] And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5) [NIV] So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
QUESTION: What’s Paul’s point in the above verses?
ANSWER: God has always reserved at least a remnant of Israel unto Himself. There has never been a time in Israel’s history where there hasn’t been at least a remnant saved.
QUESTION: By what method had God reserved a remnant for Himself in Paul’s day?
ANSWER: Grace!
QUESTION: What does that imply?
ANSWER: If one believes in Divine Election then they will apply that doctrine to this passage. If one believes in free choice they will apply that doctrine to this passage.
NOTE: In the first case it would mean that God chose the above-mentioned remnant through the vehicle of irresistible grace. In the second case it would mean that God chose that remnant because they had believed the Gospel of grace and accepted Christ through the vehicle of free choice. I believe the second.
6) [NIV] And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
(KJV) 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.
(GW) If they were chosen by God’s kindness, they weren’t chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God’s kindness wouldn’t be kindness.
QUESTION: What is Paul getting at here?
ANSWER: It’s either grace or works; it is not a combination of the two. If any works are involved then there is no grace involved.
Concerning this verse,
“The general position here laid down is of vital importance: That there are but two possible sources of salvation–men’s works, and God’s grace; and that these are so essentially distinct and opposite, that salvation cannot be of any combination or mixture of both, but must be wholly either of the one or of the other” [JFB].
QUESTION: What does this verse tell you?
ANSWER: If “works” are necessary for salvation then it is no longer a gift, but a paycheck, something that we have earned by our conduct.
WHAT ELSE DID PAUL SAY ABOUT THIS?
Romans 4:3-5) [KJV] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4) [KJV] Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5) [KJV] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Galatians 2:21) [KJV] I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
QUESTION: What does Paul reinforce in Romans 4:4?
ANSWER: He reinforces that if you’re required to do good things to get saved then that salvation is, in effect, a paycheck.
QUESTION: What is the point of Galatians 2:21?
ANSWER: Jesus died to save us!
QUESTION: Why did He do that?
ANSWER: He did that because we couldn’t save ourselves.
WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT?
Romans 5:6) [NIV] You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Philippians 2:13) [NIV] for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
QUESTION: When we were lost what else were we?
ANSWER: We were powerless to do anything about it.
QUESTION: What did God do for us that we couldn’t do for ourselves?
ANSWER: He gave us the desire to become a Christian.
SO, WHAT ABOUT WORKS?
Ephesians 2:8-10) [KJV] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
9) [KJV] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10) [KJV] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
QUESTION: What part do works play in our salvation?
ANSWER: Absolutely none!
NOTE: We were saved without doing any good works whatsoever. When we were saved, however, we became new creations in Christ; and that new creation has been crafted/shaped to do good works. Good works didn’t save us, but saved people ought to do good works.