Believe it or not, Romans 9 through 11 is not at all about
God’s choosing you (or not choosing you) for salvation. Instead, Paul has in
mind simply the answer to the question, “What about the promises that God made
to Israel in the Old Covenant scriptures?”
Those who read Romans 9 incorrectly begin by assuming that
there are a finite number of people who are chosen to be saved from the
foundation of the world. In their version of election, God has chosen
individual people to be saved before they were even born, and consequently he
has chosen everyone outside of that elite group for destruction. This is not
what scripture teaches, nor is it what Paul has in mind in Romans 9.
If Romans 9 is not a teaching about individual salvation
then what is Paul talking about? As I said earlier, Paul is only talking about
God’s promises to Israel. So, he begins by making the point that not everyone
descended from Abraham by blood is truly Israel. (Romans 9:6) In other words,
God’s promises were not ever intended to be for every Jewish person ever born,
but only for certain people (Jew or Gentile) who are truly Israel.
God’s promises to Israel were not to every Jewish person.
Paul points out that some Jews are faithful to God and some are not. The ones
who are faithful to God are indeed Israel and those Jews who are not faithful
to God are not Israel.
Paul anticipates an objection to his argument by someone
(perhaps a Jew who rejects Christ as Messiah) with the attitude that says, “Who
are you to decide that the Jewish people can be separated into two different
categories and say that one is Israel and the other is not?” Paul starts at
Abraham and points out that, although Abe had several sons, only one of them
(Isaac) was the chosen one, the other seven sons were not chosen. That means
that seven out of eight sons of Abraham were not the Israel of God. Physical
descent from Abraham, therefore, is not what gives anyone status or claim to
the promises made to Abraham’s seed. Next, Paul goes on to point out that Isaac
had two sons but only one of them was chosen to receive the promise of God
(Jacob). The other son, Esau, was not the chosen of God, even though he could
legitimately claim to be a son of Abraham.
So, clearly, the scriptures already confirm that within the
family of Abraham there are some who are the chosen and some who are not the
chosen of God. But, what does it mean to be chosen? Does it have anything to do
with salvation? No. Not at all.
To be the chosen of God, or true Israel, was simply to be
the person (or people) who would carry the bloodline of the Messiah and
therefore the people of promise through whom God would bless the nations.
Again, nowhere in the Old Covenant scriptures do we read
that God chose Israel to go to heaven. This is
not part of the promise or
covenant that God made with true Israel. What did God choose Israel for? Israel
was chosen to be God’s instrument to bring the Messiah into the world and to
preserve the knowledge of God on the Earth. That’s it. Israel had a ministry
and a function, not a promise of eternal life.
As in the case of Jacob and Esau, the two twin sons were
chosen before they were born by God’s sovereign choice. Chosen to do what? To
carry the bloodline of the Messiah. Jacob was chosen of God to carry the
promise of God, not to be eternally saved. Esau was not chosen to be damned
forever. The Bible does not teach that. Esau and his descendants had just as
much opportunity to serve God and to follow Him as anyone else. Certainly, Esau
lost his birthright, but nowhere does the Bible suggest that he also lost his
salvation. As far as we know Esau and his children did serve God and probably
did go to heaven. But this is not the point and this is not what Paul is
talking about either.
The election Paul is talking about in Romans 9, 10 and 11, is
simply the identity of the Israel to whom God made His promises in the Old
Covenant. Paul is clear to point out that not every Jew is truly Israel and to
explain how God has the right to choose some Jews to carry the promise and
others not to carry the promise. Again, this is not about salvation, simply
about being the chosen or not being the chosen of God to carry the promise of
God.
So, who is chosen? God has chosen to bless the faithful
remnant of Israel. If a Jew has faith in Christ then they are truly Israel. If
they are not trusting in God’s messiah, then they are not true Israel.
Using the analogy of the potter and the clay from Jeremiah
18, Paul goes on to explain how the one lump of clay, which is Israel, is
divided by God into two lumps. Out of one lump God may choose to make a
beautiful sculpture, but out of the other He may choose to make a cup or a
bowl. This is God’s prerogative.
He can chose to divide that lump of clay and
to say “this lump I have chosen for blessing and this other lump I have chosen
for destruction.”
Again, this is not about salvation but about who is actually
the rightful recipient of God’s promises and who is not. God has created two
categories; those who are in Christ (true Israel) and everyone else (those who
reject Christ).
Who then are the chosen of God? Anyone who is in Christ
Jesus. Who is not the chosen of God? Anyone who rejects Christ as Messiah.
There are only two categories. As Paul explains so clearly in Galatians chapter
3, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according
to the promise.” (v.29)
Therefore, God chose Christ before the creation of the
Earth. This is the only individual
person chosen by name before the world began. Christ was the Chosen one. You and I can decide for ourselves if we want
to be in Christ or not. If we chose to
be in Christ, then we are the remnant of God and we are true Israel. If we chose not to be in Christ, or if we
reject Him as Messiah, we are not chosen of God and we are not true Israel. “For
He chose us in him (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in His sight.” (Eph 1:4)
In Romans 11 Paul uses the illustration of the olive tree as
an illustration of how some branches are grafted into Christ and how others are
cut off. God has always had a faithful remnant. There have always been faithful
Jews and Gentiles in the true Israel of God. Anyone who is in Christ, according
to Paul, is a child of Abraham and an heir according to the promise. (Galatians
3:29)
Do you know what this means? It means that Christ is the Chosen
One of God. Not you specifically, unless you are in Christ. If you are in
Christ (Ephesians 1) then you are Chosen. God does not choose us to be in
Christ, but if we are in Him then we are chosen. Jesus is the Chosen One. Not
you. Not me. Only Christ. This why God’s Word says that we are chosen “in Him”,
not “chosen to be in Him”.
Salvation is a choice and God leaves that choice up to us.
Whether we are Jewish or Gentile, Male or Female, Slave or Free, we can choose
Christ or reject Him. God’s choice is Jesus. Our only hope is to be found in
Him.
-kg
2 comments:
This doesn't really fully address the calvinist vs arminian debate. All those points and more have been explained and refuted within various doctrinal frameworks.
This is what Christian Smith talks about in the bible made impossible.. interprative pluralism. Even if Romans 9-11 is to be primarily interpreted as you say that does in no way discount Gods sovereign actions in affecting the course of someone's life and thereby what opportunities they have to hear and receive the gospel.
That said I agree God does not choose for anyone to end up away from his presence for eternity, that is counter to his declared purposes. That is not to say that within the unfolding of his purpose of the ages that various individuals and nations will effectively be objects of mercy or wrath for a time.
Thank you, that was another topic I had to rethink. God is working to change my mind every day.
Post a Comment