Page 75 - Romans Student Textbook.doc

and should be repaid by Him?

Because out of Him and through Him and unto Him are all things; to Him by glory unto the ages, amen.

God’s glory is displayed by the inscrutability of His wisdom, knowledge, character and actions.

Know the Wonder of Your Salvation in Christ. (Foundation for the Instructions that
follow.) (1:18-11:39)

Salvation expounded and explained. (1:18-8:39)

Salvation illustrated in Israel. (9:1-11:36)

Paul’s personal desire — the introduction to the example. (9:1-5)

God is still working to redeem a remnant of Israel. (9:6-33)

God’s offer of salvation to all people includes Israel even when they resist. (10:1-21)

God’s inclusion of the Gentiles in His salvation is for the purpose of bringing Israel to a repentant trust in
Christ. (11:1-32)

A Concluding Doxology. (11:33-36)

12.4 Chapter 12: Salvation Illustrated in Israel: God’s Salvation of the Gentiles was Designed to
bring Israel to Repentant Trust in Christ.

Introduction

God has a purpose in the current state of affairs with Israel. That is Paul’s bottom-line position
concerning the relationship between Israel and God’s salvation. In the remainder of his
discussion of Israel as an example of what he had taught about God’s salvation in the first 8
chapters of this letter, Paul wrote about the possibility of God rejecting Israel and leaving
them behind and posited that the current rejection was a temporary phase in the life of Israel that would
eventually be turned around. Each paragraph in this chapter focuses on one aspect of how God was
continuing to work toward the salvation of Israel in the face of their stubborn resistance to Him.

God has not rejected Israel completely, but rather, has chosen to save a remnant of them at the present
time. (11:1-10)

It is with the vivid word picture painted by Isaiah of God as a loving parent stretching out his arms to a
stubborn, disobedient, self-centered child and imploring him to submit and enjoy His loving kindness and
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forgiveness still hanging in his heart that Paul asked another question. “Has God rejected his people?”
Paul’s answer to that question was reflexive and betrayed the depth of his love for Israel. You can almost
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see him shaking with emotion as he wrote, “By no means!” This phrase is the strongest way that the
answer “No!” could be given without employing an oath. To reinforce this exclamation, he reminded the
Roman churches that he was an Israelite and God had not rejected him. Following that personal example

85 Romans 11:1, ESV.
86 Romans 11:1, ESV.
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