Aug28-Sept3: Redemption for Jew and Gentile

Teaching Points

1.  What statements has Paul made so far about both Jews and Gentiles?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:16—The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of both Jews and Greeks.
• Rom. 3:9, 12, 23; 5:12—Both are under sin (condemned). All have sinned.
• Rom. 3:22; 4:11—all that believe can have righteousness by faith.
• Rom. 3:29—God is for the Gentiles as well as Jews.
• Rom. 5:18—Who is justification available to? It is available to all because all have been affected by one man—Adam therefore, one man—Jesus can offer the free gift to all.
• Rom. 8:32—Christ was delivered up for us all.

2.  What is Paul saying about Jews and Gentiles in chapter 9?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 9:24—God has called both Jews and Gentiles to His family. 

3.  What does Paul say about the Jews?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 9:3-5—The Jews were given the special privilege having the message of truth for the world.
• Rom. 9:6-9—Not all Jews are children of God. 

4.   What is Paul showing us by writing about the differences between Jews and Gentiles?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 9:3-9—God gave the truth to the Jews for the world, but not all Jews believe and live the truth.
• God is also giving the gentiles opportunity to accept the truth.
• Does this mean the Jews are cast away? Rom. 11:1-5 No. God still has a remnant of faithful Jews.

OBSERVATION:

• Paul reveals in Romans that Jews and Gentiles have all sinned, need a Saviour, are offered salvation, can be justified and have the hope of eternal life, and be adopted into God’s family.
• God wants to save all both Jews and Gentiles.
• The Jews were given special advantage and privilege in being given the truth for the world but this does not mean that all Jews will be saved.
• The Gentiles do not have such great privileges as the Jews but God wants to save all not just Jews.
• Though as a nation the Jews rejected Christ, Jews can still believe in Christ and be saved. 

5.  What was it about Esau that caused God to say, “Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated?”

ANSWER:

• Gen. 25:24-27—Jacob and Esau were raised in the same home with the same opportunities.
• Gen. 25:29-34—Esau sold his birthright to be the spiritual leader of the household as well as the earthly inheritance.
• Gen. 27:6-29—Jacob stole Esau’s blessing.
• Gen. 28:11, 16-22; 32:24-28— Jacob repented and wrestled with the angel.
• Gen.26:34, 35—Esau took idolater wives.
• Gen. 27:41; 32:6 —Esau wanted to kill Jacob.
• Jacob turned to God and repented. Esau continually turned away from God. God knew that Esau would reject Him and Jacob would accept Him before each was born, but He still gave both the opportunity for salvation.

6.  Is God unrighteous or unjust in dealing with people, why or why not?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 9:14—He is not unrighteous.
• What reveals that God is not being unjust in regard to Esau and Pharaoh?
• Rom. 9:15-17—God knows the best way to reach a heart to help it respond and be saved. He reveals His mercy, compassion, and/or power to the person. 

7.  Why was Pharaoh’s heart hardened against God?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 9:17—Could not God’s power have been shown in a fuller way if Pharaoh had surrendered to God as did Nebuchadnezzar? Yes. God wanted to show His power IN Pharaoh. God wanted His name (character) to be revealed in Pharaoh.
• Rom. 9:18, 19—God showed His mercy by showing His power to Pharaoh. Pharaoh responded by resisting or hardening His heart. He resisted God’s will to reveal His character in the king. 

8.  What is Paul trying to illustrate about God by using Esau and Pharaoh’s story?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 9:17—God’s purpose, for Pharaoh specifically, was to reveal His (God’s) character in Pharaoh.
• Rom. 9:19-22—The vessels of wrath are the ones resisting God’s will or purpose.
• Rom. 9:22—God is longsuffering even with the “vessels of wrath” (those resisting God’s purpose for them).
• God wants to save all. God is doing all to save all who choose to be saved. Even those who resist God’s salvation (His purpose or will), He is longsuffering with.

9.  Why is it important for Paul to show that God is longsuffering and merciful to all?

ANSWER:

• Romans chapters 9-11 shows us that God is trying to save Jews, as well as Gentiles. Paul is warning them not to resist God’s work, or reject Jews or Gentiles who are believing in Christ; but rather accept them as part of God’s family—joint heirs by faith. 

10.  Why is it that there are Gentiles who have righteousness by faith and Jews who do not?

ANSWER:

• The Jews were trying on their own to keep the law and attain righteousness by keeping the law, without faith in Christ. This became a stumbling block to them. 

OBSERVATION:

• God’s relation to Jacob and Esau was determined, not arbitrarily by God, but by their individual choices.

• Paul clarifies that God is not unjust in how He deals with individuals. God uses the best methods to reach their hearts but, if they resist His purpose for their salvation, they become “vessels of wrath” by their own choice.
• God is longsuffering and merciful to all regardless of their choice to resist Him or to accept Him.
• Paul is trying to show the justice and mercy of God and His desire to save all. The Jews need to be able to accept the Gentiles as people that God wants to save equally with themselves.
• If Jew or Gentile wants to attain righteousness it must be by faith in Christ. Works are not enough.

SOP

• It was God's purpose that His grace should be revealed among the Gentiles as well as among the Israelites. This had been plainly outlined in Old Testament prophecies. The apostle uses some of these prophecies in his argument. "Hath not the potter power over the clay," he inquires, "of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He saith also in Osee, I will call them My people, which were not My people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people; there shall they be called the children of the living God." See Hosea 1:10.  {AA 376.1}  
• In the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the Lord plainly showed his distinguished mercy to his people, before all the Egyptians. He saw fit to execute his judgments upon Pharaoh, that he might know by sad experience, since he would not otherwise be convinced, that the power of God was superior to all other. That his name might be declared throughout all the earth, he would give proof to all nations of his divine power and justice. It was the design of God that these manifestations should strengthen the faith of his people, and that their posterity should steadfastly worship Him alone who had wrought such merciful wonders in their behalf.  {ST, April 1, 1880 par. 32}
• Thus Paul shows that God is abundantly able to transform the hearts of Jew and Gentile alike, and to grant to every believer in Christ the blessings promised to Israel. He repeats Isaiah's declaration concerning God's people: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: for He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma and been made like unto Gomorrah."  {AA 379.1}

CONCLUSION:

• Jews are no better than Gentiles. The only difference is that Jews have greater advantage because they have been entrusted with the message of Salvation.
• God wants to save all people and does all He can to save them. Even with those who refuse, He still is longsuffering.
• Paul’s main point in Chapter 9 is that God wants to save all, both Jews and Gentiles; but, both Jews and Gentiles can choose to resist God’s purpose.
• Righteousness must be by faith. We cannot save ourselves by keeping the law in our own strength.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Do you think that you are better than others or more likely to be saved because you know more truth than others?
• Are you taking advantage of the truth that you know and by faith in Christ living it?
• Are you trying to save yourself by doing what you know is right, but not surrendering yourself to Christ?
• Are you resisting God’s longsuffering and mercy for your salvation as Pharaoh and Esau did?