Sep4-10: The Election of Grace

Teaching Points

1.  What is the problem with the Jews’ righteousness?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 10:2, 3—They had not submitted to God but were zealously trying to keep the law for righteousness.

2.  What is the solution to the Jews’ problem?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 10:4, 5—Faith in Jesus.
• Rom. 10:4—Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness. The goal or the purpose of the law is to lead to Jesus because Jesus has perfect righteousness. There can be no righteousness without God’s law. God’s law determines right from wrong.

3.  Where does faith come from?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 10:17—hearing God’s Word. Hearing includes action. 

4.   What is one of God’s effective ways of stimulating His professed people?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 10:19, 20—Those who are learning truth for the first time are on fire and alive in their experience with God and this sometimes arouses God’s professed people to gain a deeper experience.
• Rom. 10:15 The gospel being preached.

OBSERVATION:

• The problem with the Jews was that they were zealously trying to keep the law but without faith and submission to God.
• The solution to this problem is submitting by faith to Jesus.
• Faith comes from hearing and acting on the Word of God.
• One of the ways God uses to stimulate new life in His professed people is to have them see the vibrant experience of new believers. 

5.  Has God “cast away” literal Israel?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 11:5—No, a remnant will be saved. Jews still have the hope for salvation as any other person.

6.  What caused the Jews to be blinded?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 11:7-11—“Through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles”—rejection of Jesus.
• Why did they reject Jesus and be blinded?
• 2 Cor. 4:3-5—Satan blinded their eyes with unbelief.
• Rom. 11:20—the Jews were broken off for their unbelief.

7.  What is the meaning of the olive tree and branches?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 11:16-24—the wild olive branches are the Gentiles. The original branches are the Israelites. The original branches were cut off from Christ because of unbelief. The Gentiles were grafted in because of faith. The Israelites, if they believe will be grafted in again. They are of the original stock so they would be perhaps easier to graft back in.  The olive tree is Christ or God’s goodness (Rom. 11:22).

8.  What is this mystery that Paul is trying to explain?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 11:25-32—The Jews because of unbelief, rejected Jesus. Then God sent the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. Now as the Gentiles accept the gospel by the mercy of God, He can use the Gentiles to help the Jews have faith and accept the gospel for salvation. All of God’s true Israelites (spiritual Jews) will be saved.
• Rom. 11:30, 31—because of the Jews unbelief the Gentiles received mercy. Through the mercy of the Gentiles the Jews may receive mercy.

9.  Can we fully understand God’s dealings and thoughts?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 11:33-36—No! His judgments are unsearchable. Who can know His mind? 

OBSERVATION:

• The Jews still have the opportunity for salvation.
• Because of the Jewish nation’s rejection of Christ because of unbelief they are no longer God’s special choosen people.
• The gospel was sent to the Gentiles and those who believe are grafted in as God’s chosen people.
• God can now show mercy through the Gentiles to the Jews.
• God’s plans for our salvation are amazing. We cannot fully understand Him.

SOP

• Paul likens the remnant in Israel to a noble olive tree, some of whose branches have been broken off. He compares the Gentiles to branches from a wild olive tree, grafted into the parent stock. "If some of the branches be broken off," he writes to the Gentile believers, "and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."  {AA 377.1}
• Through unbelief and the rejection of Heaven's purpose for her, Israel as a nation had lost her connection with God. But the branches that had been separated from the parent stock God was able to reunite with the true stock of Israel--the remnant who had remained true to the God of their fathers. "They also," the apostle declares of these broken branches, "if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again." "If thou," he writes to the Gentiles, "wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.  {AA 377.2}
• 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}

CONCLUSION:

• Jews and Gentiles have equal opportunity for salvation.
• The problem with the Jew’s righteousness is that they did not submit to God and have faith in Christ’s salvation.
• Because Israel as a nation rejected Christ from unbelief, they are no longer God’s chosen people. The gospel has gone to the Gentiles and whoever believes in Christ is grafted in as God’s chosen.
• The Jews can just as easily be grafted back in if they believe.
• God wants to show mercy to the Jews through the Gentiles.
• God’s ways are amazing!
• Paul’s main point in Chapter 10 and 11 is faith. This is the key to the righteousness of Christ. 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you zealously trying to keep the law and thus be righteous?
• Are you submitting to God in faith trusting in His righteousness for salvation and obeying His will in His strength?
• Are you exercising faith by action and being grafted into Christ?
• Are you grateful for God’s amazing grace and plan of salvation?