Calling
Of The Jews & Gentiles
Unfolding
Of God’s Plan
In a Brief Survey
of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans
Based on sermons
preached in PCC Worship Services, July 2003 to Sep 2005
Part 46c of 83
“… 30 …the Gentiles, which followed not after
righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is
of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of
righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.…” (Romans 9:17-18).
[We have been studying the apostle Paul’s inspired exposition
concerning God’s redemptive plans for Jews and Gentiles.
In our first study, we considered God’s plan for the Gentiles: how
it has always been God’s plan to incorporate the Gentiles into His covenant
body. In the second instalment, we considered God’s plan for Israel and for the
Jews. We noted how Israel was special in God’s eye not so much because of their
bloodline, but because God chose them to be external covenant people in the Old
Covenant. But when Israel apostatise, the privilege is given to Gentile. God’s
promises to Israel remain true because they were not made to Israel as a
nation, but to Israel as His covenant people.
In this concluding instalment, we shall look at how this plan of
God unfolded. —JJL]
3. The Unfolding of
God’s Plan
God had ordained that the Gentiles which
hitherto did not know the way of righteousness should be saved; whereas Israel
which knew the way of righteousness should be forsaken.
How did God’s plan unfold? Verse 30—
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles,
which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even
the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed
after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
God’s plan unfolded as planned. Gentiles have
attained to righteousness, whereas Israel has not attained.
Gentiles were justified and accepted of God,
whereas the majority of the Jews remained in their sin and were rejected of
God. Why? Paul quotes from Isaiah to explain:
32 Wherefore?
Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.
For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in
Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall
not be ashamed.
How is it that the Jews remained in sin and were rejected of God?
It is so because the Jews were still trying to obtain salvation by their own
effort. God had provided a Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ. All who are
united to Him by faith would be saved. But the same Saviour became a stumbling
block to the Jews.
Notice that Paul is not quoting from a single verse in Isaiah. He
is conflating Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16.
Isaiah 8:14 speaks of Christ as a stumblingstone—
“And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and
for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Isa 8:14).
But Isaiah 28:16 speaks of Christ as a precious cornerstone of
salvation—
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I
lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a
sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isa 28:16).
Paul, —in bringing these two verses together, —is showing us that
Christ would both offend and save. The same precious corner stone of salvation
to the elect gentiles is also the stone of stumbling to the reprobate Jews. The
Gentiles found salvation in Christ, but Christ became a stumblingstone to the
Jews.
The Gentiles would find Christ a precious corner stone; but the
Jews would find Christ an offensive stumbling stone. Instead of finding
salvation in Him, the Jews would find Christ intolerable. They would reject Him,
and fall even deeper into sin than they had already fallen!
Why was Christ a stumbling block to them? Because they were too
proud.
· They were too proud to believe that they can attain salvation by
their law-keeping.
· They were too proud to think that they need a lowly carpenter from
Nazareth to save them. They were too ashamed to submit to such a lowly king.
· They were too proud to admit that Christ was right that their
heart was wrong and that they were white-washed sepulchres.
· They were too proud to realise that their ancestry means nothing
unless they were united to Christ, the seed of Abraham.
· They were too proud to see that the Saviour had indeed come. They
refused to acknowledge all the miracles that He did and rejected all His
authoritative sermons.
Christ the Saviour became a stumbling block to the proud and
unbelieving Jews. The apostle Peter says the same thing, when he tells us that
Christ became…
“…a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which
stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet
2:8).
The Jews stumbled at the Word by being
disobedient. Instead of repenting of the sin and fleeing to Christ for
salvation, they stubbornly refused to believe. God therefore cast them away
according to His plan.
But now, we must not gloat over the Jews for we are no better. But
nature we would never repent of our sin or believe in Christ. We do not deserve
God’s salvation any more than the Jews.
We are saved only by grace. Therefore we must not boast, but gratefully
and humbly live for Christ as His covenant people.
Conclusion
What shall we do with these things?
a. First, of all, we must not think that it is unimportant for us
to know about the errors of Dispensationalism. Thomas Watson puts it very well
when he says “A man may as well damn his soul by error as by vice, and may as
soon go to hell for a drunken opinion as for a drunken life.”
Instead of heeding the warnings against apostasy in the Old Testament,
many are looking for clues about what will happen in Israel. But to read Old
Testament this way is to miss the point altogether.
The Old Testament must be read with the light of the New
Testament. It must never be read with some artificial extra-biblical
principles, such as when the plain sense make sense seek no other sense.
b. But secondly let us thank
God for what Paul teaches us in the passage. Thank God that as Gentiles we have
been given the privilege of being members of the covenant. Thank God that by
His providence we are born and raised in these last days in which we can look
back and seek the unfolding of God’s plan for His Church.
Thank God that the stone which the builders rejected has become head
stone of the corner for the Church (Ps 118:22, 23; Lk 20:17-18). Thank God that
by His grace, Christ is not a stumbling stone or a rock of offence to us. Thank
God for faith to believe so that we can be lively stones joined to that head
stone of the Church.
But let us remind ourselves that the Jews of Old bore the name of
God’s covenant people. But that did not guarantee their salvation. They heard
the Gospel preached to them, but that did not guarantee their salvation:
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but
the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that
heard it” (Heb 4:2).
What shall we do but to take heed lest there be in any of us an
evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God? But let us exhort one
another daily while it is called today, lest we be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we
hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end (Heb 3:12-14).
Amen.
—JJ Lim