Learning from Romans 9-11

9:1-33 - We read about ‘Jews’ and ‘Gentiles’. We learn about salvation. The Jews are not saved because of their nationality. It is ‘not because of works’. The Gentiles are not excluded because of their nationality. It is ‘because of His call’. Salvation comes from God’s grace, not from our good works. It is received ‘by faith’, not ‘by works’ (24,11,30-32). There is for us here a word of warning and a word of promise. Here’s the warning – You can be religious without being saved: ‘not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel… it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God’ (6-8). Here’s the promise – You can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ: Through faith in Him, those who were ‘not God’s people’ became ‘sons of the living God’ (26). Trust in Christ, not in yourself!

10:1-21 - To ‘Jew and Gentile’, God says, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (12-13). The Jews had praised the Lord Jesus: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’. Before long, they were shouting, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him!’ (John 12:12-13; 19:6). We rejoice that the Gospel has now come to the Gentiles. We remember also that God still ‘holds out His hands to Israel’(19-21). Still, Christ says, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… How often would I have gathered your children together…’ (Luke 13:34). ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem’, for the advance of the Gospel among the Jews (Psalm 122:6). Pray also for the ‘voice’ of the Gospel, ‘going out into all the earth’ (18). Pray that ‘faith will come as the Word of Christ is heard’ (17).

11:1-36 - ‘You stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe’ (20). In 9:32, Paul contrasted ‘faith’ and ‘works’. Here, he contrasts ‘grace’ and ‘works’ (6). Grace and faith belong together. ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling’ (Church Hymnary, 83) – This is faith, looking away from itself to divine grace. We do not come to God with our religion in one hand and our morality in the other. We hear the Gospel invitation – ‘O come to the Father through Jesus the Son’. Trusting in Christ, we say, ‘To God be the glory! Great things He has done’ (Church Hymnary, 374). It is only when we bow at the foot of the Cross that we are able to say, with Paul, ‘To Him be the glory for ever!’ (36; Galatians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31).