God has not Rejected His People

GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR A MESSANGER, BUT FOR YOU TO BE THE MESSAGE

Intro to

Paul is dealing with the assumption that the Jews were saved because of the law. (The natural and customary way of people dealing with God).

God will shows his faithfulness to Israel.

Review/Context

The concept of Grace was difficult for people to grasp.

Chapter 1

The apostle Paul is writing a letter to the believers in Rome to bring them “into the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations”. (1:5)

Paul has not yet visited the church in Rome, but he well aware of their theological struggles, namely the obtaining of righteousness. The world attempted to obtain righteousness by serving and pleasing gods with the goal of earning something in return, and thus being self-serving.

Chapter 2: Anyone can be a Jew inwardly

He then says to Jews, you are doing the same thing, and you think you are better because you are a Jew but “a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.”

Chapter 3: What advantage is there of being a Jew outwardly.

-The Instructions of God

-But there is no advantage before God in the manner of justification. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and no one if justified by “works of the law” (3:20).

-“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, althought the law and the prophets bear witness to it —The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Chapter 4: Abraham had faith apart from the law.

Abraham was a model of faith. “the purpose was to make him the father of all who believe…[including gentiles]” (4:11) The promise was that he would be the father of “many nations.”

Chapter 5: “The law came to increase the trespass”(5:20)

Where sin increased Grace abounded all the more

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! [1]

Chapter 6: Grace is not an excuse to disobey, on the contrary.

We have faith that we have died to sin, and therefore we should no longer live in sin. “The one who has died has been set free from sin” (6:7)

“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (6:14)

Chapter 7: You have died for the law

Don’t rely on the law, sin will reign in you, but if you rely in Christ Sin will have no dominion over you.

Chapter 8: You are no longer slaves but children

If we have received the spirit of adoption, not slavery. So no more fear of not measuring up (8:15)

Chapter 9: The adoption belongs to the spiritual Israel- Children of the promise.

Israel did not attain righteousness because they sought it through works, and not faith. (9:32)

Chapter 10: Israel tried to establish their own righteousness.

“For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” ()

“They have not all obeyed the gospel…”

Paul is trying to unify the Jews and Gentiles into one people, the spiritual Israel.

[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .