Grace Alone

Introduction

This morning our text is Romans 11:1-10 so you can go ahead and turn there in your Bible. If you are using a digital Bible you can follow along with the sermon in The Bible App. With that app you can put in notes and save them so you can access them wherever you are.

If you want to access that—it’s in the “events page” of your Bible app. And if you want some help with that you can ask me or someone else here and we’ll show you where to find it.

For a couple chapters now Paul has been speaking on God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. And he has been answering the same questions in different ways: What has happened to Israel?

By all outward appearances, Israel, the nation that God chose out of all the other nations—to be a people for Himself—has rejected the messiah that God has been pointing them to for centuries.

And Paul has been asking questions such as “Has God’s word failed?” Or “Is God unjust” and this morning in our text we see that Paul asks, “Has God rejected His people?” And the answers to these questions are, in Paul’s own words, “By no means!”

And he is asking these questions with two audiences in mind. Unbelieving Israel and the rest of us. Paul wants everyone to know that God’s word has not failed, that God is not unjust, and that He hasn’t rejected the Jewish people all together.

And to an extent Paul has already cleared up the misconception with Romans 9:6 “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,”

Even though the Jew in Jesus & Paul’s day would have said salvation belongs to the Jews by the very virtue of being Jewish this is not what the Bible has taught—they like in our day were subject to error and this is one that prevailed in their time.

But God is clear, not everyone who is called Israel is actually Israel. It is the chosen people of God who have received grace in Jesus for salvation that are truly Israel in a salvific sense.

The main point of our text today is that God is saving Israel in the same manner by which he saves anyone else, by grace.

And towards this point Paul will give us I. A Personal Example of Grace (1-2), II. An Historical Example of Grace (3-4), III. Theology of Grace (5-6), and IV. The Opposite of Grace (7-10)

I. A Personal Example of Grace (1-2a)

At the close of chapter 10 God says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

And Paul’s follow up to this statement is...

Romans 11:1-2a “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew...”

Paul himself is proof that God has not wholesale rejected the people of Israel. He reminds his readers—I myself am a Jew.

And he’s not just nominally Jewish, Paul reminds us elsewhere that He is very Jewish—zealous about his Jewishness. About himself Paul writes in...

Philippians 3:5-6 “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

Paul’s point is that God is certainly still graciously saving the Jewish people—he is living proof.

On the road to Damascus, as Paul was going to persecute the church—Jesus saved the most Jewish guy in Israel.

And here we need to understand that just as Paul is an example to the Jews that God is extending grace to people just like them—you and I are a Paul to somebody.

There are people that you can relate to in a way that I cannot. There are people that I can relate to in a way that you cannot.

Our stories are important. Our stories of abuse—our stories of spiritual blindness—as well as our stories of familiarity with the church. Our stories of poverty and our stories of a life of wealth are all important because the truth—is that people who are familiar with poverty are lost. People who have never wanted for anything are lost. People who have been abused—who have done the abusing—people from all walks of life are lost.

And just like Paul we can leverage our lives and our experiences with God to call other people to trust in Jesus because we are living examples that God saves people just like them.

Friends, understand that God has given you kingdom work to be doing. Are you vocal about your faith? Are you vocal about what God has done and is doing in your life?

And you might think that no one cares but if you are willing to proclaim the goodness of God to others He’ll bring people into your life that are interested to hear about it.

Our Mission statement at Covenant Life is that “we exist to see people radically transformed in Christ who leverage their lives for God’s glory.”

Like Paul, are you leveraging your life for God’s glory? Are you willing to?

The great thing about gospel work is that everyone can do it! From the youngest believer to the oldest among us—God will use you. Do you want Him to?

In answering this question: Paul gives a personal example, himself, but he also gives...

II. An Historical Example (2b-4)

Shifting away from himself, Paul points out. “I’m not a special exemption either. Look at the scriptures!”

Romans 11:2-4 “God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. God has been saving his elect people in this same way all along throughout Israel’s history. He continues

Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

In 1 Kings, King Ahab marries Jezebel, a princess of Tyre. And she leads Ahab away from worship of God and into the worship of a false God named Baal. And Ahab leads Israel to follow in his sin. Baal worship is rampant throughout Israel and Israel rejects God’s command to them given through Moses.

Exodus 20:1-3 “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.”

There are temples and places of worship to Baal all over Israel and this causes Elijah great despair. He says,

Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.””

Paul’s point here is that this is not the first time in Israel’s history that they have rejected God. They’ve done it in the past. And even though Paul cites 1 Kings here there are many places that he could have gone to make this point. Because Israel, many times rejected their God.

The entire book of Judges is story after story of Israel, God’s people, rejecting Him and “doing what was right in their own eyes.”

But where people are unfaithful God is faithful…and this is the point that God makes to Elijah.

“I have kept for myself 7000 men who have not worshipped the false God Baal.” You thought you were alone—you thought that My word has failed? You thought that I had rejected my people?! No I have kept a remnant of the people for myself.

Paul’s point is that just as God did in Elijah’s day—God has done in their day —and friends we can be certain that God is still doing it in this day.

God is keeping for himself a faithful people and this includes people from Israel.

But don’t miss the wording.

Notice what God didn’t say. He didn’t say, “7000 have kept themselves.” God says I have kept them. I have called them and sustained them.

Paul is saying, “Nothing has really changed.” What is the difference between the unbelieving person in Israel during Elijah’s time and the believing person now. The difference then and now is God. God calls the elect to salvation in Elijah’s time, in Paul’s time, and in our time.

And here in our text the Word of God shifts to teach on the theology behind what is happening with Paul, the faithful of Elijah’s day and the faithful of every age. In every age it is by grace that people are saved.

III. The Theology of Grace (5-6)

Romans 11:5 “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In our time on Tuesday nights we have been studying the 1689 London Baptist confession. And this past Tuesday we were discussing the attributes of God. And one of the things our confession says is that “God is working all things according ot the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will.”

God is immutable—he is unchanging. That’s why Paul says, “So too at the present time.” How God has worked in the past is how He is working in the present because there is nothing about his “most righteous will” that needs to change.

God’s act of saving his people has always been by grace.

And as we continue in the text Paul wants us to realize what is at stake here as we consider salvation by God’s grace.

Romans 11:6 “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Paul says that if salvation is by grace then it is no longer by works. And that is not to say that Paul is saying, “it used to be by works, but now it is no longer.

Remember that Paul is speaking with stubborn Israel in mind. He is saying, “IF salvation is by grace as I have shown you—then you must abandon this notion that you can earn your salvation by your works—by being obedient to the law”

Paul is wanting to be crystal clear here—don’t add Jesus to your works. Abandon all attempts to work for your salvation and trust the atoning sacrifice that God has given you in Jesus.

When I share the gospel with someone there is a question that I like to ask. I ask them, “If you died today do you think that you would go to Heaven?”

And I like this question because it reveals really quickly what a person is trusting in. And you get all kinds of answers.

But an answer that you hear very often is some version of “God knows that I”m a good person. And he knows the things that I try to do.”

Over and over again—this is the answer to the question. If you died would you go to Heaven? “Yes, I try to be kind to people and I pray and fill in the blank.”

And that is what Paul is telling us here. God saves people by His Grace. And in order for grace to be grace it must be a free decision. Grace isn’t grace if it is a response to something you did. That’s called a consequence. Grace isn’t grace if it is an obligation. That’s called a payment.

Grace is not based on God looking forward and seeing that you deserve grace because you’re a pretty good person or because you would choose to follow Jesus someday.

If God saves you based on anything other than His free decision to do so—then we are no longer talking about grace, we are talking about works.

And Paul is clear: Grace has nothing to do with works. Grace is God looking at us in our dead state—and having mercy on us. Knowing that unless He moves in our heart we’ll stay dead.

A good picture of grace is given to us by Jesus in Luke 10. Grace is the parable of the Good Samaritan. A man is going down from Jerusalem and is attacked, robbed, beaten, and stripped naked left on the side of the road half dead. A Samaritan passed by him and the Jesus says,

Luke 10:33-35 “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’”

Grace looks at us in our helpless state and has compassion. By grace God saves us—not because of what we have done but fully and solely because of what Christ has done on our behalf.

God took on human flesh to show you grace. The Son became like us and lived in this world. He kept the law for you because you couldn’t keep it yourself. He took the guilt of your sin and He paid the penalty for it. He took the wrath of the Father for your sin—all of your sin—so that you would be saved. He died so that you wouldn’t have to. And he rose from death to defeat death for all those who trust Him.

We are the beaten, robbed, dead man on the side of the road and God showed us grace through His Son.

My question to you is: Have you received the grace of God in Christ? Is Jesus your hope?

There are two application here for us: 1. Make sure that you are trusting in Christ alone for your salvation. What is your answer to the question, “Why will God let you into Heaven?” The correct answer is because Jesus has paid for all my sins. There is no more wrath reserved for me. He has saved me.

2. Rejoice in the grace you have received. Let the grace that you have received through faith in Christ fuel your joy. You were headed for Hell but God showed you grace and now you are eternally saved. You have a future in Christ that is blessed beyond the ability to measure it. You will live eternally free from sin. This is amazing, so rejoice in it.

As we move to the last few verses of our text this morning we see what happens when grace is not received. We see the opposite of grace as Paul turns to unbelieving Israel.

IV. The Opposite of Grace (7-10)

Romans 11:7-10 “What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.””

What is the opposite of grace? It is being left in our sin to receive the punishment of it.

What do we do with this idea that God hardens people in their sin?

1. We understand that it is biblical truth.

Sin causes us to recoil away from the light. We see this in Romans 1:28 “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”

God gives people over to their sin. He hardens them in their rebellion.

We see this in Exodus too. God sends Moses to Pharoah and commands him to let his people go. And throughout that story we see Pharoah hardening his own heart and God hardening the heart of Pharoah. We see both.

2. Remember that no one is owed grace or mercy.

All people have sinned against Holy God. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

There is no one who receives judgment from God unjustly. When God hardens a human heart in their sin it is a judicial act of justice that the person deserves.

3. Assume that God is extending grace to everyone.

God is continuing to save people from their sin by His grace.

And He saves all kinds of people from all walks of life. Don’t ever decide for God that He is not saving someone that you think is impossible to save.

All people are impossible to save until God saves them.

With passion and zeal offer the life changing gospel to everyone that gives you an ear to hear it.

It is not our place to decide who God is hardening as an excuse to not be obedient to share the gospel with all peoples.

4. Fight against spiritual hardness in your own heart.

Once a person is saved they are secure in Christ. The saints will persevere in their salvation. God will complete the work that He has began in you.

But there are may passage of scripture that warn the believer not to fall away, to work out their salvation, to fight agains their sin.

Fight against spiritual darkness and hardness in your heart. Kill sin in your life. Take seriously the numbing effect embracing sin has on you.

Be serious about your holiness—is there something you need to address in your own life? DON’T IGNORE IT. Obey God in every area of your life trusting that your Father is good and that He knows best. Trust in his good grace.

Conclusion

In response to His own question this morning Paul points out that God is continuing to save people in the same manner that he has always saved people—by His grace.

As a church we want to make sure that we rejoice in the grace of God toward us. We want our worship to be fueled by it. We want our mission to be centered on it. We want all that we do to be in response to this most glorious of truths.

Let’s pray.