"Being the Christian..."

Our Sunday night Bible study is called "being the Christian that you say you have become." Last night we reviewed Romans 9:1-13 and looked specifically at Romans 9:13. There is a basic argument that the apostle Paul is presenting in the first 13 verses of Romans. Here is the apostle Paul's argument -the word of God stands because in God's sovereign grace He has chosen to elect some and not others.

The key argument Paul is developing in Romans 9:1-13
In the first 5 verses Paul says that most of the Jews are accursed and cut off from God. And the objectors to that kind of teaching said "then Paul if the Jews who are chosen and have the covenant are cut off from God then it can only mean that the word of God has failed." And Paul in my loose paraphrase says "no you are wrong, the Jews are cut off from God and the word of God stands and now I am going to prove it to you. Now if you are a Gentile this is a potential crisis because if God's promise and word does not hold true to the Jews then what chance do the Gentiles have that God's word will hold true for them.

If the argument doesn't make sense to you then Romans 9, 10 and 11 will be hard to put together in terms of understanding what Paul means by what he wrote. So once again go back and pray, study and meditate on the first 6 verses in order to get Paul's argument in your mind.
Let me add this, the apostle Paul is so grieved that he would be willing to trade his own salvation for those of his Jewish brethren that are lost. Is that the attitude that you and I have for those who are accused and cut off from God?

I have talked with enough people now and read enough to know that Romans 9 is a lightning rod chapter for many people in the evangelical church. In the first paragraph I stated that the key argument Paul is making as he starts Romans 9 is this one - God's word stands because He chooses some (the doctrine of election) and not others. When some read that statement there is so much resistance, anger and indignation that to continue with them through Romans 9 is almost fruitless. Immediately the mind rises up with all kind of objections and basically says if this God chooses some and not others for salvation then He can't be just! Oh brothers and sisters in Christ please be careful, please be careful not to tell this holy and sovereign God how He can save. I just plead with you allow God's word to fall on you in a new and fresh way as you read these first 13 verses.

Now Paul is ready to make his Biblical argument for the fact that God words stands because He chooses some and not others. Look carefully at these three arguments:
1. There is an ethnic Israel or you could say a biological Israel but within that larger group is a smaller group that Paul is calling true Israel. Paul is teaching that just because a person is a descendant of Abraham it doesn't mean that they are automatically saved.
2. It's as if they are scratching their heads and so Paul goes again with another argument and says that all Abraham's descendants and not all Abraham's children. In other words we have the larger group all the descendants of Abraham and the smaller group which are Abraham's true children. You can see that this is the same argument as the first but it is just stated another way.
3. OK for those who still are struggling Paul again makes the argument but now he illustrates this in principle. He goes on to say there are children of the flesh, that is the large group and then the smaller group are the children of the promise.

Now just meditate on this and see if what Paul has just covered is consistent with the argument that he starts with in the first 6 verses. He is saying God has always chosen for Himself who will be saved and this is in fact the evidence to prove to his readers that the word of God stands. Once again look at the three arguments above in which we have:
1. True Israel - the smaller group within the larger group - God choose them
2. Abraham's children - the smaller group within the descendants - God choose them
3. Children of the promise - the smaller group within the children of the flesh - God choose them

Why is Bible logic so hard for many today in the American church?
Please - please - please don't jump to unwarranted and non Biblical conclusions at this point and time in Romans 9. I know what many are thinking because the arguments from those who disagree basically all sound the same. Here is the danger, a person says "ok Bert if God chooses some for salvation then that must mean He is sending those who He doesn't choose to hell. Be careful with your Bible exegesis at this point. If God chooses some and not others it does not mean that He Himself is sending the non chosen group to hell. Do you understand that critical and important point? God does not send those who are not chosen to hell. If a person goes to hell they will be alone responsible for their rejection and rebellion toward God.

Let's continue in Paul's flow of thought. In Romans 9:7 and 9:9 the apostle Paul quotes directly from the Old Testament. The first quote is from Genesis 21 and the second quote is from Genesis 18. Here is a little side note and hope this doesn't offend. Most people today in the church know very little about or have studies very little from the Old Testament. So the apostle Paul is assuming that when he puts a quote from Genesis 21 and Genesis 18 that the reader understands the context. Here is my question for those of you reading this and studying along through Romans 9. Why does Paul use these two quotes to support his key argument that God word stands because He chooses some for salvation and not others? When you are doing Bible exegesis especially in the epistles this is how you understand what the author meant by what he wrote. Paul is teaching us by taking us through a flow of Biblical thought in which he will bring us to a glorious conclusion.

Do you know the story of Abraham and Sarah?
How old was Abraham when God first called him? Answer -75

When Abraham first received the promise from God that his descendant would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, how many children did Abraham have at that point. Answer - none

How many years did Abraham wait on God's promise to be fulfilled before he and Sarah came up with an alternate plan? Answer - 10 years

What was the plan that Abraham and Sarah thought up and executed?
Answer - Abraham would get a child by way of Hagar who was the handmaid of Sarah.

Did Abraham have a child by way of Hagar and what was his name? Answer - yes he did and the boy's name was Ishmael.

How does the apostle Paul refer to Ismael in Galatians 4:23? Answer - Ishmael is referred to as a child of the flesh.

According the Jewish culture who was the most privileged of all children?
Answer - the first born male

Does Abraham want God to accept Ishmael as his first born and allow him to be the child of promise? Answer - yes he does and to verify that answer look at Genesis 17:18 at Abraham's request and God's answer.
Abraham and Sarah conceived a child of the flesh (by their own doing) and named him Ismael. It was after this that God told Abraham to circumcise himself (99 years old), Ishmael (13 years old) and all the men of his household.
What do you suppose this is to represent?
Did Abraham obey God's word and rely on God to provide him with a child of promise? Answer - no as we have seen Abraham and Sarah decided on a way to help God out.
So don't you find this fascinating that God tells Abraham to cut away the flesh and thereby reminding Abraham from this point on of what he did in his own flesh?

Continue with the story - what happens now in Genesis 18? Answer - God says I will bring about the child of promise and in essence saying Abraham I don't need your help.
If you follow the context and flow of thought in the story of Abraham, Sarah and Issac how do you make a spiritual application for this to Romans 9?
Before I give what I think is the answer, let's go through just a few more questions to be sure we see Paul's point.

How many children were Abraham and Sarah able to produce on their own?
Answer - none
How long has Sarah been a barren woman?
Answer - for almost 90 years
What is the possibility at this point with Abraham being 100 and Sarah being 90 that they will be able to have a child?
Answer - the chances are zero, it will be impossible!

Brothers and sisters in Christ don't you see the point? The apostle Paul wants us to understand that it is only God who can create life from death and bring something from nothing. Isn't Sarah's womb, for all intensive purposes dead? There is nothing that has or is going to come from her womb unless a miracle occurs? Isn't that the point that Paul is making in Romans 9?
God in His sovereign grace is going to bring to life, who He choses, into a womb that is dead or creates something from a womb that has had nothing. And when God brings this child into the world through Abraham and Sarah his name is Issac and he is called a child of promise (Galatians 4:28). Who did God chose to bring to life in Sarah's womb? Answer - Isaac

What is the point that supports the argument that Paul is making in Romans 9?
Answer - only God and God alone can produce a child of promise! It is God alone that has the power to bring spiritual life and light into a soul that was previously filled with nothing but darkness. It is God that saves and God alone! He will get the 100% credit and glory and no man will be able to say I did it.

Folks isn't that an obvious problem in the American church? How many people say that they are Christians? Could it be that we have many children of flesh (Ishmael's) and not children of the promise (Issac's). I mean you know how we as Americans react when we think there is something that we need to do. If you want conversions then Americans think of all the programs, entertainment, stories, gimmicks and everything it can to get people into the church and down the aisle to get saved. So you have many people that pray a prayer, walk an aisle, join a church, get baptized, go to church, come to a small group and even become part of a Bible study. However nothing changes, there is no life transforming work in which the Lord Jesus is valued above everything else in their life. They obey from a duty but in the heart there is no real delight, passion and treasuring of Christ.

The church in America is in real trouble and it's because the vast majority have mentally assented to the information that Jesus came, lived, died on a cross and rose and now sits at the right hand of God the Father but they have never been spiritually converted. Do you think I am out of line with this statement? Billy Graham and Vance Havner have been quoted as saying they think in all their preaching that up to 70% of those who are in the evangelical church aren't really saved.

Shame on us for trying to convert and do what only God has the right and power to do. God allows Bert Brimberry by His sovereign grace to participate as an instrument for Him in preaching and teaching the gospel. But God doesn't need Bert Brimberry in any way! God ordains that the gospel be preached throughout the entire world but it is only God who chooses those whom He brings to Himself in a saving way.

In the next post I will take on Romans 9:13 and hopefully show "why" God has chosen to do things this way. God doesn't owe man an explanation for any of this but He has been gracious and kind to share it through the apostle Paul's inspired writing of Romans 9.

For those of you who disagree with my take on Romans 9 I would appeal to you to reconsider you position and your take on these verses. If you remove the sovereignty of God on the front end then what will you have on the back end. Isn't it so wonderful to know that God is sovereign not only to bring you to Himself but also to keep you for Himself throughout all eternity!