The Judgment of Confirmation | A Verse By Verse Exposition Of Romans 11:7-10

Scripture

• Romans 11:7–10

About this sermon

Introduction: Good teachers use summaries along the way of their instruction. Good teachers work hard to make sure that their listeners or their readers stay on track. That is what Paul is doing in our verses. He is summing up what he has been teaching so far, and his summation reaches all the way back to the 9th chapter. The reason we say that he is summing up what he has taught all the way back to the 9th chapter is because he is talking about what Israel sought for but did not arrive at; didn’t obtain (failed to succeed at). And if we ask, “What was Israel seeking for?”, Paul already gave us the answer in his earlier teaching. ESV Romans 9:30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. ESV Romans 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. It is that VAIN SEARCH that Paul is referring to. But Paul is saying more, in this summary, than simply confirming that Israel has been found disobedient, obstinate, and foolish. He is once again explaining, not only what has happened with Israel, but what that means for the world. He is summarizing the fact that God’s purpose according to election has not wavered. What God determined to do from all eternity is EXACTLY what He is doing. So, we take his summary today as an opportunity to make sure that we are on track as we continue to receive his arguments. We continue to hear our God, through Paul, explain to us how to interpret and understand the unbelief found in Israel. And, as we do, there is something here that we dare not miss, and dare not underestimate. What we see is not only mercy for Gentiles, and for the remnant of believing Jews. What we see is judgment upon unbelieving Israel. And what we see in that judgment is GOD GIVING THEM OVER TO WHAT ALREADY BELONGED TO THEM BY NATURE. We see God judging them by allowing their sin to DEVOUR THEM. I. THE CALL FOR A CONCLUSION (vs.7a) This is language that introduces a summary, but at the same time it makes plain that Paul’s teaching adds up to something. What are we to understand because of what he has taught us? What is the conclusion that all his teaching brings us to? The teaching of God’s truth has a point. The end of all doctrine is that we would reach conclusions and make decisions and live our lives in response to those conclusions. And this goes beyond the immediate issue, this is a pattern we see throughout the Word of God, and it instructs about what we are to do with everything that we are taught in God’s Word. Bible teaching is not just for the accumulation of information. Bible teaching does not represent disconnected ideas that have no real relationship to each other. The Bible is the Word of God, and therefore, the logic of it is sound. There is organization to the thoughts given to us there. It all adds up to something. It all progresses toward something. QUESTION: Are you doing with the Word of God what God intends for you to do? Is it information that you receive: Gratefully Submissively Intently Eagerly And obediently? Is the Word of God that which shapes your worldview? Is the Word of God the final authority for your life? Are you acting on what you learn? In this case, what is being shaped is how we think about Israel, and as a result, how we understand the character of God. II. THE CONCLUSION ANNOUNCED (vs.7b) And there are three aspects of the conclusion that Paul announces. A. ISRAEL HAS NOT ARRIVED AT WHAT IT SEEKS What we have learned is that Israel, considered as a whole, has rejected the Messiah. What Israel seeks, with great energy, sincerity, effort, it never arrives at. It never arrives at what it seeks because the seeking is sinfully guided. What does Israel seek? The righteousness of God. Israel seeks a right standing with God, but on an entirely wrong basis. Israel is blind. Israel is proud. Israel is rebellious. God has revealed how His righteousness is received. It is received by faith. It is received based on the finished work of God Himself, a work accomplished by God’s Son. God has done everything necessary to make sinners right with Himself. He offers that righteousness that men need as a gift of His grace, and for men to receive that gift, they MUST RECEIVE IT AS GRACE.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Hell & Judgment