Now that's a Burden!

 

ROMANS 9:1-5 (Vs 14)

SUBJECT: ROMANS/ ISRAEL’S PAST

THEME: the basis of God’s entire economy of redemption rest upon the foundation of his nature and character, therefore we can rest without any prospect of disappointment in his mercy, power, and faithfulness.

INTRODUCTION:

If God is fair in his dealings with Israel, then the rest of humanity can unreservedly entrust their eternal future with him.  However, if he was unfair in his dealings with the nation of Israel, then how can we as gentile Christians even begin to rest in him for our own eternal destiny?

There are several questions I hope to answer from this passage and this chapter in Romans:

1) Is salvation based on our good works or is it based on the calling and compassion of God?     

2) What does it mean when the God of love says he loved Jacob but hated Esau?

3) How can we reconcile God’s sovereignty with human responsibility?    

4) Have the promises of God failed Israel? Will they fail us also?   

5) After looking at his record, can God still be trusted today?

RELEVANCE: Basically, God exercises the prerogatives of a sovereign God and man functions within the orbit of God’s will as a free moral agent. In both instances neither violates the opportunities and choices of the other. It is this understanding that sets the stage as we come into Romans chapter nine.

MESSAGE:

God’s sovereignty and human free will (responsibility) are taught throughout chapters 9 -11 in Romans. Romans 8:29-30 is one of the most difficult passages in all of Scripture because it deals with the subjects of moral responsibility of mankind and sovereign prerogatives of God.  The key to unlocking this blessed passage is some understanding of the words “foreknow,” “predestinate,” “called,” “justified,” and “glorified.”  These words stretch all the way from eternity past through fleeting time and on into eternity future, but they assure the believer of God’s grace, governance, and consistency.  They focus the mind on the difficulty of reconciling divine election with human free will.  For humanity this is challenging but God has never been confused on this issue or any other. To be sure this is a topic of great difficulty, but both concepts are clearly taught throughout the Word of God, and both concepts should be embraced by our faith. 

I.               A Sincere Desire to See the Nation of Israel Saved. Vs 1-4

Paul’ s burden for the salvation of his kinsman, the nation of Israel.    

Rom 9:1, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

I must admit that the thoughts of Paul cause me to marvel at his Christ-likeness. I am not comfortable placing myself in this company at all; please do not mistake my efforts to treat this passage accurately with some measure of attainment on this level. That would be a gross mistake and miscarriage of the depth and power of this passage.

1. PAUL HAD AN AWARENESS OF HIS FEELINGS FOR ISRAEL

1. He was Motivated to Speak Truthfully in Christ

a.      He made an astonishing and remarkable statement about his feelings towards his fellow Jews who have rejected Christ.

b.     He desired to show the peculiar tragedy of the Jews rejecting their Messiah. As a Jew himself, he understands this tragedy in a unique way.

c.      He was motivated to refute charges brought against him that he has become indifferent or hostile to the Jews. He shows his deep concern for them.

d.     He hoped that by explaining the situation, some Jews may come to understand the truth and believe the gospel. 

2. His Conscience Witnessed on His Behalf

a.      Paul is attesting that his own conscience is a witness that what he is saying is true. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that a person’s conscience is an independent witness of that person’s declarations. “The extent to which the conscience is saturated with Scripture determines the extent to which one can depend on their conscience.”

b.     The conscience refers to a state of awareness or a sense that one's actions or intentions are either morally right or wrong, along with a feeling of obligation to do the right thing. Our conscience is only as good or as valid as the standard by which it measures and evaluations our thoughts, motives, decisions and actions.

c.      Dr. Sam Horn observed, “The conscience is an inner human faculty corrupted by sin and the Fall. And the Holy Spirit is the divine agent God uses to begin His redemptive work in a believer. The Spirit takes someone who is dead in sin and darkened in their understanding (Eph. 4:18) to someone who has life and the eyes of their heart enlightened (Eph. 1:17-18).”

3. His Conscience was Illuminated by the Holy Ghost

a.      Dr. S. Horn also said, “This transformation and renewal of our conscience is brought about as the Spirit takes residence in our heart and begins to influence our inner man.”

b.     The Spirit reveals God's truth, and God's truth renews our conscience. As the Spirit educates the believer's conscience with the things of God, the personal standard formed by the conscience begins to align with the standard of revealed truth.

c.      His conscience, in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, attests the truth of what he is saying.^[1]

d.     By repetition in positive and negative terms (internally attested by the witness of his own conscience [cf. comments on 2:15] in the presence of the Holy Spirit) Paul affirmed his deep anguish of heart over the rejection of the gospel by the vast majority of Jews. ^[2]

Our consciences must be captivated by the Word of God. As the Spirit of God continually impresses our consciences as yielded believers with the purposes of God, which are revealed through the Word of God, we can boldly live for God, confident that we are pursuing the will of God.

To grow in holiness, two things need to happen. First, our conscience needs to be recalibrated by God's Word so that it becomes a more accurate judge. Second, we need to live each day with a clear conscience, never going against what the inner voice is saying. A clear conscience is a beautiful thing.

In addition, we today must understand the goal is not merely to see the Nation of Israel in their own land or that they should persist as controllers to occupy the Land of Israel. We should be aware of their need for Christ as we seek to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are not primarily interested in the nation occupying their land or God’s land; instead, we must be focused on seeing them saved through gospel presentations and sharing Christ.

        B.  PAUL HAD A TREMENDOUS CONTINUING BURDEN FOR ISRAEL

Rom 9:2, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

Paul longs in extraordinary love for others to know Christ. In light of the cross of Jesus, we must be filled with compassionate resolve for others to hear the gospel and trust in Christ.

            1.  It Was a Cosmic Burden “Great” (Big, Large, Huge, Mighty, Strong) and “heaviness” (Grief, Sorrow)

            2.  It Was a Continuous Burden “Continual” (Permanent or Without Ceasing) “Sorrow” (A Consuming Grief of Mind that would not go away)

When he thinks first of Israel’s glorious calling, and now of its rejection by God because it rejected the Messiah, his heart is filled with great sorrow and continual grief.^[3]

It is impossible for us to appreciate adequately the anguish of this great apostle for his own nation. His patience in the presence of their persistent persecution is an indication of it. He knew how they felt toward Christ and toward Christianity, for he once felt that way himself. He had been a Pharisee, a leader; he longed for them to come to Christ as he had.^[4]

        C.  PAUL HAD AN ALTRUISTIC COMPASSION FOR ISRAEL

Rom 9:3, For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

When Paul thinks of Israel’s glorious calling and the purpose for with God had chosen them, and now their rejection by God because they had rejected their Messiah, his heart is filled with sorrow and grief.

            1.   His Compassion Reminds us of Moses Regarding Israel's Sinful Condition.

Exod 32:30-32, And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. [31] And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. [32] Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

            2.  His Compassion Reminds Us of Christ Regarding Israel's Sinful Condition.

John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

(Matt. 23:37)

That is a level of compassion and love; a selfless love that really is Christ-like. This is what Jesus has done for us as our all-sufficient, sacrificial, atoning substitute. He went to the cross.  He endured the wrath of the Almighty that we in turn might be saved. So that we might not experience God’s wrath. So, the only way we can love people who are unsaved and separated from Christ like this is if Christ produces this kind of love in us.

            3.  Paul’s Compassion Was So Great That He Was Willing to Be Cut off from Christ If His Forfeiture Would Result in the Salvation of His Kinsman Nationally.  I believe this is the highest form of Human love or should I say divine love working in a human heart.  Remember, these are the same people who wanted Paul dead for preaching the Gospel!

Accordingly, then (Romans 9:1-3) Paul had great anguish concerning reaching his Jewish brethren for Christ and he made an incredible, yet true, statement regarding this.  Paul clearly was willing to be accursed from Christ–devoted to perdition–if in exchange it would mean the salvation of the Jewish people.  He was not speaking merely about being excommunicated nor death, but actually being damned to Hell for all eternity if this were possible.  His declaration, the Lord Jesus Christ, his conscience, and the Holy Spirit all testified to the truthfulness of Paul’s statements about the Jewish people. This is a description of his soul-winning passion among his countrymen; he was honestly willing to suffer eternal separation from Christ if by so doing his Jewish brethren would be saved through faith in their Messiah.

        D.  PAUL HAD A NATIONAL FOCUS ON ISRAEL

Rom 9:4, Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, . . ..

Paul declared his great heartbreak that his people by birth, the Jews, have rejected Christ.

As Paul weeps over his people, their glorious privileges pass in review. They are Israelites, members of God’s ancient chosen people.^[5]

APPLICATION: Paul had a burden for all sinners that lead to being completely selfless. His yearning was for a specific ethnic group and there is nothing wrong with such today as long as we realize the world still needs to be reached with the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). We Christians are called to reach the world with the hope in Christ Jesus. But there is something else here that is noteworthy about Paul’s specific and special burden that all of us can glean.  I believe if we have a burden for someone in particular (an individual) and not only generally for everyone then we will witness to that person. We will also pray for that individual, and perhaps even see them saved. It matters what our primary focus is on. It is not wrong to witness to the masses, but a targeted burden is better for reaching a person with the gospel. If we don’t already have anyone specifically on our hearts to share Christ with, then think about family members, cousins, friends, and work associates, people at the grocery store and such. Go ahead and get out among the lost and ask God to provide opportunities, open your heart and speak to some lost sinner. Everyone can reach one and then move on to the next prospect.

 CONCLUSION:

God’s past dealings with the nation of Israel are based on two things, His grace and government.  His dealings with them in grace involved the privileges of being Israelites, the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, promises, the service in the tabernacle, and the fathers.  The most important blessing is Christ, the Messiah.  God’s governmental dealings with Israel involved His wisdom, will, and Word.  God was governed by fixed principles and not capricious whims.

The basis of God’s entire economy of redemption rest upon the foundation of his nature and character, therefore we can be assured without any possibility of disappointment in his mercy, power, and faithfulness.

Furthermore, the Scriptures say that we all are sinners. Unless God, pure and righteous, take our place and suffered the penalty for our sin, we would have to bear that penalty ourselves. The apostle Paul explained this in Romans 3:10–18: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. [12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. [13] Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: [14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [15] Their feet are swift to shed blood: [16] Destruction and misery are in their ways: [17] And the way of peace have they not known: [18] There is no fear of God before their eyes.   

Jesus’ death on the cross for us never needs to be repeated, and neither does anyone else ever have to suffer and die as He did. He is the sacrificial, substitutionary, all-sufficient atonement (Romans 5:20-21; 6:10-11). Yes, Christ died for us. Jesus came so that you and I might transfer our guilt to Him, and accept, by faith, that He is the guiltless One who has received our sin and taken it to Himself.

So, in this light, the only thing you need to do to receive salvation is to literally receive God’s forgiveness. And when you do, you truly have made a choice for life. We cannot simply believe anything about Jesus or be forgiven for any reason though. We must believe the Son of God, Jesus Christ, died for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him up again from among the remaining dead people the third day for our justification before The Father (see 1 Cor. 15:1-4 and Rom 3:21-31). I need you to understand that it is faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us…that grant us eternal life through Christ (Rom. 1:14-17). Again, receive God’s salvation even now. You can experience God’s spiritual new birth right now!

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^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1716.

^[2] John A. Witmer, “Romans,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 476.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1716.

^[4] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 4 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 709–710.

^[5] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1716.