If left unattended at this point, it may be easy for one to say that God has in fact abandoned Israel for the love of the Gentile nations. This stance, according to Paul, would be in error. It cannot be emphasized enough that the entire section of doctrine related to God’s sovereignty has not been given as fuel for any one group to elevate themselves above another. The error of thinking that the gentiles have now brought about the abrogation of God’s covenantal relationship with the Jews is guilty of the same arrogance the Jews exercise when they belittle the Gentiles as unworthy of the Gospel’s restoration. Sovereignty depicted in this section of doctrine seeks to answer the question of the universality of the gospel message as it confronts entitlement of anyone group above another; this is Paul’s primary point. Within the context of this assertion it is of no difficulty at all for Paul to speak of a partial hardening of the nation of Israel. Paul clearly says that God is active in both the hardening and softening of any human heart; “For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” For Paul here, the activity of God goes beyond one’s human understanding. God is too great, too wise to be fully comprehended by finite and fallible creatures, but God has made known to His beloved not only the riches of His mercy but the wisdom of His ordinations so that a fundamental understanding of His sovereign decrees may be understood. Paul says at last that all this is for His glory because all things are indeed from Him and for Him. Soli Deo Gloria! To this point Paul has walked the reader through the necessity of salvation in universal depravity, the way of salvation through the reckoning of righteousness, the implementation of faith by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, both in regeneration and sanctification, and just now the sovereignty of God to bring this saving faith to those whom He has chosen regardless of nationality. Without Paul’s final area of doctrinal teaching, these facets of Christian faith would be hollow and naught but ash within the world of lost men. Service is a much abandoned doctrine within modern faith life. Not necessarily service that comes in the form of orchestrated programs but rather true, genuine service to one’s brothers and sisters fostered by Christian charity. Paul moves to expound upon a service that expects truly nothing in return but the good of the recipient; to this form of service attention must now be turned.
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7/9/12 10:36 PM
