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Romans 11:28-32
In this passage of Romans 11:28-32, the Apostle Paul is reaching out to the Gentile population of the Church at Rome. He wants them to understand the importance of the role in which the Gentiles and the Israelites play in God’s great plan of salvation for all people. The Gentiles are excited to have found a place in God’s mercy for their salvation through Christ Jesus, but God brought this about through the disobedience of Israel as they, or the majority of the Israelites, have not received the Messiah with open arms – they have not put their faith in Jesus as their Savior, and in so, God opened the door to all those who will accept Him. We learn from the Apostle John in John 1:11-13 (NIV), “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
But Paul also, in the love of Christ Jesus, goes on to announce that as the Gentiles were once disobedient to God but have now been shown mercy, so to God reserves His right to have mercy on whomever He will have mercy, and as the Gentiles have received mercy through the disobedience of the Israelites, so too God has allowed disobedience to prevail in the lives of all peoples, the Israelites and the Gentiles, so that He may show mercy to all peoples and express His saving grace to all that will put their faith in Christ Jesus as the One sent to save all peoples from sin.
This is a command that we should receive all people in Christ.
This is a promise that God will show His mercy to all who will put their faith in Him.
This is an example that we should not be condescending to others, but that the love of Christ Jesus should be visible in our lives to all people.
As we study God’s word, we see His greatness in this passage of His plan of salvation. The Israelites are reluctant to advance the Law given through Moses to receive the Savior of the world in which God foretold through the prophets would come and save His people (Isaiah 19:20). But in holding to the Law (given to Moses by God) we see God speaking to Moses of His sovereignty as He declares in Exodus 33:19b (ESV), “And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” Jesus sums up all the Law and the prophets in His response to which is the greatest of all the commandments as He declares in Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV), “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus quotes this Scripture from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
Dear LORD,
We learn what You seek of us in Your great plan of salvation through reading and studying Your word. Please help us to respond to Your great love for us through opening our hearts to Christ Jesus in obedience to You and Your saving grace for us that we all would be with You in heaven for eternity. In Jesus name I pray, amen.