Can Jesus Save Even the Worst of Sinners?

Thinking about Romans 11:15.

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For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15)

The stumbling and fall of the physical nation of Israel at the gospel had opened new doors of opportunity to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Romans 11:11-12).

Paul had not given up all hope for his fellow countrymen - he hoped to “save some of them” (Romans 11:13-14).

I know there are a lot of different interpretations surrounding Romans 1:15-16. If I dove into all those different interpretations, we’d be parked on these few verses for the next several weeks.

So, I plan to stick with the context and provide the most straightforward interpretation that I think sticks close to the context.

The Jew’s Rejection of the Gospel

The Jew’s rejection of Christ and the gospel is clearly documented in the New Testament.

• Envy motivated the Jewish leaders to hand Jesus over to the Romans (Mark 15:10).

• They chanted “Crucify Him” when Pilate presented Jesus wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe (John 19:6).

• They gathered around the cross of Jesus and mocked Him as He died (Matthew 27:39-43).

• After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the Jewish leaders bribed the soldiers who guarded His tomb to tell lies about what happened (Matthew 28:11-15).

• They tried to stop all teaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:1-22; 5:17-40).

• They murdered Stephen for preaching the gospel and convicting them of their sin (Acts 7).

• They hunted down Christians to imprison and murder them (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-2).

This is just a short list of all the Jews had done to oppose the gospel of Christ.

Could these people be saved? Was there any hope for people who had so passionately and stubbornly opposed Christ and His followers at every step?

Paul - who was a Jew and a former persecutor of Christ and His followers - thought so (Romans 11:14).

Can the Jews Be Spiritually Revived?

While the Jew’s rejection of the gospel had opened doors for the gospel to be taken out into the Gentile world, what about the Jewish people themselves?

Was the good news of Jesus still offered to them? Could they still turn to Christ and be accepted by God after all they had done to oppose God’s good news?

The answer given by the Holy Spirit through Paul is obviously yes - and I think this is part of the reason why Paul used himself as an example in 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul was an example to both the Jews and Gentiles of God’s mercy, longsuffering, and grace in Christ Jesus.

Even Jews who had been in the crowd when Jesus was brought out by Pilate chanting, “Crucify Him!” could turn to Christ, obey the gospel, and be saved. Even if they had helped put Christians to death - God still extended His mercy to them through His Son.

This also served as a reminder to the Gentiles that just as God had forgiven them - so He longed to forgive the Jews.

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Can’t you hear the protests?

“You mean after all those folks have done to Jesus and how they have opposed us at every step - if they obey the gospel we’re just supposed to welcome them in as one of us? After all they done??”

Short answer: Yep.

When Paul (or Saul as he was known at first) tried to join the disciples in Jerusalem after becoming a Christian, they refused because they feared him (Acts 9:27).

The story of Paul might have ended right there if it wasn’t for a Christian named Barnabas, who stood up for Paul and brought him to the apostles, telling how he had obeyed the gospel in Damascus (Acts 9:27-28).

The Christians even helped to protect Paul when he was the one the Jewish leaders were trying to kill (Acts 9:23-25, 29-31). They literally stuck their necks out for a guy who had been trying to kill them just a few weeks earlier.

Why?

Because that’s the power of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16-17). Those buried with Christ in baptism are raised with a new life in Him (Romans 6:3-7).

Forgiven. Free. Accepted.

This is true for anyone - Jew or Gentile.

Even “the chief of sinners.”