Has God Been Unfaithful in His Promises to Israel?

Preparing to study Romans 9-11.

Image from Canva.

As we move into Romans 9-11 in our study of the book, I think it would be helpful to “set the scene” a bit.

In Romans 6-8, Paul was dealing with the accusation that the gospel he preached encouraged sinful living by taking advantage of God’s grace. Paul vehemently denied this accusation.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

He kept returning to this accusation throughout Romans 6-8 and demonstrated it was utterly false and that those who made such accusations totally misunderstood the gospel of Christ.

Beginning in Romans 9, Paul will deal with another accusation. This accusation went something along the lines of, “Well Paul, if what you are saying about God being no respecter of persons, and that both Jews and Gentiles must respond in faith to the gospel of Christ in order to be saved - then doesn’t that mean that God has been unfaithful in keeping His promises to Israel?”

Paul will confront this accusation in Romans 9-11.

The Purpose of Romans 9-11.

The purpose of Romans 9-11 is to show that God’s dealing with Israel in the present is fully in agreement with God’s method of operating in the past. Because of this, these chapters contain an extended demonstration of the continuity between God’s actions in the Old Testament and God’s word in the gospel Paul preached. - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 317

You don’t have two different Gods in the Old and New Testaments.

You don’t have God having one plan in the Old Testament and then making an abrupt “change of plans” that went against His original plan in the New Testament.

Romans 9-11 shows how Israel fit into God’s plan and how He had been faithful to keep His promises.

Emphasis on the Old Testament in Romans 9-11.

Paul relies heavily upon the Old Testament Scriptures to confront the accusation that the message he preached meant that God had been unfaithful to keep His promises to Israel.

• About 30% of Romans 9-11 are quotations from the Old Testament.

• Half of the Old Testament quotes in Romans occur in Romans 9-11.

• 40% of the Old Testament quotes in Romans 9-11 come from Isaiah.

As a side note, sometimes Christians are accused of thinking that the Old Testament doesn’t matter. Even some Christians think it’s a waste of time to study the Old Testament because we live under the new covenant today (Hebrews 8:7-13).

I wonder what those folks would do with New Testament passages like Romans 9-11 when about 30% of these chapters are direct quotes from the Old Testament? While we do live under the new covenant rather than the old - there’s no question that the Old Testament has immense value for us today.

For whatever things were written before [a reference to the Old Testament Scriptures] were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

Don’t Forget Romans 1-8.

Throughout Romans, Paul has argued that God is no respecter when it comes to Jews and Gentiles and that they are equally accountable before God. Both groups also gain entrance into God’s family the same way, by faith and baptism. Although God’s chosen people under the old covenant, Jews have no special standing when it comes to salvation in the new covenant. - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 318

Since all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), all have earned and deserve death (Romans 6:23). “All” includes Jews and Gentiles.

Salvation - forgiveness - justification - is offered to “all.” But it only comes “through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Romans 3:22). Outside of Jesus Christ, there is no salvation, forgiveness, or justification.

Don’t forget this crucial point that Paul made throughout Romans 1-8 when we get into Romans 9-11 because that point will not change.

Remember This Old Testament Principle: God’s Promises to Israel were Conditional.

God made promise to every descendant of Jacob. But the promise was conditional. He would be Jacob’s heir if he were a believer. If he didn’t believe he had Israel’s (Jacob’s) flesh but he wasn’t a real Israelite (“they are not all Israel, that are of Israel”). The promises were extended to him (first) as an Israelite and then to Gentiles (Romans 1:16). The Israelite without faith was never regarded as a part of the people whom God had foreknown (see John 8:32-44; Revelation 2:9; 3:9; Isaiah 1:9; 10:22f, and Romans 11:1ff). The prophets had said this over and over again so it was nothing new. Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15ff; Acts 3:21ff) is awfully plain. Jews who would reject the prophet who was to come would be “cut off from among the people.” - McGuiggan, Romans, 271

The Scriptures (Old and New Testaments) make it clear that just because someone was a physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not mean they were a part of “the people of God.”

If you don’t believe me, go read what Jesus tells the Pharisees (the Jewish leaders) in John 8:32-44. Jesus forcefully made the point: “Just because you are physical descendants of Abraham doesn’t mean you are Abraham’s children.”

A Basic Outline of Romans 9.

Pollard’s outline of Romans 9 in the Truth for Today Commentary helps us prepare for where Paul’s going by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

• Paul’s deep love for his unbelieving fellow Jews (Romans 9:1-5).

• Has the word of God failed? (Romans 9:6-13).

• Is God unjust for selecting some and rejecting others, as He did? (Romans 9:14-18).

• If God chooses some and rejects others, then why does He find fault? (Romans 9:19-29).

• Has Israel taken the wrong path to righteousness? (Romans 9:30-33).

Lord willing, I look forward to studying these things with you!