QT 19/06/2024 Wed. Romans 9. Unity: united as the chosen people of God. 合一： 在属灵里一起成为上帝的选民。

QT 19/06/2024 Wed. Romans 9. Unity: united as the chosen people of God.
READ
http://www.esvbible.org/rom9
LISTEN
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Romans.9

Romans 9:1-11:36 form a sub-unit and should be read together for proper interpretation.

So is ethnic Israel condemned? They descended from Abraham but rejected Jesus Christ and crucified Him. Did God's promises fail? No! Paul (in Romans 9 to 11) warns the Gentiles against being conceited (Rom 9:3, 10:1, 11:13, 11:25) even as the Jews stumbled over the stumbling stone (Rom 9:32-33).

(a) No, God did not break His promises. "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel" (9:6). Paul implied that ethnic Israel DID NOT TOTALLY fail—Paul himself is a good example. True "Israel" is no longer confined to ethnic Israel. This is especially so after Jesus Christ. Gentiles who believe are also part of the true "Israel".

(b) God's actions cannot be faulted because He acts as God when dealing with humans, be it Abraham (9:7), Sarah (9:9), Rebekah (9:10), Isaac (9:11), Jacob (9:13), Esau (9:13), Pharaoh (9:17), Jews (9:24), Gentiles (9:24-26, 30), Israel (9:27), Sodom or Gomorrah (9:29). It is his prerogative to show mercy on whom He has compassion (9:15) or to show wrath (9:28-29).

God is always just and sovereign!

APPLICATION:
(1) Gentiles, do not be proud, you all are "saved" not by works. "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him" (10:12).

(2) Warning: God can chop YOU Gentiles off (WILD olive, Rom 11:17) if He did not even spare the NATURAL branches (11:21)—ethnic Israel.

(3) Don't write off Israel, because if God is able to do marcotting using "wild olives", even more so God can graft Israel in again because they are the NATURAL branches anyway. Indeed, "all Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26).

If you don't understand 100% God's works in the world, it's okay. Even Paul remarked, "How unsearchable are his judgments", "inscrutable", "who has known"? (11:33-34) But we shall understand better one day.

星期三 2024年6月19日 今日读经：罗马书9章. 合一： 在属灵里一起成为上帝的选民。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Rom/9/
听音频罗马书9章
https://www.bible.com/bible/41/rom.9.cnvs

罗马书9:1-11:36构成了一个小单元，必须连着读才能更好地解读经文。

那么以色列民族被谴责了吗？他们是亚伯拉罕的子孙但却弃绝了耶稣基督还把祂钉死在十字架。难道说神的应许没有兑现吗？不！保罗(在罗马9章到11章)告诫外族人不可骄傲(罗9:3,10:1, 11:13, 11:25),即使犹太人绊倒在那绊脚石上(罗9:32-33)。

(a) 不，神的话并没有落空。“因为出自以色列的，不都是以色列人”(9：6)。保罗的意思是以色列民族并没有完全失败--保罗本身就是个很好的例子。真正的“以色列”已不再限制于以色列民族。在耶稣基督之后更是如此。那些相信耶稣的外族人也是真正的“以色列” 的一分子。

(b) 神的举动是无误的因为祂在与人交集的时候是扮演神的角色，无论是与亚伯拉罕(9:7)、撒拉(9:9)、利百加(9:10)、以撒(9:11)、雅各(9:13)、以扫(9:13)、法老(9:17)、犹太人(9:24)、外族人(9:24-26,30)、以色列(9:27)、所多玛和蛾摩拉(9:29)。神有特权，想怜悯谁就怜悯谁(9:15)，想对谁发怒就对谁发怒(9:28-29)。

神永远是公义和掌权的！

应用：
(1) 外族人，不要骄傲，你们“得救”不是靠自己的好行为。“其实并不分犹太人和希腊人，因为大家同有一位主；他厚待所有求告他的人”(10:12)。

(2) 注意：神可以把你们这些外族人切断(野橄榄，罗11:17)，祂连本来的树枝(11:21)都不顾惜了—以色列民族。

(3) 不要把以色列排除在外，因为如果神能够用“野橄榄”接枝，祂更是能够把以色列接回去，因为他们本来就是原来的树枝。的确，“全以色列都要得救”(罗11:26)。

如果你不能百分百理解神在世上的作为，没关系。就连保罗也惊叹，“他的判断是多么难测”、“难寻”、“谁知道”?(11:33-34)。但总有一天我们必能更加明白。