Romans chapter 11

These thoughts are being broadcast live from Ben's new computer. Yay! If you're thinking of buying an Asus M3A motherboard, by the way, be sure that you know the resident BIOS is incompatible with the LAN drivers, and you will have to flash the BIOS with the latest version to get the ethernet to work.

Back to Romans! Where flashing Bios meant the Centurions arrested you!

vs 28

It's an odd concept - well, the first part anyway. The second part about election is no new idea. God has oftentimes kept his promises not because of the Israel he found himself with, but because of the promises he made to the Patriarchs. If Israel were to rely on their own righteousness to remain in relationship with God, they would have been fired out of a cannon into the sun long ago. As would we.

But the first part is still a confusion. If it is true as read, is it really fair for God to deny Israel a chance to respond to the gospel? Well yes! Of course, that's not what he does though. God does give Israel every opportunity to respond to the gospel. They refuse. That's their fault. It just so happens that by their refusal the doors open to the gentiles, and they flood in gaining sweet sweet relationship with God that the Jews want so bad. Or they should. So God has not turned his back on Israel - Israel has turned their backs on God. God just uses that for good. Like he does everything.

vs 29

That's an interesting statement. If there were ever a verse that should call out "Look here for assurance of salvation!" you would think it were this one. I'll remember that. Although, it was made to a nation, and not just to an individual (although it is based on promises to individuals). This poses an interesting question for protestants when thinking about the RCatholics. I mean, God has made promises to his church through Peter and Paul. Even if the Catholics, by Protestant standards, have wandered away from the truth (it's debateable - at least, they debate it) then does this promise stand for God too? Are they elect, and hence irrevocably called and gifted?

vs 30

Paul is intimating that the only reason gentiles receive the mercy of God is because the Jews have turned away. That seems a little less than 100% true, but let's just go with it for the moment, because that is part of his argument.

vs 31

See, when you look at both verses together, while looking like some sort of Gordian knot of knowledge, you realise that yes, that is indeed a fair, if confusing, statement. Paul uses a different kind of logic than what we're used to. It's almost refreshing.

vs 32

And that's about as simple an explanation as you get. All are disobedient, so all can be shown mercy. This hearkens back to chapters 1-3.

vs 33

I was thinking just the same thing after this complex argument, Paul. Oh, wait, I think you're talking more about the reasoning behind why God would allow one nation to fall for the sake of another nation's mercy.

vs 34

The answer of course being no-one. I'm sure we'll fly by that verse in Isaiah when we get to it, because it will be so much more straightforward than most of the book.

vs 35

Whereas we might stick around this verse in Job a bit, because there are so few verses to concentrate on in Job considering the wealth of poetic talk.

vs 36

All things includes both Jew and gentile nations. This is a good time to bring glory to God. Amen indeed.