Peter Barnes | Romans 9:30-33
SERMON NOTES
WHERE DID ISRAEL GO WRONG?
(Romans 9:30-33)
– Rom.9:6-29 deal with God’s election; 9:30-10:21 look at it from the human side.
1. Gentiles attained righteousness but Israel failed.
– 9:30-31; not dealing with the exceptions like Rahab and Ruth
– by the time of Romans, the Church is largely Gentile e.g. Rom.11:22-24
– Paul knew the failure of Israel in his own experience (Phil. 3:9)
2. Faith or works?
– 9:32a; Luther: ‘Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works.’
– see Luke 15:28-30; 18:9-14
– it is like receiving something on your birthday not working for an exam
3. Israel stumbled at her Messiah.
– 9:32b-33; from Isa.8:14; 28:16; see 1 Peter 2:6
– they stumble at Christ’s deity as here Old Testament references to God are applied to Christ (see too Rom.10:11)
– also stumbled at the cross (1 Cor.1:22-23)