Read Romans 11:25-32
Debate and discussion in the Christian church can be healthy or detrimental. When we discuss and seek to find the Truth, it’s healthy. When we discuss and berate and degrade each other, it’s very unhealthy.
The crux of the case Paul has been making from chapter 9 onwards has arrived and has caused no end of debate, name calling and degradation in the Christian church.
In vs25-26 we read
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved.
Much ink has been spilled over the meaning of ‘all Israel’. Is it national Israel or is it spiritual Israel consisting of both Jew and Gentile?
Some argue that it refers to national Israel because contextually Paul has been contrasting the nation with Gentiles and to include them together would be an aberration in his thinking. This interpretation picks up on the Old Testament prophesies that speak of Israel returning to God.
However, the term ’all Israel’ could also refer to Spiritual Israel. In Romans 9:6 Paul has already stated that not all Israel are true Israel. He has already spoken of an Israel according to the flesh (Romans 9:3,4) and an Israel of the promise (Galatians 6:14-16). This Israel is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:29). Gentiles who believe are grafted into the olive tree of Romans 11:17-21. They become part of the "same body" with believing Jews (Eph. 3:6). Paul calls this unity of believing Jews and Gentiles, "the mystery of Christ" in Eph. 3:4 and tells us in Romans 11:25 that the mystery is revealed.
Added to this, the immediate context of Romans 11:26 is vs. 25. We are told that when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in then (or ‘thus’ in the Greek) "all Israel” will be saved. In other words, the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles results in "all Israel" being saved. Paul's idea seems to be that when the Gentiles have come in, that is, have been grafted into the vine, they, uniting with the Jews who have become believers, will form the total number of the saved.
There’s nothing wrong with debate and discussion about the Word of God. What is never helpful is anger, hatred and putting each other down. We need to learn to debate and discuss with Word open and, in the end, even if we disagree, part company with love, gratitude and grace towards the other party.
Prayer:
Having read today’s passage and notes jot down various prayer points in each:
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¨ Pray that your church service tomorrow would be glorifying to God. Pray that those people who are considering not coming along, and hence giving God a lower priority than He deserves, would be rebuked and brought along by the Lord’s grace.
¨ Pray that God would bless each person tomorrow and draw each one nearer to Himself. Pray for the powerful preaching of the Word.
When the non-Christian world sees the Christian world arguing badly or negatively, it turns them off following Christ Jesus.
1. What do you think ‘all Israel’ refers to in Romans 11:26? Explain your answer.
2. How can Christians debate/discuss opposing views of Scripture in a good way?
3. How can Christians do this in a bad way?
4. When should we stop ‘agreeing to disagree’ and fight for the Truth?
Intro: There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing and having different opinions about the Bible (within certain bounds, of course). It’s more about how we disagree.
Discuss some situations in which you have disagreed with another believer and how the situation unfolded.
Read Romans 14:19-21
What is the driving idea in these verses?
What should be the goal when Cns disagree about something biblical?
How could this have been applied to the situations you discussed above?
Pray together that unity would be rife throughout the Church of God.
Intro: There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing and having different opinions about the Bible (within certain bounds, of course). It’s more about how we disagree.
Discuss some situations in which you have disagreed with another believer and how the situation unfolded.
Read Romans 14:19-21
What is the driving idea in these verses?
What should be the goal when Cns disagree about something biblical?
How could this have been applied to the situations you discussed above?
Pray together that unity would be rife throughout the Church of God.
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