In the Book of Romans, did Paul argue that all people, Jew and Gentile, are cursed in Adam? Of course he did. In fact, Paul did not say that some people are more cursed or less cursed, but in Adam all are equally condemned. All people have in Adam inherited eternal damnation. Paul makes it very clear in Romans and Ephesians that the only way to be saved is by faith alone in Christ alone.
As a former Pharisee of Judaism, Paul once believed that a man could be saved by keeping the law of God. Paul once believed that God made a covenant with Israel through Moses that was essentially a “Salvation by Works.” He as a devout follower of Judaism believed that those who keep the law are truly the people of God.
All of that changed the day Paul met the Messiah. From that day forward his understanding of Old Covenant became crystal clear. He discovered that the gospel of the Old Covenant was consistently the same message – Trust in the promised Messiah! Christ was promised in Genesis 3:15, and trust in that promise has been the means of salvation ever since. God’s people have always been the children of promise, whether Jew or Gentile or bond or free or male or female. In Christ, there are not some of God’s children that are more blessed or less blessed. In Christ, there are not some of the elect with more promises and some with less promises. As all men are equally condemned in Adam, all the children of promise are equally heirs of the kingdom in Christ.
Israel as a nation typologically represented this covenant family of promise but only typologically. The nation also represented Christ himself and the reprobate. So not only would believing that Israel represented only one prefigurative symbol be evident of a faulty hermeneutic; but also, to believe that Israel ever was or will be the actual children of God as a whole nation is to grossly misinterpret the Old Covenant.
In Romans 9 Paul acknowledges the theological significance of the nation Israel, for it was through that nation that God revealed “the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises… the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all (vv.4-5).” Notice that Israel’s theological significance is not in their identity but in their purpose. God through Israel gave the world the gospel. Through that nation came Christ, not as Messiah for the nation Israel only but “who is God over all.”
Just to make it unmistakably clear, Paul continues his polemic by adding, “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring.” Can it be any more clear? True Israel is not based on ethnicity; God’s promises are not to a nation, but people of his choosing from all nations. In fact, this is the immediate context for the great description of God’s election of Jacob over Esau. Esau was an real descendant of Abraham but not a heir to the promise according to the elective purposes of God. Thus these two men, like their father Isaac and grandfather Abraham, were typologically used in several ways by God to reveal how someone is considered the true Israel of God – namely by grace through faith in the Son of Promise.
In verse 24 Paul literally says that the elect are not from among Jews only but also from the Gentiles. This was known and taught throughout the Old Testament, in every covenant, by every prophet – even the prophet Hosea who is quoted in this immediate context in verse 26 – 26. Hosea quotes God as saying that the elect Gentiles are too “the sons of the living God.” Paul then cites several related prophecies from the great prophet Isaiah.
And for those who foolishly cry “Anti-Semitism” one needs to rein in their knee-jerk outbursts and read the first few verses of this chapter when Paul mourns, “I am speaking the truth in Christ… that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” (9:1-3) One would have to call Paul a liar in order to prove that saying the Church is the true Israel of God is hostile or prejudice towards Jews; one would have to call Paul the Apostle himslef an anti-Semite. Paul made it clear before his explanation of Israel’s true identity that he absolutely loves his ethnic Jewish brothers and would even trade his place in God’s kingdom with them if were to secure their salvation. But even in this statement Paul’s description of his kinsmen is described as brothers “according to the flesh” rather than brothers within the true spiritual family of God.
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Jason Robertson is a husband and a father and a pastor. He is dedicated to leading and equipping his the Church with God’s word and biblical theology for life ministry, using a combination of pastoral, church planting and evangelism experience. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is experienced in church planting, evangelism, missions, and the training of pastors and Bible teachers.
Jason has been preaching the gospel since 1985, serving the first ten years of ministry as a Southern Baptist itinerant evangelist out of Milldale Baptist Church in Zachary, LA which ordained him in 1993. He has preached in hundreds of churches in over 30 States and 4 countries. He planted churches in Siberia, Russia in the summers of 1993 and 1994. He founded Murrieta Valley Church in California, which he planted in cooperation with the SBC NAMB in 2001. He also teaches ministry students at California Baptist University.
You can hear his sermons and read his manuscripts on sermonaudio.com. Just follow the link to "sermons" at the top of this page.
GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES
Generally, I like it (the post) very well written, good stuff.
But the Bible is also clear that God does have a plan for national Israel as well:
*”Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:5-6 ESV)
*But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
(Micah 5:2 ESV)
*For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV)
So Paul addresses the same issue (Israel and the church or Gentiles) in Romans 11. He says in Romans 11:11, “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” This means just what it says, no explanation is required here.
God has set Israel aside…for a time. But Paul also says that “… I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom. 11:25 ESV). Meaning that they are set aside until they are unblinded and grafted back in (11:23-24). Paul goes on to say, “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27 ESV)
Paul makes it clear that in this chapter he is speaking of ethnic Israel (11:1). Are they better than “non Hebrews”? No way; God is no respecter of persons. Do they have to get saved in the same way we do (Gentiles)? Yes, of course; they have to. But to demonstrate His faithfulness, God has not abandoned Israel (meaning, the Hebrew people) It is not for their sake, but to glorify His name:
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar…” (Romans 3:1-4 ESV)
Also, I admit it…I am a Fide-O addict.
Jason,
I agree with you here. Whether or not God has a plan for national Israel (now and in the future), I cannot say with certainty, but one thing is certain: OT Israel is typological of the kingdom of God from all nations.
So if God places all sin on an equal level, why do we think some sins are worse than others?
because some sins are worse than others.
And Jesus alludes to some having a greater degree of “punishment” in hell than others will have:
“Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” (Matthew 10:15 ESV)
Etc, etc.
~Brian
Curse and punishment are not the same. All men are under the same curse. Punishments within that curse can be varied.
I am curious – what would you consider “worse” sins?
Arguing with me.
If there is a first and greatest commandment does a violation of said commandment imply that that would be the first and greatest sin? The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit has an enormous penalty attached to it. For believers, there is a sin that leads to death. The Apostle Paul gives considerable attention to warning the churches against sexual sins because the body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
James warns not to rush hastily into the teaching ministry as there is a “stricter judgment.” Even in the Old Testament, spiritual leaders were held more accountable; Moses failed to uphold God’s glory before the children of Israel and he was forbidden entrance into the Promised Land. “To whom much is given, much is required.”
Consider the fate of those who murmured against God’s leadership in the Old Testament. Consider Uzzah and the ark, Nadab and Abihu with their strange fire, and even Ananias and Saphira with their lie! There are some pretty harsh words spoken by the prophets of old against false teachers, Jesus’ woe to those who cause little ones to stumble and of course the dreadful pronouncements of Matthew 23 concluding in God’s manifest presence abandoning the temple.
It does not seem wise for sinful man to make a detailed list of which sins are worse than others because we would be tempted to compare everyone else’s sins to ours and thus fail to realize our own need for repentance. Rather, the case can be made, biblically, that some sins are more grievous to God than others; avoid them! And where God has granted you victory, pray for your brother or sister who is still struggling.
hmmmmm, can’t disagree with jason……
How bout them Tigers!