Divine Election and the Pursuit of Righteousness

 

Summary

In Romans 11:7-10, Paul addresses the profound mystery of Israel's spiritual state. He explains that while Israel as a nation earnestly sought righteousness, they did not obtain it. Instead, it was the "election"—those chosen by God's grace—who received it. This passage highlights the distinction between human effort and divine election, emphasizing that righteousness comes not through works but through God's grace. Paul uses Old Testament references to illustrate how Israel's spiritual blindness and hardness of heart were not new phenomena but had been foretold and were part of God's mysterious plan.

The Apostle Paul underscores the importance of approaching this passage with humility and reverence, acknowledging the limitations of human understanding when it comes to the divine mysteries. He warns against the danger of reacting with pride or resistance when faced with truths that challenge our understanding. The passage serves as a solemn reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's ways and the peril of relying on human efforts rather than faith.

Paul's message is a call to self-examination, urging believers to ensure that their pursuit of God is rooted in faith and not in self-righteousness or tradition. The danger of becoming spiritually complacent or proud, even in the face of God's blessings, is a recurring theme. The Apostle warns that blessings, if misused or misunderstood, can become a curse, leading to spiritual blindness and decline.

The passage also serves as a cautionary tale for the modern church, highlighting the risk of becoming a hindrance to true faith through misplaced priorities or reliance on tradition. It challenges believers to remain vigilant, humble, and dependent on God's grace, recognizing that true righteousness and salvation come only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Key Takeaways:

1. Divine Election vs. Human Effort: Righteousness is obtained not through human effort but through God's grace and election. This distinction emphasizes the futility of seeking righteousness through works and the necessity of faith. [10:16]

2. Spiritual Blindness and Hardness of Heart: Israel's failure to obtain righteousness is attributed to spiritual blindness and hardness of heart, a condition that has historical precedence and is part of God's mysterious plan. This serves as a warning against pride and resistance to divine truths. [12:10]

3. The Danger of Misused Blessings: Even God's blessings can become a curse if misused or misunderstood. This highlights the importance of humility and gratitude, ensuring that blessings lead to spiritual growth rather than complacency or pride. [23:36]

4. The Peril of Tradition and Complacency: Reliance on tradition or past blessings can lead to spiritual decline. Believers are urged to maintain a living, vibrant faith, avoiding the trap of spiritual complacency or pride in past achievements. [27:21]

5. The Church's Role as a Hindrance or Help: The modern church must be vigilant not to become a hindrance to true faith through misplaced priorities or reliance on tradition. The call is to remain faithful to the core message of the gospel, centered on faith in Jesus Christ. [45:38]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Romans 11:7-10
- [01:17] - Division of Romans Chapter 11
- [02:16] - The Remnant and Election of Grace
- [03:09] - Summarizing Paul's Argument
- [04:42] - Approaching the Mystery with Reverence
- [06:32] - The Depth of God's Wisdom
- [08:19] - Israel's Earnest Seeking
- [10:16] - The Election Obtains Righteousness
- [12:10] - Spiritual Blindness and Hardening
- [14:54] - Scriptural Substantiation
- [18:18] - The Spirit of Slumber
- [19:18] - David's Prophetic Words
- [23:36] - Blessings as a Curse
- [27:21] - Tradition and Spiritual Decline
- [31:35] - Historical Patterns of Rejection
- [36:49] - Jesus' Pronouncement on Israel
- [41:12] - The Right Way to Seek God
- [45:38] - The Church's Role Today
- [49:33] - Closing Remarks and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 11:7-10
- Isaiah 29:10
- Psalm 69:22-23

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul mean when he says, "Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it"? How does this relate to the concept of divine election? [08:19]

2. How does Paul use Old Testament references to support his argument about Israel's spiritual state? Identify the specific references he uses. [15:24]

3. What is the significance of the term "Spirit of Slumber" as used by Paul in this passage? How does it relate to Israel's spiritual blindness? [17:14]

4. How does the sermon describe the consequences of Israel's reliance on tradition and past blessings? [27:21]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of divine election challenge the idea of righteousness through human effort? What implications does this have for understanding salvation? [10:16]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that spiritual blindness and hardness of heart are part of God's mysterious plan? How should believers respond to this idea? [12:10]

3. How can blessings become a curse if misused or misunderstood, according to the sermon? What examples from the sermon illustrate this point? [23:36]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of tradition in the modern church? How can tradition become a hindrance to true faith? [27:21]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Are there areas where you might be relying on human effort rather than faith in God's grace? How can you shift your focus to divine election? [10:16]

2. Have you ever experienced spiritual blindness or hardness of heart in your own life? What steps can you take to remain open to divine truths, even when they challenge your understanding? [12:10]

3. Consider the blessings in your life. Are there any that you might be misusing or misunderstanding? How can you ensure that these blessings lead to spiritual growth rather than complacency or pride? [23:36]

4. How does your church balance tradition with a living, vibrant faith? Are there traditions that might be hindering true faith? How can you address this within your community? [27:21]

5. In what ways can you ensure that your pursuit of God is rooted in faith and not in self-righteousness or tradition? What practical steps can you take to cultivate humility and dependence on God's grace? [41:26]

6. Reflect on the role of your church in the community. Are there ways in which it might be a hindrance to true faith through misplaced priorities? How can you contribute to keeping the focus on the core message of the gospel? [45:38]

7. Identify one area in your life where you might be spiritually complacent. What specific action can you take this week to reignite your faith and dependence on God? [27:21]

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Grace Over Human Effort
Righteousness is not achieved through human effort but is a gift of divine grace. This truth challenges the notion that one can earn favor with God through works. Instead, it emphasizes the necessity of faith and reliance on God's grace. The Apostle Paul highlights that Israel, despite their earnest seeking, did not obtain righteousness because they relied on their own efforts rather than God's election. This serves as a reminder that true righteousness is a result of God's choosing, not human striving. [10:16]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own efforts rather than trusting in God's grace? How can you shift your focus to faith and dependence on Him today?


Day 2: The Peril of Spiritual Blindness
Israel's failure to obtain righteousness is attributed to spiritual blindness and hardness of heart, conditions that have historical precedence and are part of God's mysterious plan. This blindness serves as a warning against pride and resistance to divine truths. It is a call to humility, recognizing that understanding and accepting God's ways require a heart open to His leading. The danger lies in becoming so entrenched in one's own understanding that one becomes blind to the truth God is revealing. [12:10]

Isaiah 6:9-10 (ESV): "And he said, 'Go, and say to this people: Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.'"

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you might be spiritually blind or resistant to God's truth? How can you open your heart to His guidance and wisdom today?


Day 3: Blessings as a Double-Edged Sword
Even God's blessings can become a curse if misused or misunderstood. This highlights the importance of humility and gratitude, ensuring that blessings lead to spiritual growth rather than complacency or pride. The Apostle Paul warns that blessings, if not properly stewarded, can lead to spiritual blindness and decline. It is crucial to approach blessings with a heart of gratitude and a desire to use them for God's glory, rather than personal gain. [23:36]

Deuteronomy 8:11-14 (ESV): "Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."

Reflection: How can you ensure that the blessings in your life lead to spiritual growth rather than complacency? What steps can you take to use your blessings for God's glory today?


Day 4: The Trap of Tradition and Complacency
Reliance on tradition or past blessings can lead to spiritual decline. Believers are urged to maintain a living, vibrant faith, avoiding the trap of spiritual complacency or pride in past achievements. The Apostle Paul cautions against becoming comfortable in one's spiritual journey, emphasizing the need for continual growth and dependence on God's grace. It is a call to examine one's faith and ensure it is active and alive, not stagnant or reliant on past experiences. [27:21]

Mark 7:8-9 (ESV): "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. And he said to them, 'You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!'"

Reflection: Are there traditions or past achievements you are relying on instead of cultivating a living faith? How can you actively pursue a vibrant relationship with God today?


Day 5: The Church's Role in Nurturing True Faith
The modern church must be vigilant not to become a hindrance to true faith through misplaced priorities or reliance on tradition. The call is to remain faithful to the core message of the gospel, centered on faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul challenges believers to examine the church's role in nurturing faith, ensuring it is a place of growth and encouragement rather than a stumbling block. It is a reminder to focus on the essentials of the gospel and foster an environment where faith can flourish. [45:38]

1 Corinthians 3:11-13 (ESV): "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

Reflection: How can you contribute to your church being a place that nurtures true faith? What steps can you take to ensure the focus remains on the core message of the gospel?

Quotes


Now here we are approaching here a most important statement and in many ways an extremely difficult one. It's a most solemn statement, a most solemn passage. We certainly are entering into the realm of ultimate mystery. Therefore, let us as we approach this passage metaphorically take off our shoes from off our feet, for the place on which we stand is Holy Ground. [00:04:39]

The Apostle was concerned not merely to make statements but to help people to understand the truth. He was concerned to expand it to them. As he says later on, this is a mystery. I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery. Well, very well, he wants to enlighten them, so he's very careful to make his statements and to sum up in each case before he proceeds to another point. [00:03:37]

Israel was really seeking. What was she seeking? Well, he says that which he seeketh for. What is this? Well, there's no question it must be righteousness. It must, if you like, be justification. They were seeking the blessing of God. They wanted to be right with God, and they wanted to be blessed by God. That's what they were seeking. [00:09:31]

The election has obtained it, and he does that in order to bring out this great point that they have obtained it because they have been elected by someone else. The thing we've already seen, he's just underlining that the election, this great act of God, this is the thing that has secured it for them. [00:11:09]

God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber. God has given them or produced in them a kind of torpor, a kind of numbness, a kind of sleepiness, a semiconscious state. That's the meaning of the word. This kind of torpor, of course, always results in an inability to use our faculties. [00:17:03]

The very benefits that they were receiving from God, prays that they may become a punishment to them and a hindrance to them. The very benefits themselves become the source of their cursing. Now, what does he mean then by the table? Well, I think this is most important for us. [00:21:20]

If we do not obey God, that God's very blessings will become a curse to us. That's why I say that this is so important at the present time. Isn't that a part of the explanation of the state of the church and of this country at the present time? The Christian Church became big and important and wealthy. [00:26:00]

The terrible thing is this, that even God's blessings, if you look at them in the wrong way and abuse them, will become a curse to you. That is why tradition is something about which we always ought to be most careful. You look at the long history of the church, and you'll generally find this. [00:27:09]

The moment we begin to rest upon it and to take pride in it and to think that we are the people, we've fallen into this very error that brought down this terrible calamity upon the children of Israel, as Stephen made so plain and so clear to them in that address which led to his death. [00:31:10]

The whole answer is because they were not seeking it in the right way. It's because of their complete misunderstanding of the law, the complete misunderstanding of the teaching of the prophets, their completely wrong idea as to the Messiah in his character and his work when he comes. [00:40:25]

There are very genuine people in this country tonight who say, I want to know God, I want to find God, I want to be blessed of God, but they don't know him, and as they remain as they are, they never will. But they're zealous, they're keen, they read their Bibles, they pray, they do good works. [00:41:50]

There is only one way of salvation. This is the message of the whole Bible. It is Jesus Christ and him crucified. It is simple faith in him, nothing else. If you bring anything else in, you haven't got it, you'll never obtain it. You may get great personal satisfaction as the Jews had. [00:44:36]

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