Daily Thoughts from Romans: Beloved Enemies (11:25-36)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: Beloved Enemies

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 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.”

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

   “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”  “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.  (Romans 11:25-36 ESV)

Paul now makes it abundantly clear that Israel indeed is going to be restored from their partial hardening to national salvation.  God will come and remove ungodliness from her and restore her to covenant faithfulness.  She is still His elect people, though now acting like enemies to the truth.  But even as Gentiles have been shown mercy, so Israel will be as well.

Paul is overcome by the richness of God’s wisdom and judgment.  No one is like Him.  All things good come from Him and through Him and all glory is due Him forever.

The church as a whole has had trouble maintaining Paul’s balance of viewing Israel as “enemies” and “beloved,”  too often giving more weight to one or the other.  The pogroms and persecution of Jews by Christians (or those who spoke in the name of Christ) were clear evidence that we had lost God’s perspective on His people as beloved for the sake of election.  We weren’t grieving their resistance to the gospel.  We were punishing it.  Evangelicals today often err on the opposite side, seeing modern Israel and Jews as somehow nearly already if not already saved and as politically inerrant.  Even the Catholic Church has pulled back from evangelism of the Jews (https://www.timesofisrael.com/catholic-theologians-say-jews-can-be-saved-without-converting/).

We must understand that Israel is currently an enemy to the gospel, as is every nationality on earth.  She doesn’t deserve extra punishment for this, nor does any other nation.  Christians don’t punish people for not believing, not even Muslims, our new deepest enemy.  We seek ways to reach them with the gospel.  Every unbeliever is an enemy for the gospel’s sake but beloved for the sake of God’s electing love.  Israel is particularly to be loved for her forefathers who have become our forefathers in the faith.