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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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THE
SOVEREIGN WISDOM OF GOD (Romans 11:30-36) 9/7/08 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I.
DISOBEDIENCE IS
TURNED INTO MERCY BY GOD (30-32) A.
Gentile
Disobedience Has Turned Into Mercy (30) 1. Paul finishes his argument that the Gentiles have nothing
to gloat over in regard to Israel. Once again, the fact that God sovereignly
called the Gentiles gives Gentiles no right to boast (Ro 11:18-20). In
addition, God’s sovereign call turned the Gentiles’ disobedience into mercy. 2. Disobedience is the Greek word apeithéō and
can mean disbelief or disobedience. Friberg explains that when this word is
in relation to God, it means disobedience. But, when this word is in relation
to the gospel, it means disbelief (1Pe 4:17). In either case, it is a stubborn
refusal whether in disbelief or disobedience (1Pe 3:20). It no doubt implies
that a person’s stubborn disobedience is a result of their stubborn disbelief
(Ro 2:8). 3. However, God’s mercy trumped the Gentiles’
disobedience. The word mercy is the Greek word eleéō, which
means an act of benevolence because of pity. 4. God’s
mercy is not pure emotion. Mercy is under God’s sovereign control and wisdom.
God had compassion and pity on the Gentiles because of Israel’s disbelief and
disobedience. Therefore, there is no reason
for Gentiles to boast. B.
Israel’s
Disobedience Will Turn Into Mercy (31) 1. Paul is leading to a further point. “Just as” (vs. 30 - hōsper - “even as,” like”) the Gentiles were disobedient but received mercy,
so also (vs. 31 - hoútos
- so also, in the same way) Israel, who is disobedient now (nún),
will also receive mercy. 2. However, Israel cannot boast either. For one thing,
they fell into disbelief and disobedience. For another, they will be shown
mercy “because of the mercy shown to [the Gentiles].” 3. The purpose of the salvation of the Gentiles was to
make Israel jealous. By God’s sovereign wisdom, He will carry our His divine
plan. C.
Only God Could
Turn Disobedience Into Mercy (32) 1. God has dealt with all mankind, both Jew and Gentile,
who have fallen short of His glory, yet extended mercy according to His
sovereign plan. 2. Paul says that God has, “shut up all in disobedience.” This
means that God has tried all men, judged them to be disobedient, sentenced
them to wrath, and locked them up under lock and key. The word “shut up” (sugkleíō) literally means to encircle,
enclose - Lk 5:6, keep in custody - Ga 3:23, or
imprison - LXX - Oba 1:14. 3. But, God holds the key and the
key is God’s sovereign mercy through Christ. God has stopped the mouths of
all men (Ro 3:19), declared them all to be sinners (Ro 3:23), so that when He
extends His mercy to some, God will receive complete glory. 4. The phrase “show mercy to all” does not mean
universal salvation. Rather it is an expression that means that God will show
mercy to “all” groups of both Gentile (cp. Ro 11:25) and Jew (cp. Ro 11:26).
However, it does mean that God, who is under no obligation, chooses to have
mercy upon some (cp. Ro 9:16). 5. God sovereignly chose Israel to be His people, yet
they fell into unbelief. Because of Israel’s unbelief, God turned His
salvation to the Gentiles. Because of the Gentiles’ salvation, God will draw
Israel back to Himself, and God alone receives all glory for His sovereign
wisdom. Paul has put more of the pieces together so that we can understand
the key verses in Romans (cp. Ro 1:16-17). . II.
DOXOLOGY IS
GIVEN TO GOD’S SOVEREIGN WISDOM (33-36) A.
In one of the
greatest doxologies of Scripture, Paul exalts God’s sovereignty and wisdom
for His plan among Israel and the Gentiles. The word “doxology” comes from
two Greek words, doxa,
which means glory and logia, which
means to speak. So, a doxology is an expression of speech and praise to God’s
glorious person and works. B.
First Paul
remarks about the depth of riches in God’s sovereign wisdom (33). 1. Wisdom is the Greek word sophia and
generally means the skill of having correct insight and understanding. God
possess the perfect skill because God possess perfect wisdom and
understanding (Da 2:20-21 cp. Ep 1:8-10; 3:8-10). 2. God is
omniscient, which means that God has all the knowledge (gnṓsis)
of all there is to know, including all right and all incorrect answers. He never
needs to increase in knowledge, never researches, never resorts to trial and
error, and never forgets. 3. The
judgments of God’s wisdom and knowledge are unsearchable (anexeraúnetos
- cannot be searched out) to man. Man is finite and cannot fully
comprehend God’s infinite wisdom. There is no end to God’s wisdom. There is
no question that God cannot answer. 4. God’s
ways are unfathomable (anexichníastos
- cannot track or trace) which means that God’s ways cannot be traced out
by man. This does not mean that we cannot know anything about God or His
plans. Rather it means that we could not possibly know all there is to know
about God’s purposes (Dt
29:29). However, we must know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has a
purpose for everything (Pr 16:4). C.
The citation of Is 40:13 is
used to show that God alone is omnipotent and omniscient (vs. 34). 1. In
creation, God’s omnipotence measured and marked the universe (Is 40:12 cp. Ps
104:24; Pr 3:19; Je 10:12). In Is 40:13-14, Isaiah
asks if anyone directed the Lord in all of His deeds. In the realm of man, it
is wise to seek counsel (Pr 15:22; 24:6). But did
God need a counselor and if so, who could it have been? Was there someone who
could actually teach God or help God understand? 2. No one
knows the mind (noús) of God except
God (i.e. the Spirit of God, cp. 1Co 2:14). No one became God’s counselor (súmboulos) or literally, one who helps God
understand and make up his mind. D.
Furthermore, when it is all said and done; man
owes God, God owes man nothing. Such were the sentiments expressed in Job
35:7 & 41:11 (vs. 35). 1. God
is not indebted to man for wisdom or for accomplishments. If man is able to
pay God anything or do anything for God, it goes against what man already
owes God the Creator. God does not owe anyone anything including salvation. 2. The
salvation of Jew or Gentiles is not a reason for boasting, but rather a
reason for thanking God that He chose to have mercy on some (cp. Ep 2:8-9).
As man looks at the way God intertwined the salvation of Jew and Gentile, he
can only stand back and marvel. E.
All glory goes
to God because all things are from Himself and to Himself according to His
sovereign wisdom (vs. 36). 1. Because
God is all-sovereign and all-wise it must be concluded that “all things” are
from God. Literally, they are “out of” (ek)
God, meaning all things that exist and happen originate from His sovereign
and wise choices. 2. All things are “through Him” or are through (dia - agency with the genitive) His
agency alone. God either decrees that something will come to pass, allows
something to come to pass, or prevents something from coming to pass. Nothing
happens by chance (cp. Ro 8:28-30). 3. All things are “to Him” meaning that they return to (eis - denoting motion directed toward and
into an object) God having accomplished all that He desired. 4. Therefore, everything that exists, exits to returns glory
to God (doxa - Eng. doxology). God alone receives all
glory (doxa - Eng. doxology) forever (cp. Ps
115:1; Ro 16:27). III.
OBSERVATIONS
AND APPLICATIONS A.
Continually
trust and praise God (Pr 3:5-6) 1. If the Scriptures teach us that God is sovereign and
controls all things, then we must trust God and not lean on our own
understanding. 2. If we truly trust God as sovereign, we will praise
Him in all circumstances. B.
Seek the
treasures of wisdom found in the Scriptures (Dt
4:5-6; 29:29) 1. God does not reveal everything to us nor would we be
able to comprehend it all. 2. However, God has revealed everything the believer
needs for life and godliness (2Pe 1:3). It is found in His Word and it is our
wisdom (Dt 4:5-6). C.
Seek the
treasures of wisdom found in Christ (Col 2:3) 1. Paul said in Col 2:3; that all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. Christ reveals all that the Father
is and does. 2. This is God’s wisdom and the standard by which the
believer is to guide his own walk. |
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