If we’re a bit honest with ourselves, we will acknowledge that most relationships are messy and complicated. At times as smooth as silk and at other times as irritating as sandpaper. In Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11, Paul addresses the complicated relationship between historic Israel, Jews in his day, and Non-Jewish (Gentile) Christians.
Paul summarizes, “Regarding the gospel, they (Israelites) are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs, since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. As you once disobeyed God but now have received mercy through their disobedience, so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.” (Romans 11:28–32, CSB)
In this section, Paul explains God’s election through the Israelites. God chose who would carry the line before birth. For instance, He chose Jacob/Israel instead of Esau. Those genealogies in the Gospels we often gloss over remind us that Jesus is from that line. God chose Israel. That doesn’t mean they are perfect or automatically exempt from God’s wrath. Far from it, actually. Time and time again they strayed and returned.
Our faith is through their faith. “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.” (Romans 9:4–5, CSB) Later, Paul would explain that Gentile believers are grafted into this olive tree of faith by God’s mercy. This doesn’t mean we become Jewish, but that we honor the history of faith of which we are now a part.
And yet, while we honor and respect, we also recognize Jewish antagonism and resistance toward the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But this we must remember: God has not discarded them. Gentile Christians are not plan B. “I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: 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 turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:25–27, CSB)
It’s a complicated relationship. Even more so when you add the physical nation of Israel and the perpetual conflict in the Middle East. And then there are the various flavors of Judaism (like there are various denominations of Christianity) that react and respond differently. It’s complicated, and yet, it’s not. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.
Romans Applied: First, some housekeeping. We will go back through chapters 9-11 and delve deeper into some important threads. On the surface, it seems that Paul is only talking about Israel, but in the process he wove in some important themes of faith which we must not fly past.
The Gospel has many enemies. Jewish folk is just one, although unique because of our shared faith and history. They are still God’s elect, although their hearts are currently veiled and hardened until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. As Christ followers, our enemies are not our foes; they are our mission field. Discrimination and antisemitism have no place in following Christ. Paul’s attitude towards them was not rejection but sacrifice. “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.” (Romans 9:3, CSB) Our attitude towards enemies of the Gospel should be a desire to do anything for them to come to Jesus and be grafted into the tree of life as we are.
- Romans Applied – A Complicated Relationship - July 29, 2026
- Romans Applied – The Crucible of Love - July 22, 2026
- Romans Applied – Between Hope and Completion - July 15, 2026
