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Pastor's Blog July 15, 2021
"View of God in Romans XIX"
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Did you know that God's kindness and severity show us his saving and loving purposes in Jesus? In Romans 11:22, Paul states, "Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off" (NASB). Now this verse might sound ominous and harsh, but it's actually talking about our connection to Jesus.
In Romans 11:17-21, Paul refers to Israel as an olive branch (a common Old Testament image for Israel as God's people), and he makes the point that several "natural" olive branches (Jewish men and women) were broken off of the Root of the olive tree (which is a common Old Testament image for Jesus the Messiah) and "wild" olive branches (Gentiles) were grafted onto the olive Root in their place. Paul's language about olive branches can be a little confusing, but hi s basic conclusion is pretty simple: those Jewish people who don't believe in Jesus the Messiah were "broken off" by God, and those Gentile people who believe in Jesus the Messiah were "grafted in" by God - but they are ONLY broken off or grafted into Jesus the Messiah! A s Paul stresses in verse 18, "It is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you" (NASB).
So how does all this talk about Jesus the Root and Jewish and Gentile olive branches show us God's love and saving purposes in his severity and kindness? The answer is found in verses 23-24. God's severity is manifested by breaking off from Jesus those who don't believe in him, in order to manifest his kindness by grafting into Jesus those who believe in him (verse 22). "And they [unbelieving Jewish people] also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again" (verse 23-24).
All of this means that God's attitude is not primarily about punishment, but about finding ways to "graft" Jews and Gentiles into Jesus! God's severity in punishing apostasy (i.e., falling away from Jesus) is only used by God to get people connected to Jesus - literally!
Friends, God wants you to know Jesus, and he only shows his severity in order to reveal his kindness by ultimately working to connect you to Jesus.
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
