Romans part 21: The Mystery (Ro 11:25-36)
Summary of Romans 9-11
Paul and the Christians who gathered in the city or Corinth to pen the letter to the church in Rome thought through these three chapters carefully, paying special attention to the ways that the Gospel brings people together, despite being on differing sides of the ideological spectrum. These three chapters weave the story of Israel into the story of the Gentiles showing how God is using each side to bless and bring salvation to the other.
Though there are many facets to the arguments that are laid out, I would argue the all three chapters can be summed up in two simple phrases, each working with the other to reveal the heart of God. Here they are:
1) God has used Israel to bring salvation to the Gentiles.
Over the course of these three chapters Paul unravels the story of Israel, with its Patriarchs, its prophets, its exiles, and its long history of living under the boot of oppression. And he frames it as the story of Gods people who exist entirely to be a blessing to the world, and by the world, they mean the Gentiles.
“Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen” (Romans 9:4-5).
2) God has used the Gentiles to bring salvation to Israel.
In Chapter 11 Paul explains in great detail how God has used the inclusion of the enemies of Israel, gentiles, to stir up a zealous and jealous love and desire to be at the center of Gods work again. Those who have fallen away in Israel are described as a branch “cut off” from the tree (11:17) of Gods people, and in their place, Gentiles have been grafted in (11:19) so that Israel might be stirred to jealousy for the position that they were created to hold in Gods world, his people.
So enemies have not only been brought together and grafted together into one people by God, but even moreso, each side has taken part in the salvation of the other.
All of this is what Paul calls “the mystery.” A mysterion (Greek) is a divine message, it is a word received from outside of ourselves, outside of human reason, something that, while it may not make sense to us, we are called to embrace as the divine word from God. The divine mystery as Paul describes it throughout many of his writings is “the message of the cross” (1 Cor 1:18-19). It is the subversive and incomprehensible message that the most powerful being in the universe has chosen to work in the world, not through the human powers of coercion, violence, ostracism, and threat, but through love, mercy, sacrifice, and weakness. He has chosen to redeem the world, not through the destruction of his enemies, but through loving them.
The counterintuitive posture of the cross, allowing ourselves to be broken and poured out for the salvation of the world, is what releases the power of God to heal, reconcile, unite, and save. This is the mystery that Paul wants them to grasp, so that they too can release the power of God in their midst.
Salvation for our Enemies
I want you to think about Jesus’ teaching to “love your enemies” in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and I want you to ask yourself why he would ask us to do this.
What is Jesus trying to accomplish by asking us to love our enemies?
Is this just busy work for the Christian?
Is it just a nice sentiment?
I would argue that the call to love our enemies reveals that God is working for their salvation, and that he is working through you to bring it to them. He wants to save them and you are the instrument through which he wants to accomplish this. If God wants them to know about his love, his mercy, his grace, his generosity, how is it that you think they will learn such things? Through quoting bible verses? No.
They will learn about it from you.
They will learn about the forgiveness of God through you forgiving them for their sins against you.
They will learn about the mercy of God because, in their offenses against you, you will show them mercy.
They will learn about the generosity of God through you being generous to them despite the fact that they did not earn it.
The things that God wants to do in the world are done primarily through his people, the church, you and I. And the teaching of such things often requires that you shine light where they cast dark shadows.
God is, right now, actively working in the hearts of your enemies; working to stir love and repentance in them, telling them to love you. At the same time he is working in your heart to teach you to love them.
In this way, God brings salvation to our enemies through us, and He brings salvation to us through our enemies.
God works even through darkness and pain, he brings salvation through the cross.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”(1 Co 1:18–19)
The cross is the divine mystery, it sounds foolish to those who are suffering, but it is the power of God unto salvation.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways can we practically demonstrate love towards our enemies, as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount?
How can these acts of love contribute to their salvation?
What role does forgiveness play in the process of bringing salvation to our enemies?
How can we cultivate a forgiving heart, even when faced with offenses and mistreatment?
Discuss the idea that God is actively working in the hearts of our enemies to stir love and repentance, while also working within us to love them.
How does this understanding impact our perception of our enemies and our role in their salvation?
Reflect on the notion of the cross as the divine mystery and the power of God unto salvation.
How does embracing the counterintuitive posture of the cross enable us to release God's power for healing, reconciliation, and salvation in our relationships with both friends and enemies?