Week 49 - Free Weekend Program for Street & Vulnerable Children

Text: Romans 11:21-29

Theme: God’s Kindness and Severity

21. For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.

22. Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

23. And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.

24.You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

25. I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

26. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,

“The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem,

and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.

27. And this is my covenant with them,

that I will take away their sins.”

28. Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

29. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

God is warning us seriously about certain principles and attitudes that we may wilfully engage in today, even while regularly attending church, that are derogatory to the grace of God and the finished work of Christ, which is unbelief. Unbelief is deeply offensive to God as it calls God a liar, scorns His face, and rejects His promises by mocking the gospel while holding onto self-righteousness and pride.

Despite God’s promise to take Israel into the Promised Land, over 2 million of them, I think, He later destroyed them in the wilderness because of unbelief, except for Joshua and Caleb. Faith in Christ, like the faith of Abraham, guarantees perfect righteousness, which is the only righteousness accepted in heaven, the celestial city. It is God’s righteousness given to us as a gift once we believe in Christ. It is flawless and without spot or blemish. This righteousness is found only in Christ and is freely given to all who believe.

Never stop believing, or else you will fall short. In Galatians 3, Paul was furious with the people because they started by faith in Christ but were slipping away into the flesh, into prideful self-effort. In chapter 5, he said Christ has become of no effect to you if you try to gain justification by works, and for that reason, you have fallen from grace. It is possible to fall away and not bear fruit, as explained in Matthew 13:3-9. God is able to remove us, purge us from the church if we fail to continue in faith, depending on Him.

Faith is expressed through constant prayer, which signifies constant dependence on God. As we depend on Him, God is able to transform our lives for His glory (Ephesians 3:20). He makes His strength perfect in our weakness. Bringing Him our weaknesses daily, instead of our own strength, will glorify Him. Israel failed to do this; they rejected the free gift of grace, holding onto their self-effort instead of relying on God, and they were rejected by God.

God will do the same to us if we fail to continue in faith, relying on Him. We see the two natures of God’s character: His kindness and severity. While God’s kindness is evident in the salvation He offers through Christ, His severity is shown in the judgment of those who reject or fall away from faith. This serves as a warning to us to continue in faith and reliance on God’s grace. God did not spare the natural branches (the Israelites) due to their unbelief, and He will not spare us if we fall into unbelief. Just as the Israelites were cut off for their lack of faith, Christians too can face God’s judgment if they persist in unbelief. “Salvation by grace means we will persevere in believing till the end. If we stop bearing fruit, then we never believed and will burn in the fire.” - Heshimu Colar

However, there is hope for those who have fallen away. God can restore them if they repent and believe again. God’s power to restore is without limit; His mercies are new every morning. He is willing to forgive those who turn back to Him in faith (John 6:37). If God can choose us, who were not originally part of His chosen people, His family, and bring us into His family by adoption through faith in Christ, He can certainly restore the Jews and many others striving in self-effort if they come to faith.

The partial hardening of Israel, their blindness, is part of God’s plan to allow Gentiles to come to faith. This should lead us to humility and gratitude, not pride or arrogance. Through the preaching of the gospel, many Jews - Israelites will come to faith in Christ. God has promised that a time will come when they will turn back to Him and be saved. Christ is the Deliverer who will remove unbelief from their hearts and grant them the gift of faith. Salvation is only through faith in Christ, who takes away sins and makes us beneficiaries of a new and better covenant. (Hebrews 8:7)

Although Israel is currently seen as opposed to the gospel, the elect remain beloved by God because of His promises, showing God’s enduring faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness. God’s word will endure forever; His promises are sure though heaven and earth pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

Practical Applications:

Unbelief in our Daily Life: A Christian who regularly attends church but harbours doubt about God’s promises or Christ’s sacrifice undermines his faith, similar to the Israelites who doubted God’s promise of the Promised Land.

Scorning the Gospel: Mocking or dismissing Christ’s teachings, even subtly through actions contradicting His teachings, is a modern-day rejection of the gospel. This could manifest in prioritizing worldly values and pleasures over spiritual growth.

Faith like Abraham: Believing in God’s promises despite not seeing immediate results reflects Abraham’s faith. Trusting God’s provision and timing in difficult circumstances without wavering in faith is essential.

Grace and Holiness: Understanding that grace empowers transformation, not as a license to sin. Relying on God’s grace for forgiveness while striving to live a holy life demonstrates true faith in Christ’s transformative power.

Finally, through persistent prayer and daily diligence in studying God’s word, Christians can avoid the pitfalls of unbelief and remain steadfast in their faith, experiencing the fullness of God’s promises.