Romans 9:25-33: "It Has Always Been by Faith"

Paul will continue to show his readers that salvation has always been based on faith and has always been the same. Paul wants to show his readers, who are studied in the OT, that what God said in the past is consistent with the "new" gospel he is giving them now. He begins with, "As He says also in Hosea, 'I will call those who were not My people, "my people,' and her who was not beloved, 'beloved'". The text, taken from Hosea, comes after God has told Hosea to keep Gomer as his wife despite her adultery. This was to be a vivid illustration of Israel's rejection of God, yet His continual faithfulness to them despite their unfaithfulness. However, just as God gave Hosea children with different names meaning, "not pitied" "not My people" God has temporarily forsaken His chosen race as if they were not His own. MacArthur writes, "Until that time, God not only will treat Israel as not being His children but will treat Gentiles, who were not His people, as His people". Similarly, he writes, "And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there they shall be called sons of the living God". Looking over the history of the Jews we can see that they have been scattered throughout the earth and not until 1948 was Israel declared its own state. MacAthur writes, "The great majority of Jews do not now live in Israel but are still scattered throughout the world. And that nation still rejects her Messiah and is not yet again the people of God". However, we know that the Jews have not been permanently rejected, just as Hosea took back his unfaithful bride, so God will take back His chosen race. So those who have been "not My people" will again be referred to as "My people". In the meantime, He has allowed for the Gentiles to enter into salvation through faith. Paul's emphasis here is to show that all along God had said that not all Israel is the true Israel and from the beginning God had planned it this way. Again, he is trying to cut down the foundation the Jews had built up of salvation through heritage and works. MacArthur explains, "Paul's emphasis in this passage is not Israel's ultimate restoration to God but her present alienation from God. As already noted, the apostle's primary point is that the unbelief of Israel that caused her alienation and scattering was not inconsistent with God's sovereign plan for His people".

Paul again goes back to the Old Testament to quote Isa. 10:22, to prove that not all Israel will be saved according to God's plan from the beginning, "Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, 'Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved". Sadly Isaiah had to tell his people that only a "remnant" of Israel will be saved. Although their were numerous physical descendants of Israel, just as God had showed all along, only some will be granted salvation. He also quotes the next verse in Isa.10 which says, "For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly". In other words, whatever God says is true, and He will be quick and decisive in His actions. Do not be fooled or deceived into thinking you will be saved merely because you are an Israelite. MacArthur writes, "When God used the Babylonians to judge Israel for her unbelief and unfaithfulness, His justice was thorough and fast, and only a few, the remnant of true believers, escaped. So also was it in the destruction of Jerusalem and devastation of Palestine in A.D. 70".

To show God's sovereignty in salvation, and the plan He has had in saving the "true Israel", Paul continues, "Isaiah foretold, 'Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, we would have become as Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah'". This should be sobering to the Jews. This should have made them realize that apart from God's favor and sovereignty, left to themselves, the whole nation would be wiped out just as Sodom and Gomorrah. The heritage and works these Jews had been leaning on for their salvation for so long, should be turned towards faith in God, who has shown throughout history that it is only in His power that man is spared. If it were not for "Lord of Sabaoth" or "Lord of Hosts", and the sparing of His elect, no one would be saved, all would be annihilated as those of Sodom and Gommorah.

Paul also desires to show his readers that not only had God's plan for salvation always been for "true Israel", but also that it can only be received through faith. He writes, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith". MacAthur comments, "Paul is not implying that Gentiles are saved on a different basis than Jews. He is simply stating the human requirement for salvation that has always been the only means of attaining the righteousness that is necessary for salvation - the righteousness which is by faith". The Gentiles did not pursue righteousness just as all of us do not pursue righteousness when left to ourselves. But in God's faithfulness He grants (attained) righteousness on the basis of faith. Paul wants his readers to know that not all Israel who is descended from Abraham will see salvation, and that Jews and Gentiles can only receive salvation one way: through faith. Unfortunately, Paul continues, "Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law". The Gentiles did not pursue righteousness, but some had faith and attained salvation, the Jews pursued law and tradition to attain righteousness and only received self righteousness. Paul tells us, "Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works". What Paul has said from the beginning he repeats again, that salvation is only through faith, not through the works righteousness that the Jews were trying to achieve. MacArthur writes, "What a tragic commentary on a wasted effort. God's righteousness cannot be achieved by man's works, because they are always sin-tainted and fall short of God's perfect and holy standard".

To finish it off Paul once again uses scripture to explain the downfall of rejected Israel, from Isa. 28:16, "Just as it is written, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed'". Refusing to receive Jesus as Messiah, not heeding the very words of their prophets, they only verified God's words as true as they stumbled over the fact that the very one who could save them, they put to death. However, those who remain to Him, are those who believe in faith, and to those they "will not be disappointed".