Going With The Flow of Romans 9
Henry Michael and I have been having a wonderful discussion about Romans 9 (click here and here for the posts and comments). In response to the interpretation of Romans 9, or at least Henry’s attempt to show that the historical roles interpretation can raise the objections of Romans 9:14, 19, I asked this question,
Your interpretation, or that of Dr. Reese, fails to take into account Romans 9:1-5. It is here that I find the issue of salvation for here Paul speaks of wishing to be “accursed and cut off from Christ” (v.3). Considering Romans 8:37-39 says that no one can be cut off from God”s saving love and considering Paul”s use of “accursed” in the only two other places in his writings (Galatians 1:8-9), how does this interpretation fit in with this?
Well, what I want to do is kind of answer this question, but mainly demonstrate that the issue of Romans 9 is not how God used Israel to bring forth the Messiah but that Paul is deeply concerned over the eternal condition of the souls of the Jews. The main focus of this post will be Romans 9:3 but I am going to keep it in its larger of context of Romans 8:35-9:5.
In Romans 9:1-2, we can see the situation of Paul and what this issue does to his very soul. Paul writes, “I am speaking the truth in Christ”I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit”that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” Paul’s sorrow is great and his anguish does not end. He cannot get this off of his mind and heart and soul. It is important to see this, Paul is heartbroken by this situation. So let us see what this issue is that breaks his heart.
Romans 9:3 says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” To understand this verse, I want to identify two ideas: who are Paul’s kinsmen according to the flesh and what does it mean to be “accursed and cut off from Christ.” First is who are “Paul’s kinsmen according to the flesh?” Romans 9:4-5 answers this question very clearly for the reader, “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” Paul’s kinsmen are the Jews, the nation of Israel, God’s chosen and elect people (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). This is crucial to understand the importance of the meaning of “accursed and cut off from Christ.”
Now let us define the meaning of “accursed and cut off from Christ.” The Greek term for “accursed” is anathema. It is a term used only six times (I miss spoke in my comments quoted above). Luke uses this term once in Acts 23:14 to describe the oath taken by the Jewish leaders when they swore to kill Paul. Paul uses the term five times in Romans 9:3; Galatians 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Corinthians 16:22. In each case (omitting Romans 9:3 for this is the text in question), anathema is being used to curse some one. In Galatians 1 and 1 Corinthians 16, Paul is condemning the people who preach a false gospel or don’t love Jesus. This curse isn’t just a curse word but a strong condemnation. The question is, is this curse a curse to hell or not? Strong’s defines the term as
a thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed, and if an animal, to be slain; therefore a person or thing doomed to destruction
I think this idea is not unfounded. In Galatians 3:13 Paul says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us”for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” Here Christ is to be the one who redeems us from God’s curse. Here the idea of a curse is a curse to eternal condemnation, a curse to hell. Indeed, this fits the usage of Galatians 1:8-9 and 1 Corinthians 16:22 best. If you don’t love Jesus, you are going to hell. If you preach a false gospel, then you are condemned to hell. It seems that when Paul speaks of being accursed, he is thinking of an eternal curse to hell.
Now, Paul speaks of being separated from Christ in these terms in Romans 8:31-35,
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died”more than that, who was raised”who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
For those who are God’s elect, no one can separate them from God’s love because he sacrificed Jesus to give them everything and Jesus intercedes for them on their behalf. Then he also speaks of being separated from Christ in terms of Romans 8:37-39,
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Again, we cannot be separated from Christ, as God’s chosen and predestined people, by anything, including death. We will live with Christ forever. If Deuteronomy 7:6-8 is true, the the Jews are God’s chosen people and yet Paul is describing them in these terms, cut off from Christ.
Thus Paul’s anguish is that the Jewish people are under the eternal curse of God and are separated from Christ. The issue of Romans 9 is the salvation, or lack there of, in the nation of Israel. The issue of Romans 9 is slavific, not historical tasks or roles. Paul therefore is citing examples of God’s sovereign election over people to illustrate one point, Romans 9:6 which says, “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.” There are those people in the nation of Israel who are not truly Israel, who are not being saved and this breaks Paul’s heart. The reason why is because there is a remnant within the nation that God has chosen, like he chose Isaac and Jacob over Ishmael and Esau. God’s election is not to what task, but the examples are to illustrate the principle of God’s sovereign election that must be applied to the issue of salvation.
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