But it is not as though God’s word has failed. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
Truth to Learn
Lineage or church membership cannot save you!
Behind the Words
The word translated “has failed” is the Greek word ekpiptō, which is a compound word made up of ek, meaning “out of or from” and the verb pipto, meaning “to fall.” Hence it means “to fall from.” Metaphorically it means to fail or to become of no effect. Paul is saying that the Word of God has not failed to be effective.
Meaning Explained
Now Paul must show God’s rejection of the Jews and do so in a way that will persuade his countrymen that everything they have believed about the Messiah is part of God’s plan. The difficulty is to reconcile the rejection of the unbelieving Jews with God's promise and the external tokens of the divine favor which had been conferred upon them. He will accomplish this with four main points:
- The true meaning and intention of the promise will be explained (Romans 9:6-13).
- Jehovah God is absolutely sovereign in his choosing of the elect ones (Romans 9:14-24).
- The rejection of the Jews and the reconciliation of Gentiles are clearly shown in the Old Testament (Romans 9:25-29).
- The reason for the rejection of the Jews is not for lack of keeping the Law but their lack of faith (Romans 9:30-33).
It may have appeared to his Jewish Christian readers in Rome that what he has said in the previous chapters implies that Paul does not believe the promises made to the Jews and that the Word of God is not true. So he starts off this section with a statement affirming that the Word of God is sound and can be believed completely. It is effective in securing righteousness.
Since the Jews believed that the promises were made to Israel and his descendants, Paul is pointing out that it is not the descendants by the flesh that are inheritors of the promises but the descendants who believe God’s promises (the chosen ones). That’s what he means by “they are not all Israel who are of Israel.” Just because one has the right lineage doesn’t mean one is a child of the promises.
Once again let me point out that there is a direct analogy to this in today’s Christianity. Just because you are a member of a Bible believing church and perform all the ordinances of the church doesn’t mean you are a Christian. Just because you have Christian parents and were brought up under Christian teachings in a Christian country doesn’t mean that you are a Christian. You are only a Christian if you believe the gospel message and you have submitted to God accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
For by grace you are saved through faith, (Ephesians 2:8a)
Application
You cannot secure a place in heaven through obedience or family influence. You can only do so by God’s declaration of your righteousness, and that only happens through faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ as payment for your sins. The Bible is truth, and it says you will be saved if you submit your will to God and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved