Romans 10:13-15
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Believers in the first century needed to tell people about Jesus, and believers today need to tell people about Jesus, but there’s also an underlying conversation in Chapter 10 and 11 where the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers at the time had issues becuase of the very different places they came from. Peter really emerged as the leader of the Jewish group,
and Paul emerged as the leader of the Gentile group.
Galatians 2:11-13
11 When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
In this section of Romans, we see the flip side of that interaction with Peter, and Paul works to dispel that rivalry with his mixed Jewish/Gentile audience in Rome.
Romans 10:16-18
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
Psalm 19:4
Deuteronomy 32:21
Isaiah 65:1
Isaiah 65:2
… all verses that PROVE to the Jews that the Gospel of Jesus is for everyone regardless of your background.
Romans 11:1-2a
“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.
We Do the Same Thing
There were Jews and Gentiles that both loved the Lord, and also both had very real issues that the other side critisized. I have a feeling that this whole back and forth thing
really grieved the heart of God.
It’s easy to see the issues with the way these groups talk about eachother becasue we know they are on one team, but it's harder to see it in ourselves when we complain about OUR differences in the Bride of Christ today becuase of:
- Denominations
- Worship Styles
- Contexts
- Political Beliefs
- Personal Preferences
It GRIEVES the HEART OF GOD when we tear down his bride and always point out her faults. Salvation is salvation, and redemption is redemption even if there are issues. God loves all forms of the church.
Brother Yun:
"We cannot fight both the kingdom of darkness and each other at the same time, so Satan knows if he can turn Christian against Christian, he has already won the battle".
This IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM excuses sin or allows people to live unBiblically, but we need to choose to love the things God loves, and hate the things He hates. Ultimately, there are 2 types of people in the world: Christians, and non-Christians.
Why Do We Do This?
We often get all consumed with the people right in front of us and we start to give them more value in our minds and hearts than the rest of the people around us. That’s normal and right for us to hold loved ones closer, but we also need to value the people outside of our circles that do things differently.
Romans 11:11, 17-18, 20b
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!
…
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
…
20b Do not be arrogant, but tremble.
Do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches.
Let’s commit to celebrate the good things in other churches, call out of the sinful things, and walk humbly as a part of an imperfect but perfectly loved Bride of Christ.
