Romans 11.22a-Paul Commands His Gentile Christian Readers In Rome To Consider God's Kindness And Uncompromising Justice
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday July 29, 2009
Romans: Romans 11:22a-Paul Commands His Gentile Christian Readers In Rome To Consider God’s Kindness And Uncompromising Justice
Lesson # 375
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 11:11.
This evening we will begin a study Romans 11:22 and in this passage Paul commands his Gentile Christian readers in Rome to consider God’s kindness and uncompromising justice-towards those Jews who rejected Christ but towards those Gentiles who had faith in Christ, God’s kindness.
He also warns them that they will continue to experience God’s kindness if they continue to respond to His kindness as expressed in the gospel by exercising faith in Christ but if they don’t, God will reject them just as He rejected those Jews who rejected Christ.
Romans 11:11, “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.”
Romans 11:12, “Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!”
Romans 11:13, “But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry.”
Romans 11:14, “If somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.”
Romans 11:15, “For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”
Romans 11:16, “If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.”
Romans 11:17, “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree.”
Romans 11:18, “Do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”
Romans 11:19, “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’”
Romans 11:20, “Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear.”
Romans 11:21, “For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.”
Romans 11:22, “Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.”
“Behold” is the second person singular aorist middle imperative form of the verb eidon (ei)don) (id-oo), which means “to consider,” thus Paul is commanding his Gentile Christian readers to consider the kindness and severity of God.
Specifically he goes on to say God’s severity, i.e. His uncompromising justice-will be forever experienced by those Jews who rejected His Son Jesus Christ as Savior while on other hand those Gentiles who exercised faith in His Son will forever experience God’s kindness.
The aorist imperative form of the verb is “constative” emphasizing the solemnity and urgency of considering God’s severity towards those Jews who reject His Son Jesus Christ and His kindness towards those Gentiles who do accept by faith His Son.
“Then” is the “inferential” use of the post-positive conjunction oun (ou@n) (oon), which denotes that the command to consider the kindness and severity of God in Romans 11:22 is the result of an inference from Paul’s argument recorded in Romans 11:17-21.
Romans 11:22, “Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.”
“The kindness” is the accusative feminine singular form of the noun chrestotes (xrhstovth$) (kray-sto-tace), which refers to the Father’s kindness in delivering those Gentiles from eternal condemnation, the sin nature, personal sins, Satan and his cosmic system because of their faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
In Romans 11:22, chrestotes describes God the Father as having a tender, compassionate concern for those Jews and Gentiles who had faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
This tender, compassionate concern was manifested the moment they exercised faith in His Son Jesus Christ when He saved them or delivered them from eternal condemnation, the sin nature, personal sins, Satan and his cosmic system reflected in a desire to treat them with compassion.
The noun chrestotes refers to the function of the Father’s holiness as it is related to those Gentiles who have faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
God’s holiness refers to the absolute perfection of His character, expressing His purity of character or moral perfection and excellence, thus making God totally separate from sin and sinners.
He is totally separate from sin and sinners unless a way can be found to constitute them holy and that way has been provided based upon the merits of the impeccable Person and Finished Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.
“Severity” is the accusative feminine singular form of the noun apotomia (a)potomiva) (ap-ot-om-ee-ah), which is used in contrast with chrestotes, “kindness” and refers to the function of the Father’s holiness in relation to those Jews reject His Son Jesus Christ as Savior.
It speaks of God’s “uncompromising justice” in the sense that He does not compromise in executing judgment upon those Jews who reject His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The noun apotomia is also related to God’s righteous indignation, which is the legitimate anger towards evil and sin since both are contrary to His holiness or perfect character and nature.
In fact, God’s righteous indignation expresses His holiness.
Every unbeliever will experience the righteous indignation of God forever in the eternal Lake of Fire.
They will face the wrath of God at the Great White Throne Judgment that will take place at the end of human history and is the judgment of all unregenerate humanity in human history for their rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior (Rev. 20:11-15).
Unbelievers will “not” be judged according to their sins at the Great White Throne Judgment since Jesus Christ died for all men, Jew and Gentile and for every sin that they have committed-past, present and future.
The unbeliever will be judged according to their self-righteous human good works, which do not measure up to the perfect work of the impeccable Christ on the Cross (Rev. 20:11-15).
The unbeliever goes to the lake of fire because of his rejection of Christ as his Savior.
This is indicated in 1 Timothy 2:4 and John 3:16-17, which teach that God desires all men to be saved, thus, He has made provision for all men to be saved through the Person and Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Those who reject Jesus Christ as Savior will be thrown into the eternal Lake of Fire forever and ever at the conclusion of human history.
The difference between righteous indignation and anger is that the former is based upon concern for the holiness of God whereas the latter is emotional, selfish, self-centered, vindictive and intent on harming another.
Nahum 1:2, “A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.”
Normally, anger expressed by human beings is emotional and selfish but sometimes human beings manifest righteous indignation as in the case of the Lord Jesus Christ who displayed righteous indignation towards the moneychangers in the Temple whose actions stood in opposition to the holiness of God (Jn. 2:13-17).
In fact, in Ephesians 4:26-27, the apostle Paul commands believers to display righteous indignation towards injustice, sin and evil and to reject the emotional, selfish, self-centered, vindictive and revengeful form of human wrath and anger.
Ephesians 4:26-27, “BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Therefore, in Romans 11:22, the noun apotomia is used in contrast with chrestotes, “kindness” and refers to the function of the Father’s holiness and means “uncompromising justice” in the sense that the Father does not compromise in executing judgment upon those Jews who reject His Son as their Savior.
Paul issues this command in Romans 11:22 to his Gentile Christian readers in Rome to consider God’s kindness and uncompromising justice in order that they might not become arrogant towards the Jews by thinking that they merit their salvation and the Jews do not.
Saved Gentiles like saved Jews stand by their faith in Christ and not on their own merits and unsaved Jews are rejected by God because of their lack of faith in Christ.
Therefore, Paul is teaching his readers that there is no reason whatsoever for you saved Gentiles to become arrogant towards either your fellow Jewish Christians or even the unsaved Jews since you experience God’s kindness because of your faith in Christ and not because you have more merit than the Jews.