Chapter # 11 Paragraph # 1 Study # 4
November 18, 2018
Humble, Texas
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Thesis: "Grace", by definition, is exclusive of "works".
Introduction: In our last study we considered Paul's argument that it is a characteristic of the Plan of God throughout the ages for God to work to fulfill His promises for a "remnant", not for "the majority". From the very initiation of that Plan's intention to include "rebellion against God" within its processes, it has been revealed that God is committed to allow such rebellion to make a remarkable degree of progress within the segment of His creation that included human beings. There is no era of human history that is not marked by an inclusion of a massive growth in rebellion by massive numbers of people. From Adam to the flood, the growth in rebellion by numbers is without dispute. From the flood to Babel, the same is true. From Abraham to the Exodus, the same is true. From the establishment of the nation at Sinai to Calvary, the same is true. From Calvary to the present, the same is true. If there is a constant throughout God's pursuit of His Plan, it is that He works on behalf of a "remnant", not on behalf of "the majority".
Now, the particular point that Paul made about this historical reality is that the creation of a "remnant" by God with a particular intention of benefit is rooted in the attribute of God known as "Grace".
It our study this evening we are going to consider Paul's claim and its major implication.
- I. The Claim Itself.
- A. As illustrated by the conversation between Elijah and God, God has caused "some" who are on the road to total disaster to be "left behind" by those whose continuation on that road goes unobstructed.
- 1. Paul calls this lesser group a "remnant".
- a. The word is found only in this single text of the New Testament record.
- b. In the world of the first century, the word pointed to "a relatively small part which continues to exist" (from the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains as quoted in the Logos Library System).
- c. An apt illustration is the bone particles that are currently being found in the ashes of the California wild fires.
- 2. Paul's words indicate that this "remnant" is a small group of people for whom God has taken significant steps to keep them from the progressive degeneracy of Sin's impact upon those infected by it.
- B. Paul's summary descriptive phrase of this "remnant" is that it exists as a consequence of what he calls "an election of grace".
- 1. The verb in 11:5 translated "there has come to be" in the NASB is a verb that is used when the point is being made that something has arisen on the scene of human history.
- a. This verb is in the perfect tense, which signifies a past initiation that continues with its impact through history to the present time.
- b. The point is that this "remnant" had a point of origin, but has, so far, no end point.
- 2. Paul identifies this root of the point of origin as "a choice of grace".
- a. Underlying this root (a root of this root) is the reality of Sin's agressive and complete dominion over the values and beliefs of those within its sphere.
- b. Thus, any amelioration of that dominion has to be rooted in divine choices and actions as human capacities do not exist.
- c. That it is God Who makes the choices and takes the actions means that He is the One to Whom the "credit" for both choice and action belongs.
- d. And, that it an amelioration of the dominion of Sin means that the choices and actions are "gracious" (intending "good" to be the outcome).
- e. But, the "gracious" characterization is not just "beneficent"; it is divine intentionality.
- 3. Thus, this "election of grace" means that God deliberately stepped into the stream of humanity as it was moving toward ultimate destruction and blocked the progress of some of those who made up that stream so that they would not suffer the destruction to come.
- II. The Main Implication in This Text.
- A. "Grace" means that "out of works" has been totally eliminated.
- 1. "Grace" means "a divine intention to bless".
- 2. "Grace" means that the divine "choice" is not rooted in what Paul calls "works".
- B. The elimination of "out of works" means that the entire issue of "Justice" has been set aside.
- 1. "Works" in the Scriptures invariably means actions that make demands upon "Justice".
- a. "Justice" means that "good works" must be compensated.
- b. "Justice" means that "evil works" must be penalized.
- 2. "Works" in the Scriptures also means actions that are seen to be rooted in the "person" out of whose makeup come the actions.
- 3. "Works" in the Scriptures were invariably twisted by Sin into a basis for "boastfulness".
- a. The deceit of Sin is the notion that Sin can produce "good"/"boastworthy" actions.
- b. This deceit is a "twist" because it is impossible for Sin to produce "good" so that anything accomplished by Sin must be addressed by "Justice" if "boastfulness" is in the picture.
- 4. Thus, for the "choice" to be rooted in "Grace", it cannot have any residue of "Justice" clinging to it.
- 5. Therefore, it is a most basic reality that any who cry "unfair" are completely out to lunch in terms of any understanding of "Sin" or "Grace".
- C. This primary implication is absolutely essential to any understanding of God's Plan to include "Grace" in the revelation of God to His creation.
- 1. The originating question for this concept is in 11:1 where the issue of whether, or not, God has thrust aside His people.
- 2. Obviously, if "works" is in the picture anywhere, God has to thrust aside His people.
- 3. So, from here on out, divine integrity rests upon "Grace", "Justice" having been met and set aside.