Chapter # 11 Paragraph # 5 Study # 6
June 9, 2019
Humble, Texas
(Download Audio)
<133>
Thesis: There is a "calling" that comes from God that is an expression of His absolute and determinative will so that He will allow nothing to frustrate it.
Introduction: In the Gospel of Matthew we are told that Jesus twice said, "...many are called, but few chosen..." (20:16 and 22:14). His choice of words was the same as Paul's in our text/context. And in both cases, the "called", but not "chosen", are people who thought their diligent labors ought to be a basis for either participation in the goodness of God, or a basis for greater participation in that goodness than others who did not labor as long, or as diligently. In one case, God is said to be "not good" (i.e., "not fair"), and in the other there is no comment at all about what people thought of His decision to have the "called", but not "chosen" cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But, this notion [of God going to the trouble of "calling" and then not underwriting the outcome as He does for those who are both "called" and "chosen"] does give some people heart-burn. This reality is turned by them into a "Why bother?" attitude. It shows up with some in the form of "if everything is predestined, what is the use of trying to do things?", or "If everything is predestined, why bother to pray?", or, more specifically to the statements by Jesus, "Why would God 'call' someone when He had no intention of allowing them to participate in His goodness?"
The answer is not hard, it is simply not acceptable to those afflicted with this "heart-burn". The answer is that the attitude is rooted in an "evil" heart that shows itself in the determination to "be recognized for the diligence of my labors". This is "evil" because it is absent of any genuine "Love" whatsoever, or any "humility, for that matter. And, the "going through the motions" by God of "calling" but not "choosing" is designed by God for the edification of those who are to be participants in the Kingdom of Love. In other words, a big part of the participation by men in the Kingdom of the Love of God, rooted in Humility, is dependent upon their recognition of the inadequacy of their diligence and labors to "qualify" them for "blessings" by a Perfect God, Whose awareness of all things "diligent" and "laborious" in fallen humanity would automatically disqualify them from "reward" if God were to take that tack in His dealings with us. The "heart-burn" proves the disqualifying lack of love and humility.
I have mentioned these words of Jesus, recorded by Matthew, because they exist and sometimes interfere with our understanding of Romans 11:29 where "calling" is said to be "irrevocable". A casual overview of Paul's use of "calling" (verb, adjective, and noun) in Romans reveals that he was not dealing, in this letter, with those occasions when "calling" does not result in participation in the "goodness of God". From beginning to end, the letter to the Romans is only about what many have called "God's effectual call", which, of itself, is somewhat problematical in that it implies a "calling" that does not result in what God wishes to achieve. For our thinking, we are going to take Paul's point of view as he gives it in Romans. That point of view is what he called "the standard of election" in 11:28. When "calling" is viewed from the perspective of "the standard of election" it is seen as an element in God's actions on behalf of those whose destiny is participation in the Kingdom of the Love and Humility of God.
- I. The Previously Established Realities.
- A. In the nearest context (this chapter), Paul establishes his "perspective".
- 1. In 11:5-6 he clearly declares that those who will participate in His "goodness" exist "according to the standard of the election of grace" with Elijah's complaint regarding Israel as his backdrop.
- 2. In 11:25-28 he also clearly declares that God has a larger plan than anyone had envisioned in respect to the range of those who would be qualified to participate in His "goodness" and doubles down on the "according to the standard of election".
- B. In the further context, Paul shows why he has adopted this perspective.
- 1. In 9:7-11 he argued that "the standard of election" (vs. 11) was necessary.
- a. Its necessity was rooted in the fact that there are only two options: election or the flesh.
- b. Its necessity was also rooted in the fact that "promise" can only have one foundation in the face of "Sin": the integrity of God (this requires His absolute oversight).
- c. Its necessity was also rooted in the reality that "election" takes "works" off the table for the profound reason that "works" invariably defeat any outcome that is rooted in them because of their flaws (flaws in execution and in motivation).
- d. And, thus, its necessity was ultimately rooted in the question of "surety": whether the purposes of God can "stand" if they are not absolutely determined and guided by Him (a repetition of an earlier theme in 4:14-16 where "grace" makes the Promise "sure").
- 2. The "flaws" that were introduced by the reality of "unbelief" and its resulting "sins" are both real and insurmountable apart from "election by grace".
- II. Thus, Paul's Focus is Upon the "Faith-Generating" Determination of the Omnipotent God.
- A. He does not completely ignore the thesis introduced by Jesus in Matthew in that he presses the Gentiles about their three-fold self-condemning attitudes toward "Grace".
- 1. If "Grace" is abandoned, all of its benefits are also abandoned.
- 2. Attitudes of "boastfulness, high-mindedness, and conceit" argue for the abandonment.
- B. But he does firmly turn to "calling" as an integrated part of God's pursuit of His Plan for the experience of His goodness by men of flawed character.
- 1. In the expression of God's particular activities in 8:30, he places "calling" between "predestination" and "justification", thus revealing that "calling" is a necessary part of the Plan that is running "according to the standard of election".
- 2. This use of "calling" is, obviously, "effectual" in view of God's purpose, not to "edify" but to "bring into".