Salvation is Personal and Individual

Romans 9:1-14

Being saved is often spoke of as being born again, and Jesus described it as such in John 3, talking to Nicodemus. Understanding why Jesus described it as such, and examining the similarities to the natural birth help us to understand a lot about the spiritual birth, and what is required.

Most mammals give live birth. They carry the baby inside their own body and protect it until delivery. At birth, their baby is essentially a small, immature version of the adult. The platypus, and most birds, reptiles, insects and fish lay eggs. The baby develops inside the egg until he is ready to be born. Some have little resemblance to the adult, while others are very similar.

Every species has an innate instinct to reproduce, and will risk their lives to do so. Mammals and birds have far fewer babies than most of the cold blooded species, so they devote far more effort to protecting them and teaching them to fend for themselves than most cold blooded animals. Many insects, reptiles, fish and amphibians lay a huge number of eggs, then leave with no concern whether any survive. The sheer numbers of births mean some are likely to survive. An animal that gives birth to only a few cannot afford to take that chance. A primary purpose of their existence is to perpetuate their species.

Jesus gave a specific mandate to Christians to reproduce themselves. It is very similar to the mandate for the warm blooded animals, who give birth, then nurse the children , and finally teach them to care for themselves. Matthew 28:19-20 presents the mandate. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

They are go and teach(Gr: matatheno- to disciple), to cause to become Christians. This is essentially to cause to be born. They are then to baptize, which we looked at in Chapters 6 and 7 of Romans. This is essentially the nursing stage, and has been the main focus of Romans up to this point, gradually transitioning to teaching everything they need to know to live as Christians. The rest of Romans will be devoted to this last aspect of the mandate, teaching(Gr: didasko-to teach)what needs to be done.

Unfortunately, many have neglected all or part of the Great commission or mandate. Some have acted more like the coldblooded animals, counting on a great number of professions to result in a few Christians. Others have nursed them until they could be weaned and then abandoned them, counting on them to figure it out for themselves. Hebrews 5:12-14 describes som who had been left in that state. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

The author of Hebrews then goes on to explain that reaching the point of being fully equipped will require going beyond the basics of the nursing stage. Hebrews 6:1-2names some things that we need to go beyond. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

Having dealt with those basic issues in the preceding chapters, Paul is now moving to more mature issues. The first he will address is that of Christian reproduction, the discipline or winning others to Christ.

He starts by showing that the desire ought to be like that of animals, willing to risk even their own life for their offspring. Paul declares he would almost be willing to lose his own salvation if it would cause others of his own people to come to Christ.

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 9:1-5)

The group Paul is most concerned about is not some unknown tribe in some remote place, but the people he grew up with, the ones he knows. He was not like those who send millions to aid homeless in Africa while ignoring the poor in their own neighborhood. He tried to reach his own at every opportunity.

These were not people who had no advantages, or who had not heard. They had the word of God and the traditions and customs that God had commanded before anyone else. That did not make them Christians. They needed salvation just as badly as anyone else. Many did not receive it despite their advantages.

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. Ro 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9:6-13)

God knows before hand what every person will do. He knew that Esau would value a bowl of soup more than all God’s love and promises. As a result, he chose Jacob over Esau. Romans 8:29-30 describes God’s actions. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

This does not make God unfair. It was Esau’s personal choice, even though God acted before he made it. Romans 9:14 makes it clear there is nothing to be said about God’s decision. “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” God already knew what Esau would decide with total certainty.