When doing a study like we’ve been doing in Romans 11 you will no doubt run into some questions or problems. Or you might think of an issue someone else you are interacting with might not understand.
When this happens I would encourage you to write out the question or problem. Spend some time meditating on what the portion you are reading or studying says on the issue. To you it might seem like an unanswerable question or an irresolvable problem. There are issues in the Bible scholars have wrestled with for centuries, so you are not alone.
As I mentioned in a previous visit, it seems as though what Paul says in Romans 11 is a conundrum. A conundrum according to Webster’s dictionary is any question or thing of a perplexing nature. Think about it – God uses the unbelief of the Israelites to open the door for the Gospel to go to the Gentiles. Then, when the number of Gentiles saved reaches a predetermined goal the Israelites will be persuaded to come back to God because they envy the blessing the Gentiles have experienced.
This sounds like God orchestrates everything. He has the end in view and does what is necessary to see the end realized. To some that would seem as though we are all mere Robots that God manipulates for His own purpose.
Is that really what is being described here? Is God arbitrary? Do we have freedom to choose or reject? And if we do, how does it work out that God’s purpose is fully realized? We might not resolve these issues in our study but I would encourage you to join us daily in our pursuit.
Acknowledging conundrums you encounter in your faith walk prepares your heart and mind to be faithful as you wait to receive God’s plan and purpose.
