The Mind of God

Introduction

Do you ever find yourself trying to guess the motives of others? It is one of the truths of life that we cannot know the heart of another person fully. At times it is difficult to know what our own heart is like. Haven’t you had the experience of trying to explain why you did what you did? Sometimes the easiest and best answer to give is the true one—I don’t know. “Why did you do that? I don’t know.” We are used to hearing that from a child but not from a mature adult. We think that as mature adults we are able to know why we do what we do and most of the time we are aware. But even mature adults sometimes can’t answer the why question. Then on top of that we try to guess why others do what they do. We guess the motives of others and then can assign whether we want to feel compassion or disdain for another.

In some way we want to know God’s motivation as well. If we could know his motivation then we can decide how we feel about him. We hear that God’s motive is love and then we question how a loving God could allow certain things to happen. If God’s motivation is suspect, then we can be excused if we don’t trust him fully or completely. If we don’t fully understand God’s ways, then that gives us room to wiggle in our faith. Let me ask you this—how does not understanding the motive of another keep you from doing the right thing? Or to put it another way—when your child doesn’t know why they do what they do, do you stop loving them? When you don’t understand the mind of God, do you stop loving him? In chapter 11, Paul will explain that God still has something planned for Israel. God hasn’t given up on them. Paul notes that God has plans and Israel needs to trust God to be a part of the plan. Let’s reaffirm our love and faith for God even though we may not understand.

Sternness or Kindness

Chapters 9–11 comprise Paul’s appeal to the Jews to remain in faith while reminding the Gentiles of God’s grace toward them. In chapter 9, Paul expresses that God’s choosing of mercy is based on God’s character. It has nothing to do with a person’s character. In chapter 10, Paul expresses that one can choose to receive God’s mercy and in that choice declare their faith in the Lordship of Jesus. In chapter 11, Paul turns his attention to both Jews and Gentiles. To summarize—God still loves the Jews and he has graciously brought in the Gentiles. Together both Jews and Gentiles form the new Israel, but God still has plans for his chosen people.

Chapter 11 poses all kinds of problems. On the surface, it certainly sounds like Paul is promising that the day is coming when the Jews will be saved. Based on verse 25, people want to discuss when the “full number of Gentiles has come in.” And focusing on that verse the discussion gets derailed quickly.

In 11:1–10, Paul confirms that God did not and has not rejected the Jews, but the Jews rejected God. But just as in the days of Elijah there is a remnant that has remained faithful to God and his plan. That remnant has been chosen by grace (v. 5). Trusting God and his plan was their choice. But their faith does not obligate God to save them; instead God chooses to be gracious. Faith is their response to God’s grace (v. 6). Those who chose to not trust God and his plan are outside and lost.

In 11:11–24, Paul uses an analogy to demonstrate that God’s grace has extended to the Gentiles. God took the faithlessness of the Jews and created a new Israel. Jewish rejection resulted in the Gentiles being brought into the tree of life. Gentiles have been grafted into this tree by the grace of God. Go back to chapter 1—the Gentiles were lost; in their depravity all they had was the natural ways of life. But now having heard about Jesus they are through their faith part of the tree that God grew from the root of his chosen people Israel. Paul tells the Gentiles in verse 20 not to be arrogant about their salvation nor to take it for granted. In verse 22, Paul says that they can be cut off just as the Jews were.

In 11:25–32, Paul extends his argument back to the Jews that those who are not part of new Israel can still be. Disobedience is God’s opportunity to reveal his mercy (v. 32). The Jews are still part of God’s plan. Here is where the debate lies. Some contend Paul is saying that there is a future time when God will intervene on behalf of Israel and they will be plucked from their disobedience into the mercy of God. The debate centers on the work of God and his character. What the debate fails to recognize is choice. Go back to verse 23: “And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in again.” The operative word is “if.” This is conditional. God’s mercy is unconditional. God is merciful to whom he wishes to be merciful, but faith is the response to that mercy. God is under no obligation to ignore a person’s choice and save that person even though they do not want to be saved. Paul isn’t arguing that God will save the Jews no matter what. He is arguing that the Jews can be saved if they turn from their rejection of God’s mercy.

So What?

Paul’s message has been consistent throughout his writing. The gospel (v. 28) can be accepted or rejected. To reject the gospel message is to make yourself an enemy to God. But God in his great mercy continues to beckon for all to draw near to him and accept his message. So what exactly is this gospel message? It is really very simple.

God in his mercy and love before the beginning of time took care of the sin problem before sin ever came into the world. According to Romans 1:16, the gospel is the means by which not only is the rightness of God revealed but one can be made right with God as well. Every single person has chosen to reject God’s mercy. Every single person has chosen to prefer something other than what God offers. According to Romans 5:10 we were enemies of God.

Amazingly, Jesus came. God didn’t reject his creation although his creation rejected him. God didn’t walk away from people although people walked away from God. Every single person has rejected God. But God in his great mercy remained committed and faithful to his plan. He knew the rejection was coming; he knew that no one would seek him; he knew that every single person would be his enemy. What he wanted was relationship. What he got was rejection.

Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, God’s plan was revealed. What had been dark was now revealed in the light. A choice, an alternative, a glimpse of hope was extended to every single person. Many throughout the generations continued to reject but some have chosen to accept the option. We trust that the blood of Jesus is sufficient and complete to make me right with God. That faith is revealed in our baptism and in the way we live our life. But all of that is in response to what God has done.

The gospel message is clear. There is only one way to be right with God—through Jesus. Any other way is rejection of God’s mercy.

Here’s the conclusion of the matter. God is merciful in our rejection. How do you explain that? How do you explain that God continues to pursue those who continue to reject him? How do you explain that God can forgive your rejection, love you even while you are his enemy, do what is right for you when you don’t want him? Being given a choice demonstrates the depth of God’s mercy. Choosing to live for God says nothing about us; it says everything about the God who provides the choice. There is no boasting. There is only praise. Romans 11:33–36.

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