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To God's Glory - Romans 11

TO GOD'S GLORY: ROMANS 11
By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Banner of Truth. 290 pages £14.95.
ISBN 0 85151 748 X

This volume is a very worthy addition to the much appreciated series of the late Dr. Lloyd-Jones's classic expositions of Paul's epistles to the Romans. In these pages he deals with the 11th chapter.
The author argues persuasively that in chapter 11, Paul really does deal with the future, not of some theological construct termed 'Israel', but with the future of the Jews as a nation/people. Though Israel has fallen badly, Paul insists that God has not finished with the Jews but there is a glorious renewal in Christ which is yet to unfold. Paul's pastoral application is that Gentiles are not to be arrogant against the Jews because of their current spiritual condition - surely the root of so much of the abhorrent anti-Semitism which has disgraced history, not least some church history. In the face of such persecution, surely the preservation of the Jews as a people down all the centuries is amazing and points to the fact that God will fulfil his promise.
However, though taking this broad approach, Dr. Lloyd-Jones has some stern warnings. 'What Paul is concerned about here is the salvation of 'all Israel'. He does not say anything here about the future of the Jewish nation from any kind of governmental point of view, nor even in terms of the land of Palestine . . . There are even those who say that, in the future, Jews are going to be saved by keeping the Law, which is to me the most monstrous thing anyone can ever say. There is only one way of salvation . . . it is always by faith in Jesus Christ' (p.186).
The end of Romans 11 finds Paul bursting into heartfelt worship. The Doctor points out that this is because of Paul's deep understanding of God's ways in salvation. 'That is the invariable order of the Scripture. Mind, heart, will. And we must always be very careful and very wary of any teaching that bypasses the mind and goes to the will, or puts these things in antithesis, or as if they were different.' (p.254)
Others have tried to imitate Dr. Lloyd-Jones and often failed. He was a one-off. This is rich and deep exposition which leaves the heart aglow!

JEB
Dr John Benton