Jew and Gentile
A Sermon on Romans 9:25-26
Originally preached March 8, 1963
Scripture
25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they …
Sermon Description
The Old Testament Scriptures testify that salvation is for Jews as well as the Gentiles. Surprisingly, many Jews needed to be convinced of this in the first century. In this sermon on Romans 9:25–26 titled “Jew and Gentile,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls attention to the apostle Paul’s method. He builds his case using reason, logic, and Scripture. It is clear, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, that Paul is trying to be winsome and persuasive towards his fellow Jews. Nevertheless, the great apostle refutes the idea that it is by physical birth or lineage that one can be called a child of the living God. Paul turns to the Scriptures to show how no one should be surprised at this. Dr. Lloyd-Jones engages the issue of Paul’s citation of Hosea. He combats skeptics of the doctrine of inspiration who question the legitimacy of Paul’s application of Hosea to the Gentiles. As Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to write Scripture himself, he states the same essential truth in a slightly different form than Hosea does. However, since it is the same Holy Spirit that inspired both, Christians can have confidence Paul is applying Scripture appropriately. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones helps the listener understand how the apostle Paul correctly handles Holy Scripture in this passage.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is continuing his argument from Romans 9:24 that God calls people from both Jews and Gentiles.
- In verses 25-26, Paul quotes Hosea to show that the Old Testament prophesied the inclusion of Gentiles.
- Paul's quotation of Hosea 2:23 is not word-for-word but conveys the same meaning. This shows Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit, who has the right to rephrase His own words.
- We should not feel free to rephrase Scripture like Paul did, since we are not inspired by the Holy Spirit as he was.
- Hosea originally spoke about the northern kingdom of Israel, but his prophecy also foretold the inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom of God. Prophecy often has an immediate meaning and a future, spiritual meaning.
- Verse 26 reinforces that Gentiles who were "not God's people" would be called "children of the living God."
- By nature, all people are "not God's people" and "not beloved." But in Christ, we become God's people and the beloved children of God.
- We are not just forgiven in Christ but given a whole new identity and relationship with God. We become His bride, as pictured in Romans 7:4.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Lloyd-Jones on Romans 9:25-26: Understanding God's Call to the Gentiles
What is the main focus of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Romans 9:25-26?
In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses on how Paul uses Old Testament prophecies from Hosea to show that God had long ago foretold the inclusion of Gentiles into the kingdom of God. He examines how Paul quotes Hosea 2:23 in Romans 9:25-26 to demonstrate that God's plan to include Gentiles wasn't a new development but was prophesied centuries earlier. The sermon explains the deeper theological point that salvation is entirely of God's sovereign choice and not based on physical descent or nationality.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain Paul's method of presenting his argument in Romans 9?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul has a very orderly, logical approach to presenting his argument. He notes: "You just see the working of his great mind. He didn't just say things anyhow, somehow didn't say the next thing that came to his mind. He's got a plan, he's got a scheme." Lloyd-Jones observes that Paul first establishes theological principles, then supports them with Scripture, arranging his evidence carefully. He also notes that Paul addresses the inclusion of Gentiles before discussing the rejection of many Jews, showing sensitivity and a desire to win his fellow countrymen to Christ.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the dual meanings of Old Testament prophecies?
According to Lloyd-Jones, prophecy generally has two meanings: 1. An immediate meaning for the contemporary situation of the Jews to whom the prophets were writing 2. A remote meaning that points to something that would happen under the New Testament dispensation
He explains: "The prophecies of the Old Testament generally have two meanings... [including] a remote meaning, and that is that in addition to dealing with a particular situation that then obtained, it uses that as a prophecy of something that is going to happen under the New Testament or the gospel dispensation." This principle helps explain how Paul can apply Hosea's words about the northern tribes of Israel to Gentiles.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address the question of Paul's quotation method from Hosea?
Lloyd-Jones notes that Paul doesn't quote Hosea exactly word-for-word from either the Hebrew text or the Septuagint Greek translation. Rather than seeing this as a problem or error, Lloyd-Jones sees it as evidence of divine inspiration: "The same Holy Spirit who led and guided the prophet Hosea in what he wrote, as led and guided the apostle Paul in what he wrote here." He argues that only the Holy Spirit has the right to introduce such variations, and this actually confirms Paul's inspiration rather than undermining it.
According to the sermon, what transformation occurs when people become Christians?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes a profound transformation when people become Christians: - From "not being God's people" to becoming "my people" - From being "not beloved" to becoming "beloved" - From being "aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel" to becoming "children of the living God"
He emphasizes: "Don't think of Christianity merely in terms of forgiveness of sins. It is that, but it's much more than that. You're not only forgiven when you become a Christian, you're changed from not being a people to becoming the people of God, from being an outcast and without God in the world [to] the children of the living God."
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.