Unlimited: Not All Accepted
Apr 26, 2023 533
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news (Romans 10:16a).
Paul here introduces a concept that may be surprising to some today who think that the Israelites were saved through obedience to a law-based covenant, while we (“Gentiles”) are saved through faith. Paul’s statement is based on the premise that the Gospel was also given to the Israelites. The Bible confirms that this was indeed the case, as the book of Hebrews also clearly affirms,
For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed (Hebrews 4:2.)
Not all the Israelites accepted the good news.
“We” refers to Christian believers, and “they” refers to ancient Israel. They had the good news (“the Gospel”) proclaimed to them, as we did also. God’s people in the Old Testament did not receive the Gospel as the accomplished reality of the full revelation of salvation that Jesus brought into the world, but instead through symbols, rituals, metaphors, and types.
Why did so many of God’s people in the Old Testament not benefit from the Gospel? It was for the same reason that so many don’t benefit today. It was because they didn’t have faith. This was the whole point of Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19–31.
Spiritual Application
What does this suggest to you about how you should read the Old Testament? Are you finding Christ and the Gospel throughout the Old Testament? The Jewish people didn’t see it; do you? It’s faith that makes the difference.
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