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7 Mysteries of GOD (ISRAEL in Romans 11:25 and Dual Covenant Theology)
Philip Williams
Second century Gnostics like Marcion used these passages to separate Christianity from Israel and the God of the OT. The writings which he claimed were for Christians were mostly those of the Apostle Paul. Latter day Gnostics like John Nelson Darby and the Dispensationalist theology that he developed have done essentially the same, extracting the church’s roots from the Scriptures and the promises which they claim are for unbelieving Jews. But should we not understand God as speaking to us through the entirety of Scriptures? Should the imaginations of clever modern men like Darby and Schofield replace in our hearts the words of God given in Scripture?
RichardAnna Boyce
Darby’s capability as a scholar is not in question, but the fact that he was self taught is likely to have contributed to him having the freedom to systematize the history of the Bible from the perspective of literal interpretation. Thankfully he was not taught in the allegorical method the seminaries of the time were teaching. Dispensationalism and Free Grace 65 has long been recognized as a benefit of dispensationalism as well. This is plainly admitted in Arthur Pink’s introduction to his work against dispensationalism: [Dispensationalism is] a device wherein the wily serpent appears as an angel of light, feigning to “make the Bible a new book” by simplifying much in it which perplexes the spiritually unlearned (emphasis added). 3
In Pink’s understanding, the simplicity and accessibility afforded by dispensationalism is outweighed by the desire to apply every portion of Scripture directly to the church age. Thus, Covenant Theology’s unification of Scripture was preferable to him. I have found this to be a common theme (at least to some extent) among many (perhaps all) who have written in defense of Lordship Salvation. This is true even among Lordship Salvation proponents who embrace some form of dispensationalism.
Varnel Watson
but Philip Williams these are 7 real mysteries of God right?
Philip Williams
Troy Day many more than that. But false teachings like Darby’s Gnosticism are more like the mystery of iniquity.
RichardAnna Boyce
Romans 11:25-27
Everything Paul said up to this point in Rom 9-11 has led to this climactic conclusion. Despite what has happened or is happening to the Jewish people, God will fulfill the promises He made to Israel. They will experience future salvation. Paul says, I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this truth. He does not want the Romans to be ignorant of this information, which in one sense, is a MYSTERY. The reason he wants them to be informed is that knowledge of this MYSTERY will curtail Gentile pride and boasting against the Jews.
The MYSTERY is not Israel’s hardening, for that was already revealed in 11:7-10, or that all Israel will be delivered because that was widely held by Jews in Paul’s day (cf. Isa 27:9; 59:20,21 quoted by Paul in vv 26 b-27). This MYSTERY entails the sequence of how Israel will be saved. Blindness will temporarily come to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Two main views exist to explain the meaning of this phrase.
First, some take the fullness of the Gentiles as a reference to the end of the seven-year Tribulation when God removes Gentiles from their place of blessing and all Israel will be saved (cf. Rev 6:11). Second, others believe it refers to the beginning of the Tribulation when God completes His dealings with Gentiles and will again turn to Israel.
The latter view is to be preferred for several reasons. Rev 6:11 does not refer to Gentiles but to the full number of the Jewish servants that will be martyred for their faith. Additionally the phrase until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in may also refer to a fixed number of Gentiles who will become believers (Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 12:13) before the rapture occurs. Finally, Rev 4-19 focuses on Israel once more, which shows that God is done with the church (largely consisting of Gentiles) as the primary people of God.
After God accomplishes His mission with the Gentiles all Israel will be saved. The phrase all Israel will be saved has been understood in numerous ways.
Some think it means that the Church is made up of Jews and Gentiles, and so all the Church will be saved. This view garners support from Rom 9:6, which says, “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel.” However, Paul uses Israel ten times in chaps. 9-11, and it always refers to ethnic Israel.
Others take the phrase all Israel as a reference to the elect within Israel but not the nation as a whole. This is unlikely since contextually Paul refers to the entire race of Jews and Gentiles (11:13-25), not just a specific group. Therefore, a shift in meaning (without contextual evidence) would be necessary to make all Israel mean all of the elect within Israel.
Still others believe that when Paul states that all Israel will be saved, he means that all Israelites throughout history automatically receive eternal life. But this is impossible, because personal faith in Christ is a prerequisite for justification that many Jews did not meet.
Yet another view takes a mediating position between the previous two. This view interprets all Israel to mean that the majority of the nation upon Christ’s return will be saved. While this view is possible, it is unlikely for the reasons developed below.
All Israel will be saved is BEST taken to mean that all Israelites who survive the Tribulation period (as a result of being justified and living faithfully for God during that time) will be delivered from Tribulation wrath to enter the Millennium and fulfill all of God’s OT promises. Isaiah declares how the nation will be regenerated (66:8), and Rev 19 reveals how at the end of the Tribulation it will be delivered (cf. Zech 12-14). In Matt 23:37-39, Jesus speaks of not returning until the whole nation recognizes Him as Messiah. By inference this suggests all Jews will believe in Christ before or at His return.
Finally, the meaning of the term saved, used by Paul throughout Romans, refers to a deliverance from temporal wrath for those who are already justified (cf. 1:18; 5:9; 10:9-13). Though the term wrath does not appear here, the concept does. Paul’s quotation from Isa 59:20-21 sits in a context of great vengeance (cf. 59:16-21).
To SUMMARISE , all Israel will be saved refers to the nation’s deliverance from Gentile rule (known as “the times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24), justification by faith in Christ of every Jewish individual, and protection during the Tribulation so that they inherit the promised Millennial kingdom (cf. Matt 7:21-23; 25:31-46; John 3:3; Rom 9:26-10:1; 11:23-25).
Paul quotes Isa 59:20-21 that God will turn away ungodliness from Jacob (cf. Ezek 20:34-38) to support that upon Christ’s return all Jews left will be regenerated at a moment in time (Isa 66:7-8). Moreover, Paul’s quotation of Isa 27:9, with allusions of Jer 31:34, validates God’s fidelity to keep His New covenant with Israel by taking away their sins.
Varnel Watson
whats your take on dual covenant RichardAnna Boyce