the acts of the apostles-第63节

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in　Christ；　had　developed　strength　of　Christian　character。　Their　words　and
acts　revealed　the　transforming　power　of　the　grace　of　God；　and　they　were　now
a　strong　force　for　good　in　that　center　of　heathenism　and　superstition。　In
the　society　of　his　beloved　companions　and　these　faithful　converts　the
apostle's　worn　and　troubled　spirit　found　rest。

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During　his　sojourn　at　Corinth；　Paul　found　time　to　look　forward　to　new　and
wider　fields　of　service。　His　contemplated　journey　to　Rome　especially
occupied　his　thoughts。　To　see　the　Christian　faith　firmly　established　at　the
great　center　of　the　known　world　was　one　of　his　dearest　hopes　and　most
cherished　plans。　A　church　had　already　been　established　in　Rome；　and　the
apostle　desired　to　secure　the　co…operation　of　the　believers　there　in　the
work　to　be　accomplished　in　Italy　and　in　other　countries。　To　prepare　the　way
for　his　labors　among　these　brethren；　many　of　whom　were　as　yet　strangers　to
him；　he　sent　them　a　letter　announcing　his　purpose　of　visiting　Rome　and　his
hope　of　planting　the　standard　of　the　cross　in　Spain。

In　his　epistle　to　the　Romans；　Paul　set　forth　the　great　principles　of　the
gospel。　He　stated　his　position　on　the　questions　which　were　agitating　the
Jewish　and　the　Gentile　churches；　and　showed　that　the　hopes　and　promises
which　had　once　belonged　especially　to　the　Jews　were　now　offered　to　the
Gentiles　also。

With　great　clearness　and　power　the　apostle　presented　the　doctrine　of
justification　by　faith　in　Christ。　He　hoped　that　other　churches　also　might　be
helped　by　the　instruction　sent　to　the　Christians　at　Rome；　but　how　dimly
could　he　foresee　the　far…reaching　influence　of　his　words！　Through　all　the
ages　the　great　truth　of　justification　by　faith　has　stood　as　a　mighty　beacon
to　guide　repentant　sinners　into　the　way　of　life。　It　was　this　light　that
scattered　the　darkness　which　enveloped　Luther's　mind　and　revealed　to　him　the
power　of　the

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blood　of　Christ　to　cleanse　from　sin。　The　same　light　has　guided　thousands　of
sin…burdened　souls　to　the　true　Source　of　pardon　and　peace。　For　the　epistle
to　the　church　at　Rome；　every　Christian　has　reason　to　thank　God。

In　this　letter　Paul　gave　free　expression　to　his　burden　in　behalf　of　the
Jews。　Ever　since　his　conversion；　he　had　longed　to　help　his　Jewish　brethren
to　gain　a　clear　understanding　of　the　gospel　message。　〃My　heart's　desire　and
prayer　to　God　for　Israel　is；〃　he　declared；　〃that　they　might　be　saved。〃

It　was　no　ordinary　desire　that　the　apostle　felt。　Constantly　he　was
petitioning　God　to　work　in　behalf　of　the　Israelites　who　had　failed　to
recognize　Jesus　of　Nazareth　as　the　promised　Messiah。　〃I　say　the　truth　in
Christ；〃　he　assured　the　believers　at　Rome；　〃my　conscience　also　bearing　me
witness　in　the　Holy　Ghost；　that　I　have　great　heaviness　and　continual　sorrow
in　my　heart。　For　I　could　wish　that　myself　were　accursed　from　Christ　for　my
brethren；　my　kinsmen　according　to　the　flesh：　who　are　Israelites；　to　whom
pertaineth　the　adoption；　and　the　glory；　and　the　covenants；　and　the　giving　of
the　law；　and　the　service　of　God；　and　the　promises；　whose　are　the　fathers；
and　of　whom　as　concerning　the　flesh　Christ　came；　who　is　over　all；　God
blessed　forever。〃

The　Jews　were　God's　chosen　people；　through　whom　He　had　purposed　to　bless　the
entire　race。　From　among　them　God　had　raised　up　many　prophets。　These　had
foretold　the　advent　of　a　Redeemer　who　was　to　be　rejected　and　slain　by　those
who　should　have　been　the　first　to　recognize　Him　as　the　Promised　One。

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The　prophet　Isaiah；　looking　down　through　the　centuries　and　witnessing　the
rejection　of　prophet　after　prophet　and　finally　of　the　Son　of　God；　was
inspired　to　write　concerning　the　acceptance　of　the　Redeemer　by　those　who　had
never　before　been　numbered　among　the　children　of　Israel。　Referring　to　this
prophecy；　Paul　declares：　〃Esaias　is　very　bold；　and　saith；　I　was　found　of
them　that　sought　Me　not；　I　was　made　manifest　unto　them　that　asked　not　after
Me。　But　to　Israel　He　saith；　All　day　long　I　have　stretched　forth　My　hands
unto　a　disobedient　and　gainsaying　people。〃

Even　though　Israel　rejected　His　Son；　God　did　not　reject　them。　Listen　to　Paul
as　he　continues　the　argument：　〃I　say　then；　Hath　God　cast　away　His　people？
God　forbid。　For　I　also　am　an　Israelite；　of　the　seed　of　Abraham；　of　the　tribe
of　Benjamin。　God　hath　not　cast　away　His　people　which　He　foreknew。　Wot　ye　not
what　the　Scripture　saith　of　Elias？　how　he　maketh　intercession　to　God　against
Israel；　saying；　Lord；　they　have　killed　Thy　prophets；　and　digged　down　Thine
altars；　and　I　am　left　alone；　and　they　seek　my　life。　But　what　saith　the
answer　of　God　unto　him？　I　have　reserved　to　Myself　seven　thousand　men；　who
have　not　bowed　the　knee　to　the　image　of　Baal。　Even　so　then　at　this　present
time　also　there　is　a　remnant　according　to　the　election　of　grace。〃

Israel　had　stumbled　and　fallen；　but　this　did　not　make　it　impossible　for　them
to　rise　again。　In　answer　to　the　question；　〃Have　they　stumbled　that　they
should　fall？〃　the　apostle　replies：　〃God　forbid：　but　rather　through　their
fall　salvation

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is　come　unto　the　Gentiles；　for　to　provoke　them　to　jealousy。　Now　if　the　fall
of　them　be　the　riches　of　the　world；　and　the　diminishing　of　them　the　riches
of　the　Gentiles；　how　much　more　their　fullness？　For　I　speak　to　you　Gentiles；
inasmuch　as　I　am　the　apostle　of　the　Gentiles；　I　magnify　mine　office：　if　by
any　means　I　may　provoke　to　emulation　them　which　are　my　flesh；　and　might　save
some　of　them。　For　if　the　casting　away　of　them　be　the　reconciling　of　the
world；　what　shall　the　receiving　of　them　be；　but　life　from　the　dead？〃

It　was　God's　purpose　that　His　grace　should　be　revealed　among　the　Gentiles　as
well　as　among　the　Israelites。　This　had　been　plainly　outlined　in　Old
Testament　prophecies。　The　apostle　uses　some　of　these　prophecies　in　his
argument。　〃Hath　not　the　potter　power　over　the　clay；〃　he　inquires；　〃of　the
same　lump　to　make　one　vessel　unto　honor；　and　another　unto　dishonor？　What　if
God；　willing　to　show　His　wrath；　and　to　make　His　power　known；　endured　with
much　long…suffering　the　vessels　of　wrath　fitted　to　destruction：　and　that　He
might　make　known　the　riches　of　His　glory　on　the　vessels　of　mercy；　which　He
had　afore　prepared　unto　glory；　even　us；　whom　He　hath　called；　not　of　the　Jews
only；　but　also　of　the　Gentiles？　As　He　saith　also　in　Osee；　I　will　call　them
My　people；　which　were　not　My　people；　and　her　beloved；　which　was　not　beloved。
And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　that　in　the　place　where　it　was　said　unto　them；　Ye
are　not　My　people；　there　shall　they　be　called　the　children　of　the　living
God。〃　See　Hosea　1：10。

Notwithstanding　Israel's　failure　as　a　nation；　there　remained　among　them　a
goodly　remnant　of　such　as　should　be　saved。

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At　the　time　of　the　Saviour's　advent　there　were　faithful　men　and　women　who
had　received　with　gladness　the　message　of　John　the　Baptist；　and　had　thus
been　led　to　study　anew　the　prophecies　concerning　the　Messiah。　When　the　early
Christian　church　was　founded；　it　was　composed　of　these　faithful　Jews　who
recognized　Jesus　of　Nazareth　as　the　one　for　whose　advent　they　had　been
longing。　It　is　to　this　remnant　that　Paul　refers　when　he　writes；　〃If　the
first　fruit　be　holy；　the　lump　is　also　holy：　and　if　the　root　be　holy；　so　are
the　branches。〃

Paul　likens　the　remnant　in　Israel　to　a　noble　olive　tree；　some　of　whose
branches　have　been　broken　off。　He　compares　the　Gentiles　to　branches　from　a
wild　olive　tree；　grafted　into　the　parent　stock。　〃If　some　of　the　branches　be
broken　off；〃　he　writes　to　the　Gentile　believers；　〃and　thou；　being　a　wild
olive　tree；　wert　grafted　in　among　them；　and　with　them　partakest　of　the　root
and　fatness　of　the　olive　tree；　boast　not　against　the　branches。　But　if　thou
boast；　thou　barest　not　the　root；　but　the　root　thee。　Thou　wilt　say　then；　The
branches　were　broken　off；　that　I　might　be　grafted　in。　Well；　because　of
unbelief　they　were　broken　off；　and　thou　standest　by　faith。　Be　not
high…minded；　but　fear：　for　if　God　spared　not　the　natural　branches；　take　heed
lest　He　also　spare　not　thee。　Behold　therefore　the　goodness　and　severity　of
God：　on　them　which　fell；　severity；　but　toward　thee；　goodness；　if　thou
continue　in　His　goodness：　otherwise　thou　also　shalt　be　cut　off。〃

Through　unbelief　and　the　rejection　of　Heaven's　purpose　for　her；　Israel　as　a
nation　had　lost　her　connection　with　God。　But　the　branches　that　had　been
separated　from　the　parent

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stock　God　was　able　to　reunite　with　the　true　stock　of　Israel　the　remnant
who　had　remained　true　to　the　God　of　their　fathers。　〃They　also；〃　the　apostle
declares　of　these　broken　branches；　〃if　they　abide　not　still　in　unbelief；
shall　be　grafted　in：　for　God　is　able　to　graft　them　in　again。〃　〃If　thou；〃　he
writes　to　the　Gentiles；　〃wert　cut　out　of　the　olive　tree　which　is　wild　by
nature；　and　wert　grafted　contrary　to　nature　into　a　good　olive　tree：　how　much
more　shall　these；　which　be　the　natural　branches；　be　grafted　into　their　own
olive　tree？　For　I　would　not；　brethren；　that　ye　should　be　ignorant　of　this
mystery；　lest　ye　should　be　wise　in　your　own