This passage in Romans 11 is sometimes not a source of blessing to God's people. Sometimes people avoid reading it because it has many difficulties in it, and of course then it is not a source of blessing to them. Sometimes the passage is come to with preconceived ideas, and then it is not a blessing to those who read. And perhaps this morning, because of the heat, we might find ourselves in a place of difficulty in receiving help and instruction from this passage. May the Lord help us to not be overcome by the heat, nor to give in to prejudice, nor to give in to the difficulties of this passage, and thus to be driven to disinterest. When the elders were praying before the service, one of the men said to the Lord that surely it was not the Lord's purpose to give us this passage to create difficulties. Certainly it was not His purpose to give us this passage so that there could be no blessing from it. That the purpose for this passage is for us to be instructed And the purpose for this passage is to give us help in living as Christian people. So may that be the case this morning. Before we read the text, let me just take a moment to set the context of Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 9, 10, and 11 are always to be taken together as one complete part. It is not possible to rightly understand any one of the sections without having a comprehensive knowledge of the whole section. And in those three chapters, the Apostle Paul is dealing with the relationship of God to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And especially in chapter 11, he is also dealing with the relationship of the Jews and the Gentiles to one another. An issue that lies behind this whole section is this question. How can it be that the Jews, being the chosen, the elect, the especially loved and specially privileged people of God, How is it that they can, at the point of Paul's writing, find themselves in a state of general apostasy, having rejected their Messiah? How can it be such privilege to now be in such a condition? And in chapter 9, the Apostle Paul answers that question from the standpoint of God's divine sovereignty, from the standpoint of election. He says it is that way because God has chosen to deal with only some as opposed to dealing with all of the nation. He says, Paul says, that what God was doing at his time was just what he had done again and again and again throughout the history of the nation of Israel, where he had chosen to deal with a small part, with a remnant, as opposed to dealing with the nation as a whole. And then at the end of chapter 9 and on through the end of chapter 10, he deals with this from a different perspective. How is it that they could be so privileged to now be in a place of apostasy? The second answer he gives is because they were responsible for their rejection of the Messiah. They were responsible for rejecting God's method of salvation by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They would not receive that. They wanted to hang on to their misunderstanding that God would save them on the basis of works. And they wouldn't relinquish that. And they wouldn't open up their heart to receive the gospel as it was given to them through the Lord Jesus Christ. And then in chapter 11, having given those two broad reasons as to why the privileged people were in a state of apostasy, then he asks this question in beginning of verse 1 of chapter 11. I say then, did God cast off his people? And chapter 11 is devoted to answering that question. They were privileged. They are apostate. Does that mean that God has rejected them? And in verses 1 through 10 of this section, Paul says, no, He has not rejected them totally because He's still dealing with a remnant. And in verses 11 through the end, he says, no, God has not rejected them totally because he's still dealing with a remnant, and God has not rejected them finally because there is yet a time where he will deal with the fullness of Israel. We began last Lord's Day to look at the first section, verses 1 through 10, And God willing, we'll finish with that section this morning. Please follow with me as we read together Romans chapter 11, verses 1 through 10. I say then, did God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God did not cast off his people, which he foreknew. Or know you not what the scripture saith of Elijah, how he pleadeth with God against Israel? Lord, this is what Elijah said, Lord, they have killed thy prophets. They have digged your altars and I am left alone and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? God said to Elijah, I have left for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Even so, then, at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. But if it is by grace, it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. What then? that which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not. But the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened. According as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear unto this very day. And David said, let the Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see and bow down their back always. Now in this section, Sorry for this long review, but it's important to have the background before we get to the material this morning. In this section, we said it breaks down into three headings. There's the question that Paul puts before them, the question, the answer, And then having given the answer, Paul makes three implications, three things that he wants to say to the Roman Christians. So there's the question, the answer, and then three implications. Last time, we looked at the question, did God cast off his people? And we considered the issue as to who those people are. Who does the phrase His people refer to? Some think it refers to the nation as a whole. Other think it refers to the remnant and only to part of the nation. We said that the passage is referring to God's dealings with the nation as a whole. Will God cast off the nation as a whole? It would not be a relevant question to ask, will God cast off the remnant? That's not a question. Of course He won't cast off the remnant. The issue is, will He cast off the nation as a whole? And we said that it refers to the nation as a whole for two reasons. One is that the scriptures throughout the Old and New Testaments refer to the nation as God's chosen people. Such passages as Deuteronomy 4.20, Deuteronomy 7.6-8, Deuteronomy 10, 14 through 15 established that the nation, composed of some that loved God and some that didn't, the nation was the peculiar object of God's favor. He loved them from the beginning. He loved them and promised that he would love them forever. Later in their history, in 1 Samuel 12 and Psalm 94 and Jeremiah 30 and 31, later at various strategic points in the history of the nation, when the nation was generally apostate, God came again and reminded them that he had right to bring the curses of his covenant upon them, which he did. And though he might have cast them off again and again and again, he came to them and said, I am committed to you with an everlasting love. And he promised his faithfulness to them. The second reason that we said this refers to the nation as opposed to the remnant is because of the context of Romans chapter 9, 10, and 11. The context virtually requires that this phrase refer to the nation as a whole and not as a remnant. And we won't go over all of that ground. That's the question. Will God cast off the holy nation? Now we have the answer. And the Apostle Paul, in verses 1 through 5, makes four statements. Four statements which all together are a very powerful no. No, he will not cast off the nation. Look at these very quickly. The first statement is in the first verse. God forbid. Will he cast them off? Absolutely not. It's unthinkable. May it never be. The second statement is at the last of verse one. For I am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. Will God cast off his people? Number one, absolutely not. Number two, look at me. I am a Jew. I am a well-pedigreed Jew. I hated Christ. I opposed Christianity. I was self-righteous. God has saved me. Is God casting off his people? No. I'm one of those people. He didn't cast all of us off. The third statement he makes is in verse two, God did not cast off his people. which he foreknew. And again, the reference here is to Israel as a whole, not to the remnant of the people. The people of Israel as a whole are said to be loved with an everlasting love. The nation is called the elect nation. The nation is said to be redeemed by God. The nation is said to be adopted by God. And here the nation is said to be foreknown by God. And what does it mean to foreknow? What does it mean for God to foreknow? Well, to foreknow is to think upon beforehand. It is to give prior thought to or to give priority in thought. To be foreknown is to be in a place of special consideration. And God did think upon Israel as a nation in a special way. He did regard them with favor before others. He did place them in a place of special and undeserved favor. If they were loved from everlasting and chosen as his people and redeemed and adopted, then it is certainly necessary that they were foreknown, that they were fought upon in a previous way regarded with special favor. Now, all of these words to be love from the foundation of the world, to be chosen, to be elect, to be redeemed, to be adopted, to be foreknown. All of these words are used in the New Testament in reference to the individual people of God, in reference to our individual salvation. But those very same words are used in reference to the nation of Israel, not in terms of their salvation and forgiveness of sins and going on to heaven, but in terms of special privilege. The whole nation was elected, not in the sense that they would all go to heaven, but they were elected in the sense they were all brought into the context of special blessings. The whole nation was redeemed, not in the sense that they would all go to heaven, but they were all redeemed out of the slavery of sin in Egypt. The whole nation was adopted, not in the sense that they would all go to heaven as sons of God, But they were all adopted and God became their father. The whole nation was loved from before the foundations of the world. And Jeremiah 31 brings that to bear in the time of their apostasy. Doesn't mean they would all go to heaven, but it does mean they were all the special objects of God's affection in terms of bringing them into great privilege. So we need to be careful that when we see these words in reference to individual Christians, they mean one thing. They mean election unto salvation. They mean redemption unto freedom from sin and bringing you into heaven. When those same words are used in reference to the nation as a whole, they mean elect unto privilege and adopted unto privilege and foreknown unto privilege. One of the places that speaks so plainly of these special privileges is in this very section. Look back, please, in chapter nine. Paul says in verse 3, for I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites. Now he's referring here to lost Israelites. He is referring to the great nation that is apostate. He would give up his own salvation, he says, if he could but save them. This is not a reference to the remnant. This is a reference to the whole people who are Israelites. And he says in the present tense, whose is 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 is Christ as concerning the flesh, etc. These were a privileged people. They were foreknown. They were highly esteemed previously in God's mind. God will not cast off his people whom he foreknew, whom he loved with an everlasting love, whom he elected, whom he redeemed, whom he adopted, to whom he made promises and with whom he made an everlasting covenant. And that's his point. God did not cast off his people whom he foreknew. The fourth statement that Paul makes The fourth strong statement answering the question, will God cast off his people, is in verses 2 through 5. The fourth statement is that God has not cast off his people because he is doing just now, in Paul's time, exactly what he did in Elijah's time. And now you have reference to that historical event as recorded in 1 Kings chapter 10. You remember the event in 1 Kings chapter 19. It's a time of general apostasy in the northern kingdom in Israel. General apostasy. Elijah confronted the pagan prophets. They were defeated. Many of them were killed. The wicked queen threatened to kill Elijah. Elijah runs off afraid. And Elijah, in a point of self-pity, says to God, please take my life. I am the only God-fearer left. And God's response to Elijah was settle down, get some rest, get some food. And he told Elijah that there are 7,000 men who have never bowed the knee to Baal. And notice what Paul says in verse 5. Even so, then, at this present time, there is also a remnant according to the election of grace. Now, what was true in Elijah's time? The truth was that God had not given up on the whole people, and the proof was that he continued working with a remnant. And he promised that he would continue his workings with the nation. And Paul is saying exactly the same thing is taking place in his day. Has God forsaken his people, the nation? No, because he's doing now just what he did then. He is working with a remnant and working with the remnant is the token in the pledge that he yet has an eye for his people. I think that it is worth noting in verse five that the emphasis is upon in this present time. In this present time, in Paul's present time, God is doing just what he did in Elijah's time. But when you get to verse 11, there's a marked contrast with what Paul refers to. In verse 5, in this present time, God is working with a small part of the nation. God is working with a remnant. But when you get into verse 11, you begin to find Paul writing about what God will do later. In verse 11, he draws attention to the fact that later God will deal with Israel in her fullness. Now, God is dealing with a remnant as in other times of apostasy. Later, these branches that are broken out and taken away from the tree of salvation, those branches will be grafted back in. Later, those who are now the enemies of the gospel and disobedient to the faith, but beloved by God, will be made obedient to the faith. In the present time, God is proving his faithfulness by dealing with a remnant with a few. Later, he will show that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance by bringing the many unto salvation. That's a rather lengthy review, and I do in some ways apologize for such a lengthy review, but everything that's going to be said now in terms of those three implications that Paul makes hangs on an understanding of the previous verses. So now we come to the three implications that the Apostle Paul makes. He's asked his question, he's given his answer, and now he makes three implications. Verses 6 through 10. The three implications are these. Number one, salvation is all of grace. Number two, the Israelites who did receive salvation were elected unto it. They were chosen unto it. And number three, the Israelites who did not receive salvation were hardened. Salvation is all of grace. The Israelites who did receive salvation were chosen unto it. And the Israelites who did not receive salvation were hardened. Look, please, at Romans chapter 11, verse 6. He's just made a clear statement that God is presently dealing with a remnant of Israel. God is presently saving a remnant of Israel. Remember last time we talked about that, how thousands of Jews were being converted. In the city of Jerusalem, thousands of Jews were being converted. A great number of the priests were being converted. Though there was huge opposition from the nation, still thousands of them were being converted. That was the case at the time. Now, Paul says in reference to that in verse five, even so, then at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. But if it is by grace, it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. Now, Paul is sounding a note here that he has sounded again and again in the book of Romans. Salvation is by grace. And in this passage, more precisely, it is that election is according to grace. Election, salvation is according to grace. Now, it's easy to want to just quickly go by that. You're in the Sunday school here. You're in the ABCs. You're in the most basic elements of the gospel. But I fear that even the people of God who have some degree of maturity get hung up on this. What does it mean for salvation to be by grace? Well, the most elementary definition is it means that it's given to you without your deserving it. It's given to you freely. It's not given to you because you've purchased it. It's not given to you because you've earned it. It's not given to you because God owes you something. He owes you nothing but wrath. freely, without you doing anything, without you deserving it, God gives salvation to you. He says in this passage, it is no more of works. The Jews in Paul's day who became Christians may have once thought that their election was according to something of value in themselves. But Paul is making it plain, the Jews in his day who composed the remnant, they were elected on the basis of grace, never on the basis of works or of merit. He says, if it is of grace, I'm sorry, if it is of works, then it's no more grace. The two systems to be saved on the basis of grace, as opposed to the system of being saved on the basis of works, he says, are absolutely incompatible. It's like you're having absolutely pure white paint. The smallest drop of a black pigment will ruin it. You've got something else when you put in the smallest pigment of black paint. Grace is pure, and if it isn't pure, it isn't grace. If you have a method of salvation that is almost totally based on grace, but one thing is left to you. If there's one thing that your salvation hinges on that God doesn't freely give, then you've got 99.999 to the nth degree grace and .00001 works. No more grace. No more grace. You have religions that promote grace, but Paul's point is the two systems are absolutely incompatible. It's either of grace or it isn't. It's either totally of grace or it isn't. This contrast, as I said earlier, between a method of salvation based on works and a method of salvation based on grace is central to this book. And as we've seen earlier, in Paul's mind, it is the crucial issue to understand if you understand why the Jews are apostate. It's because they wouldn't bow to this. That's what he stated at the end of chapter 9 in the first several verses of chapter 10. I'd like you just to look back, please look back to Romans chapter 3. I want you to see how repetitious the Apostle Paul is in making this point. These two methods are always in contrast, never mixed. Romans 3, verse 21, But now, apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe, for there is no distinction for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Verse 27, where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. We reckon, therefore, that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Now, this same contrast is set forth in chapter 4, verses 2 through 6. It is set forth in chapter 9, verses 11 through 16, and chapter 9, verses 30 through 32. It is set forth in chapter 10, verses 2 through 6. And now, in the shortest and most concise language, it is set forth again in chapter 11 and verse 6 and 7. Why does Paul do that? Why does Paul, in a relatively short compass, again and again and again and again press this point? There are two, theoretically, there are two methods of salvation, one based on works, another based on grace. They're absolutely incompatible. They must always be contrasted. Why does he do that? He's not writing an evangelistic tract. He's not writing a tract that is meant to be given as an evangelistic tool to make sure that some non-Christian understands the gospel. Why is he doing that in this book, which is written to a Christian church in the city of Rome? Why is this so important to him? Well, I think it's so important to him because the Apostle Paul is dealing with what is often a real problem to Christian people. He's dealing with what is often a real problem to Christian people. The Apostle Paul is not in a literal sense a pastor, but as you read his epistles, it becomes obvious that he is not an acommodition. He is not somebody that's just out to spin theological niceties. He has very practical concerns at the heart of the things that he brings to his people. And in this passage, he is determined to keep this issue of the contrast between works and grace before the Christians because his experience has shown him, as I trust we'll see in a few moments as we look at the scriptures, that even the people of God, that even the people of God, in their feelings as opposed to their thoughts, in their feelings as opposed to their thoughts are very quick to go back in their feelings to a method of salvation that is based upon works. The people of God, when you ask them to think and you ask them, is salvation based upon works? Absolutely not. with their minds, they would answer very clearly, absolutely not. But in their feelings, in their dispositions, in their unspoken attitudes toward God as expressed in their prayers or expressed in their absence of joy, the fact is in their feelings, Many of God's people find themselves falling back into a kind of salvation that is based upon works as opposed to based upon grace. Now, how does that happen? It happens because salvation based upon works is natural to every human being. It's natural to every human being. you analyze the major religions of the world and whatever their view of salvation is. They don't all have a Christian view of salvation. But whatever their view of salvation is, again and again and again, natural religion is a religion that is based upon works. Just think of some of the major religious systems. Judaism is clearly a religion that is based upon works. Buddhism is based upon works. The Buddhist way of thinking, if you live a good life, then you can attain the perfections of nirvana based upon the way you live. Hinduism is very similar. If you lead a good life, you can be reincarnated into a higher caste again and again until you are confirmed in happiness when your soul is completely identified with the One World Spirit. But it's all based upon how you live. You live well, you'll be reincarnated in a higher way. And if you live badly, you'll become an ant. But it's all based on how you live. You look at Roman Catholicism as an example of a modern religion that has a Christian tent, and what are you given there? You are given measures of grace from the Church, but always on the basis of some work on your part, some act of devotion, some gift of money, some work of penance, some effort to obtain sacramental grace. These religious systems are based upon works because that's what's natural to human beings. There's a universal appeal to all human beings to be drawn to a religion that is based upon work. Why is that? Because natural to the human heart is this idea that they do think, people do think, that they are able to take a hold of themselves and please God. They do think that it is right for God to expect them to do what is right. A lot of parents, you know, they expect their child to obey them. And when the child does obey them, they shower them with kindnesses. And they expect that. They think they ought, they think God is right to require them to do certain things and then you're blessed. That's just natural thinking. Well, because it's natural thinking, all the religions of the world are based on that. But also because it's natural thinking, even Christian people, who are not sanctified wholly, who are not yet glorified spirits. Even Christian people find their feelings and their attitudes going back to that system of works. Look, please, at some passages. Look in the book of Galatians, please. The book of Galatians is written to address this issue specifically. The gospel had come to the Galatians. They were taught that there was salvation based upon the free grace of God given to everyone that would believe the gospel. And they embraced that. They embraced that. They came to understand that their salvation and their acceptance was not on the basis of how well they lived, of how perfectly they repented, of how perfectly they believed. They came to understand that their salvation was based upon how perfect Jesus' righteousness was, which was given to them. They came to realize that their salvation was based upon the perfect atonement of the Lord Jesus. They came to realize that their salvation was based upon the perfect intercessions of the Lord Jesus, which are presently carried on. Now, having come to that position, you might think, well, they'd be secure forever. You'd think that they would have a clear mind forever. You'd think that they would have no mental wanderings, no mental reservations, no feelings that would destroy their security. But look in Galatians chapter three, verse one. Oh, foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified? This only would I learn from you. Receive you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith. Are you so foolish? Having begun in the spirit, are you now perfected in the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain if it be indeed in vain? He, therefore, that supplieth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? You see his argument? Who bewitched you? What's happened to you? How did you get mixed up in this area? He says, only have this one thing to ask you. He says to them in verse two, did you receive the spirit by works or grace? The spirit has been given to you. If you believe the gospel, how did you get that? Did you get that because you deserved it? Or did you get that because it was given to you through faith freely upon the basis of grace? That's my question, he says to you. How did you get the Spirit? He says he knows how they'll answer. He knows they'll answer, well, we received the Spirit on the basis of the gospel. We received it through faith. We didn't do anything to earn the Spirit. Of course not, Paul. So then he goes on and presses the question a little bit further. He says in verse 3. Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are you now perfected in the flesh? Are you so foolish to believe this, that you could have been saved by grace and been given the Holy Spirit through grace? But now you're going to just sort of turn away from that and believe that having done that, God now expects you to take hold of yourself and stir up yourself and make you continue in the faith on the basis of your flesh, on the basis of yourself. Look what he says to them in Galatians chapter 5. For freedom did Christ set us free. Stand fast, therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. Freedom from the law. Freedom from the condemning power of the law. Freedom from the curse of the law. He says in verse two, behold, I, Paul, say unto you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. You are severed for Christ, you who would be justified by the law, you are fallen away from grace. For we, through the Spirit by faith, wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion came not of him that calleth you." What's Paul's concern? They began well. They believed once that they could be saved only on the basis of grace. But some of them were in danger of going back to believing that they could do something in themselves to save themselves. Now, Paul does not say that they're apostate, but Paul does speak to them as if they're in danger. He says, if you do go back to that, then you've fallen away from grace. I asked you to look at these passages so you would see an example, an historical example, of how people who received the gospel did find themselves falling back into a way of thinking where they thought or felt that everything really did, in the final analysis, hang upon their performance. Now I ask you to look at your own experience and to see if there aren't many of you who, though you would never say that, don't find yourselves feeling that and acting that way in many of your relationships with God. If you were in a theological classroom and you were asked to define salvation by grace, you'd do it. But is it not true for many of you, for some of you? Is it not true for some of you? that when you've sinned, that it's very difficult for you to simply believe that if I confess and forsake my sins, that God will forgive me. Is it not true that some of you try to make bargains with God? God, if you'll do this, then I'll do this. Or some of you are so bold to say, I'll do this and then you'll do this. Do you not find yourselves in many cases hanging back, thinking that there will be no help for me until I've done something to reform my life? Do you not find yourselves believing in grace but spoiling it by throwing in the black pigment of paint into this pure white thing and destroying grace by adding these little bits of works? And my concern is not that you have a theologically correct mind merely. My concern is that in your experience that you don't abuse God's kindness. My concern is that in your experience you don't turn away from the full face of grace because you're feeling that I've got to do something to get back into God's good graces. You'll never be able to do anything to get back into God's good graces except this. What you're asked to do is to believe the gospel freshly. What you're asked to do is to set your heart fully to seek him and to obey him. But God has no thought that you could ever do it so well that you would merit his favor. And we must not have that thought either. Salvation is based on grace. Election is based on grace. Salvation is based on grace. Paul isn't just some narrow-minded Jewish theologian who's caught up in this little twist, so he's got to bring this up again and again and again and again, keep making this contrast between grace and faith because he's got some foolish bent in his mind. He's a practical man. He knows that the Lord's people to whom he's writing, the Christian church in Rome, they need to have this straight. And there's danger to always be going back. I really encourage some of you who find yourselves not being able to truly believe in God's grace, but always thinking, God, I'll do this, I'll do this. Smile upon me, I'll do this. I'd really encourage you to think that you are not properly applying the gospel. The gospel is that we are saved by grace without works. The gospel is that we are kept by grace without works. The gospel is that we are blessed by grace apart from merit. That doesn't mean we don't do any works, but it does mean that the works are never the basis for God's blessing us or keeping us or saving us. And until we have that right, we'll be crippled. That's why Paul again and again and again is bringing this before the church in Rome. So the first implication that the Apostle Paul makes is that salvation is by grace. And if I may just add this, if I may just add this before we go on to the next point. He takes advantage of a very powerful argument to make his point. He is saying this in the context of saying there is presently a remnant that is being saved. Who is that? He's referring to the fact that Jews are presently being saved. Who are they? Well, many of them, perhaps, were very wonderful people. Many of them, perhaps, were God-fearers who all their life followed the religion laid down by Moses faithfully. When Messiah came, they were so delighted. Many of them may have been like that. But many of them were like the Apostle Paul, who hated Christ, hated the church. tried to murder Christians, persecuted them, sought them out, opposed everything that was important to Christianity. Many of them were like the Jews that were saved as recorded in Acts chapter two, who were actually there on the day of the crucifixion, crying out for Jesus to be crucified. Those are the kinds of people that were being converted. Those were the kinds of people that were in that remnant that he says is presently being saved. What greater proof could there be that salvation is on the basis of grace? If anybody ever deserved to be absolutely and unpardonably condemned to hell forever, it was those Jews who cried out for the crucifixion of Jesus. But it was among those Jews, those very ones, according to Acts 2, that cried out to crucify him. It was among them that God began saving thousands. Salvation is not on the basis of works. If there was ever a people, if there were ever individuals, if there was ever a nation that deserved to be unpardonably damned, it was the Jews of Paul's time. Especially those who were actually culpable in the death of the Lord Jesus. But Jesus saved many of them. Many of them he saved. A remnant of them he saved. A declaration, a statement. Salvation is not on the basis of merit. Salvation is on the basis of grace and is extended to the most heinous of sinners, to those who would crucify the Son of God. So that's the first implication that he makes from this historical situation, that salvation is all of grace. The second implication that the Apostle Paul makes from this fact that God is saving a remnant is this. The Israelites who did receive salvation were chosen. They were elected unto this privilege. You see that in verse 5, and then you see it again in verse 7. What then? that which Israel seeketh for, and that's a reference to Israel as a nation seeking for righteousness, seeking for salvation, seeking to be accepted by God. The nation that sought for it, that he obtained not. But what? The election obtained it and the rest were hardened. Paul is saying, in his day, a remnant of the nation is being saved. And now he's making this practical implication, making this practical statement. Those who are being saved in my day, he says, are saved on the basis of election. They were chosen to this end. Now we talked at some length about that when we looked at chapter 9, verses 6 through 13, and also chapter 9, verses 14 through 24. So I think that the better part of wisdom would be simply to pass over it, now as we come to this text, simply to make note of it. It's one of those things Paul won't let go of. Paul wants the people, the Christians in the Church of Corinth, to know over and over and over again, salvation is by grace. And if you have received salvation, it's because you've been chosen to that end. He doesn't want anyone to go home and say, blessed be God and how wonderful I am that I believe the gospel. He doesn't want any of that remnant. He doesn't want any of those converted Jews to say, well, I am really a wonderful fellow in comparison to my fellow Jews who wouldn't believe. He wants it to be clear always. If anyone's received salvation, they received it because of grace, and they were chosen to it. It was not that there's something in themselves in which to boast. So let's move then to the third implication that he makes from this, and that is at the end of verse 7. The Israelites who did not receive salvation were hardened. Look again at verse 7. What then? that which Israel seeketh for that he obtained not, but the election obtained it and the rest were hardened. Here's this whole nation of Israel seeking it. The it in this passage would be seeking salvation, seeking grace, seeking justification. The whole nation is seeking it, but the whole nation didn't find it. Only those who are chosen to it found it, and the rest who are seeking it, he says, were hardened. Now he's talking about his own time. That could have been said in terms of historical perspective. That would have been true in terms of, but he's saying it about his own time. There is a remnant right now, he's saying, that's being saved. They're being saved by grace. But the rest of Israel that's seeking to be righteous is not being righteous, and God is hardening them. In order to support that God is hardening them, the Apostle Paul makes two quotes. In verse 8, he makes sort of a paraphrase. He quotes from Isaiah 29 and from Deuteronomy 29 and perhaps from another place, perhaps from Isaiah 6, but it's not a literal quote. He makes a general reference to what was said in the prophets. Verse 8, according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears they should not hear unto this very day. Now, the unto this very day is not quoted from the Old Testament. That's Paul's interpretive statement. He's making reference to how in the Old Testament it said that the nation would be given a stupor and slumber and hardened. And Paul says it happens under this very day. And then having established from that general reference to the Old Testament, he then quotes from David, from Psalm 69, verse 22, and David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always. In Psalm 69, David is referring to his enemies. Enemies of Israel. Enemies of God. Enemies of King David. Enemies of the representative of Messiah in the theocratic nation. Psalm 69 is a messianic psalm. Psalm 69 is one of those psalms that's somewhat hard to understand where David writes about his own experience. But quickly you see that he's using language that transcends his own experience. New Testament takes it up in reference to Jesus. He's the King of Israel, David is. He's writing about his own experience. But he's writing about his experience as Messiah, too. It gets very complicated to understand that sometimes. But that's what's happening in Psalm 69. David is referring to the enemies of Messiah in Psalm 69. And this is what he's praying for them. Let their table be a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and so forth. Verse 10, let their eyes be darkened that they may not see. Bow down their back always. Humiliate them. Force them into a posture of bowing down, bending the back always. Blind their eyes. Make them to stumble. Make them be bowed down forever. And the Apostle Paul takes that language which David used in reference to Messiah's enemies. He said, that's what's happening in my present day. We have Messiah's enemies, he says. There's a remnant of the Jews that have loved Jesus and are saved, but the majority of them are Messiah's enemies. And what David prayed for Messiah's enemies, he says, Paul says, is being answered in reference to the Jews of Paul's day. They were being hardened. They were being stumbled. And in terms of their relationship to God, they were not standing to God with open face, full of faith and love and hope. They were forced down with their backs bent until this day. Now again, it is not only in this section that Paul writes about the hardening that God brings upon disobedient people. Look back in chapter nine where he refers to hardening. in this general passage dealing with God's sovereignty and choosing some and rejecting others, God's sovereignty and loving some and hating others. It's in that context that Paul uses Pharaoh as an example, and he says this in verse 16, So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that has mercy. For the scriptures say unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise you up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth. Verse 18, so then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth. The verses that I just read have reference to Pharaoh. God chose to take Pharaoh and not give mercy to him. He chose to take Pharaoh and harden him. Others, he chose to not harden, but to have mercy upon. In this passage in chapter nine, Paul is saying that in reference to its application to all the Jews. All Israel is not Israel, he'd been saying. Just like God dealt with Pharaoh, proving that he hardens whom he will and chooses to have mercy upon whom he will, so with the nation. Among the Jews, he hardened whom he would and he had mercy upon whom he would. That's the argument of chapter nine. Now that's exactly the argument of chapter 11 again. Here's the nation, the people of God, the privileged people of God, the elect, beloved, adopted, redeemed, foreknown people of God. Just as in chapter 9, he's chosen to be merciful to a remnant, and he's chosen to harden those who would not receive the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 3, verse 13 and following, please don't look there. We may look at that passage in a moment. But in that passage, Paul says that from the day of Moses until his present day, that there is a veil over the nation of Israel, there's a hardening over the people of Israel, that when Moses is read and when the gospel is brought to them, they do not believe. That's just what he's saying here. To be hardened literally means to be calloused. To be hardened literally means to cover with a thick skin or to callous. They're brought to a position where they're hardened toward God. Their conscience Their mind, their sensitivities are like your hand when it's been terribly burned in a scalding water and all the skin is ruined and it's all calloused and rough and the nerve endings are dead and you touch something and you don't feel it. It's calloused, it's hardened. Men's minds, men's consciences, men's religious sensitivities become so affected that when they touch God, they feel nothing. When they touch sin, they feel nothing. When they touch righteousness, they feel nothing. When they touch love, they feel nothing. When they touch horror of hell, they feel nothing. Because they're hardened to it. They're insensitive to it. That's what Paul said God was doing. to Israel except for the remnant. Now, how does that apply to us? I'd like to ask a practical question. How does God harden people? How does the Lord harden people? Well, think for a moment of some of the texts that actually give some answers. Number one, sometimes God hardens people by exposing them to truth. Sometimes God hardens people in the context of exposing them to truth. Look, please, at a couple of passages. Look in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah, chapter 6. Isaiah, chapter 6. This passage is quoted in the Gospels in reference to Jesus' time, but this is written in Isaiah's time about the people of Israel at the time of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah had been given a vision by God in chapter 6. God had commissioned him to go and to preach. And notice what it says in that passage. Isaiah chapter 6, verse 8. Isaiah said, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send and who will go for us? Then I said, here am I, send me. Verse 9. And God said to Isaiah, go and tell this people. Hear you indeed, but understand not. See you indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again and be healed." What's his commission? Go preach to them. Preach to them. Preach to them. Preach to them. Fill them with knowledge and blind their eyes. Fill them with knowledge so that it can be right before them and they won't eat it. So it can be right before them and they won't see it. Fill them with knowledge, go to them, preach to them. And Isaiah did that. And the generation of his day did respond just as God said they would respond. They had a surfeit of spiritual food, which they choked on, which they would not receive. Now look at how Jesus quotes that very passage in Matthew chapter 13. In Matthew chapter 13, you have Jesus speaking to multitudes and to his disciples. And he's speaking to the multitudes in parables. And the disciples can't understand that. The disciples ask him, Jesus, why are you speaking to these folks in parables? Why don't you speak straightforward? Why don't you speak plainly? It's interesting that they should ask that because parables usually are so illustrative. The parables really are plain speaking. When Jesus used the parables, he made things so that the children could understand them. They were plain, they were illustrated. But the disciples asked Jesus, why are you speaking to the crowds in parables? Look at Matthew 13, 10. And the disciples came and said, why speakest thou unto them in parables? And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, and there's the statement then that we read earlier, which says, by hearing you shall hear, and shall in no wise understand. And seeing you shall see, and shall in no wise perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest happily they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn again, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. In John chapter 12, Jesus quotes this passage from Isaiah again. In this passage, in Matthew chapter 13, Jesus speaks in such a way that places the responsibility for their hardening upon themselves. In John chapter 12, Jesus quotes the same passage from Isaiah, and there he speaks in such a way that puts the responsibility completely upon God. God hardened them, Jesus says in John chapter 12, so that they could not believe. In this passage, it seems to be something of a reverse emphasis, because those two emphases are throughout the Bible in reference to hardening. God's hardening is not ever considered to be arbitrary. God hardens those who harden themselves. God hardens those who don't want him. God never goes to somebody that's sensitive and eager for the Lord and he says, no, you can't have me. I'll harden you. It's never that way. In reference to Pharaoh, that point is illustrated over and over. Pharaoh hardened his heart and God hardened his heart. Jesus is making the same point by emphasizing the two sides of this passage here in Matthew 13 and there in John 12. God did the hardening. They were responsible because they would not believe. Well, the point of the question I'm asking, though, is how does God harden? In this case, He hardened them in the context of much truth. He hardened them in the context of great preaching. He hardened the Jews of Isaiah's day under the influence of Isaiah's preaching. He hardened the Jews of Jesus' day under the influence of Jesus' preaching. Again and again and again and again, truth was brought to them. And they received truth and would not respond. They heard truth and would not respond. And in the surfeit of truth, God hardened him. It is a fearful thing to me to think of some of you who have heard so much truth and do not respond. It's amazing. You sometimes hear these wonderful accounts of somebody that knows almost nothing about the gospel, and someone goes and teaches them the gospel, and they just get a hold of a few strands of truth. and believe. It is so glorious to them. It's so amazing to them that there would be a God in heaven that would love them and forgive their sins, that his son would come and die on the cross. And just the minimal details of the biblical gospel so enthuse them. They embrace that and believe. And yet there are others who hear and hear and hear, and the years go by, and they become expert theologians, but they do not believe. They can recite and recite, they can recall and recall, but they have never believed, they have never said, Jesus is my Lord, I will give myself to, never done that. I fear that God hardens his people in the context, I'm sorry, I fear that he hardens people in the context of much preaching, in the context of much truth. How does God harden people? Well, there's another way that he does it. Sometimes he hardens them in the context of exposing them to truth. Sometimes he hardens them, though, by letting sin run its course in their life. Please turn to the book of Hebrews, chapter three. How does God harden people? Sometimes by exposing them to truth. How does God harden people? In second place, sometimes by simply allowing sin to run its course. In Hebrews, chapter three, you have this verse six, whose house we are if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end. He's writing to Christians. He's making the statement that you are a Christian. You are Christ's house if you continue, if you hold firm your faith, if you don't fall away. And then he refers to Psalm number 95 in verse 7 and following. Verse 7, today, if you shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts as in the provocation. As we're going to talk about hardening here. How does God harden people's hearts? These people in Psalm 95 are being exhorted, get a hold of yourself. Don't let your heart be hardened as did happen years ago in the day of provocation. Now that is the basis for what he's going to write to them. He's saying, you present-day Christians, you're in the same position as those people in Psalm 95. Don't let your heart be hardened. He says, verse 12, take heed, brethren, lest happily there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief and falling away from the living God, but exhort one another day by day so long as called today, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we are become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end while it is said, today, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation. Now this is a passage which is addressed to Christians who are in danger themselves of being hardened. And the concern is that they will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, according to verse 13. The passage is a warning. The passage is a call to duty. The passage is a statement of what you're supposed to do in order to not be hardened. So just lay all that aside. The point I'm trying to draw your attention to is what's fundamental to this passage. Why is there a concern? Why should they do these things? Why should they exhort each other? Why should they be concerned about today getting a hold of themselves? It's because when sin runs its course it is so deceptive that it will eventually harden the soul. Somebody sins whether it's a lie and he continues to lie. Somebody sins by violating the fourth commandment and he continues to do so. Somebody sins by violating the fifth commandment and he continues to do so. Somebody sins in ways that they believe are small and continues to do so. What happens? Sin deceives them. and eventually sin will harden them. I'm sure that every Christian in this room has experienced this in a minor way. In a minor way. I'm sure that every Christian in this room has known what it is at one point in their life to have a very keen conscience, unwilling to do certain sinful things. But along the way, the keenness of the conscience has been dulled. And a year or two later, you find yourself doing things that once you would never have done. How did that happen? Sin deceived you. It hardened your heart. You weren't as keen as you want. You weren't as sensitive. You're hard. You're calloused. That's minor. He isn't talking about something minor. He's talking about something that will lead to apostasy. What is it? It is not maintaining a sensitive conscience in reference to sin. allowing yourself to go bit by bit into sin, be gradually deceived by it to the point where now there's a callous over your whole conscience. And when the conscience touches those things that are wrong, it's like the burned hand. It's all scarred. It doesn't feel. And so you don't draw back. Rather, you embrace. How does God harden people? Sometimes he hardens them in the glut of truth. Sometimes he hardens them by allowing sin to run its course. And whereas they might once have been sensitive to spiritual things, they become finally very insensitive and are lost forever. Another way that he allows people to be hardened or causes people to be hardened is by allowing them to be deceived with a false sense of security, a false sense of privilege. That's exactly what happened to the Jews. They were convinced that they were safe. And they weren't. And God allowed them to believe that, and they hardened their heart toward gospel preaching. They didn't need Jesus. They didn't need those preachers. They didn't need this gospel. Why did they think that? Why were they hard? Because they were secure. Well, I don't think you have to go very far to make the applications of these points. I am very concerned about some people that are sitting in this very room. I am very concerned about some people who have heard the gospel again and again and again, and know so much. but have never responded. Some people that have little pockets of sin that they will not deal with. And as the time goes by, you see them being more and more distant from the people of God, more and more distant from the joys of worship, more and more distant from the prayer meeting to the point where they don't come to the prayer meeting, more and more distant from things. Once they were keen to these things, now sin is running its course. Hardening is coming to bear. It's a terrible thing to be hardened by God. You may never recover from hardening. Now let me say these things in closing. Number one. If you are not sitting here with a dull mind and a dull conscience, if you are sitting here with some interest in spiritual things, if you are sitting here with some sensitivity to sin, if you are sitting here with some sensitivity to eternity, if it's something you're thinking about is how will I die, if it's something that you're thinking about is what are God's ideas toward me, what is God's, if you're sensitive to those things, if you're not dull and slumbering and stupid and calloused, You should bless God. You should bless God that he has not chosen to harden you. Those of you who are Christians, those of you who are so disappointed in a thousand things, you're disappointed that you're not more consistent, you're disappointed that you're not more fruitful, you're disappointed that you're not more prayerful, you're disappointed that you're not more spiritually minded, you think God is away from you, think of this. As long as you're sensitive to those things, as long as you're longing for improvement, as long as your heart yearns to be more faithful, bless God. As long as that is the case, you are not in that position of being hardened. Bless God. The passage that we read in Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus quotes the passage in Isaiah 6, and he says, I'm speaking in parables in order to harden them, in order to make them slumber so they won't understand. He says, but blessed are you who have ears to hear, and blessed are you whose eyes see. We need to appreciate the Almighty God saves whom He will, chooses whom He will, rejects whom He wills, hardens whom He wills. And if we are not hard, we must bless the Almighty God for His great grace to us. Some of you children are not hard. Some of you children are very interested in the gospel. Some children write me letters or speak to me and talk about their interest and their sensitivity to heaven and to spiritual things. You, dear children, while you're sensitive, you should believe the gospel. While you're sensitive, you should cry out to the Lord Jesus to forgive you. While you're sensitive, you should devote your life to his service. While you're sensitive, you should make your pleas with God. God, thank you for giving Jesus. I believe in Jesus. I come to Jesus. I will live for Jesus all the days of my life. You may never have the sensitivity of a little child in your adulthood. Don't think that you have to be a teenager or an adult to come to Christ. If you're sensitive now, come to Christ now. Some of you teenagers have been sensitive, but some of you teenagers find yourself in a place where it's not so interesting now to sit at family worship. Some of you teenagers once were very eager to go to Sunday school, but now, you know, going to Sunday school. Some of you teenagers were once very interested to read the Bible, very interested to please your parents, very concerned what the elders of the church would think. Not anymore. What is that? You say, well, I'm growing up. No, you're being hardened. You're being hardened. And you may not be able to escape. You have had opportunities like the Jews had opportunities. You have been taught like the Jews were taught. God chose to harden those who would not receive his gospel. Dear teenagers, don't attribute your growing indifference to growing up. Don't attribute your growing indifference to the fact that, well, I've got a bigger mind now. I'm more exposed. You're being hardened. See it for what it is and beg God. Beg God that he be merciful to you. And you don't have to beg God for what I'm going to say now. Some of you aren't fully hardened. Some of you do still have some cares. You take advantage of that sensitivity, take advantage that the callous hasn't completely covered you up. And in this day, to quote from Hebrews chapter three, today, the day of salvation, with that bit of sensitivity that you have left, cry out to God and repent of your sins and repent of your hardness and repent of your indifference. The Lord has promised that all that come unto him, he will in no wise cast out come this day. while there is a bit of sensitivity left. So the first implication, an application rather, is that we should bless God for whatever degree of sensitivity we may have. And the last thing, the last implication, is to me a very positive word. It is the scriptures indicate that this judicial hardening by God is not always, is not necessarily permanent. This judicial hardening by God that some of you may right now be under is not necessarily not always permanent. Some of you are just about asleep. That's hardening. Some of you are in fact not interested. You're hardened. Is there any hope for you? Maybe not. But the scriptures do indicate that hardening is not necessarily permanent. Look at the passage in Romans chapter 11. That becomes a central issue to Paul in the remainder of this passage. Verse 25 says this, for I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. Look in verse 32, for God hath shut up all unto disobedience, the present hardening. that he might have mercy upon all. He's saying that in this large cosmic sense, Israel as a nation has in part been hardened until there's a point when the hardening will be over. They've all been made disobedient in order that they might one day all be made obedient. In this national sense, the hardening is not permanent. That was true in the Old Testament, and I'm sorry that our time is so far gone. But I would ask you at your own to look in Nehemiah chapter 9, verse 16 through verse 31, where they're praying in reference to their former sins and how they were hardened. Their neck was hard, their heart was hard as a nation. God, he says, could have rejected them, but God was merciful. God kept his covenant. Even when the covenant would have allowed God to damn them and curse them, would it not have been unjust? The covenant stipulations of curse could have been faithfully and justly discharged. But the prayer in Nehemiah is, blessed be God that when we were hard, you were merciful. That's just the point here. They're hard. God could justly curse them according to the covenant curses. Many in that generation were cursed justly. But God is going to remove that hardening. There's a day coming where the all that are disobedient, the all will say, And the scriptures indicate that that happens with individuals as well. And I'd ask you to look at one passage in 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, please, chapter three, 2 Corinthians chapter three, verse 12. Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech. And are not as Moses, Paul's saying, we apostles, we are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away. You remember the incident? Moses came down from the presence of God, his face shone so much he had to cover it. He put a veil on his face so that the people would not be driven back by the shine that was on his face. He says, verse 13 again, and not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away. But their minds were hardened. For until this very day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ. But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. But, but, whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit." What's he saying? Paul is making a historical reference and making a very large application from it. Just like when Moses put that veil over his face and the Jews couldn't see the glory of God because of that veil, he says in the same way, from then until now, to Paul's day, when Moses was read, it was veiled. The Jews didn't understand. He says, from then until now, what a sweeping statement. But when it turns to the Lord, it could be he turns to the Lord. It could be it in terms of the nation turning to the Lord. But the point is, there is a terminus. There is an end to the hardening. It wouldn't be perpetual necessarily. When he or it would turn to the Lord, the veil would be removed. And without a veil before their face, it says we would see the Lord. Just like we, Paul, say we now see the Lord, so will they. You sit here today and you're hardened. You sit here today and you're calloused and you're indifferent. Is there any hope for you? Maybe not. But maybe so. If there is any hope for you, it's this. It's that you would turn to the Lord. In the language of this passage, it is that you would see yourself and you say, this hardening, this indifference to spiritual things, this inability to be excited by what this Christian is, this inability to feel spirit. This is hardening. I'm under a blanket. It's like I can't see reality. I must shake this. I must turn to the Lord. I must ask the Lord for mercy, for pardon, to remove this. The implication of the passage is that where one does that, where one does that, the veil will be removed. Some people take this idea of God's hardening as something that they have no recourse in. Let me remind you, Hebrews chapter three is talking about hardening, and it's telling those people to not let themselves be hardened. Hebrews chapter 3 is drawing attention to their responsibility to not be hardened. This passage is talking about hardened people who have a responsibility to turn to the Lord. You're not allowed to fall back and say, well, woe is me. What can I do? God has hardened me. How can I raise my hand against God? God's hardened me. It's hopeless. Nothing in the Bible to give you that attitude. Everything in the Bible would say that you are in a hopeless state and therefore you must cry out to God. Because with the Lord there is hope. If you would turn to the Lord, the veil would be removed. If you would turn to the Lord, the hardening that makes you this moment indifferent would be removed. Hardening is a very sobering thing. But the hardening which the Bible speaks of is not necessarily permanent. If you would turn to the Lord, you will be saved. This passage is not given to confuse us. This passage that is so intricate about the Jews and the Gentiles and all the rest is not given to give us just food for theological charts. This passage is given to us to teach us about God, about grace, about election, about hardening, and about hope. Because this great God who does harden justly continues to show mercy. And all those that will turn to the Lord will still be forgiven and saved. Let us pray together. Our great God and Father, it is amazing to us to think about your works with your ancient people, Israel. How much privilege you gave to them, how much truth you gave to them, what striking historical miracles you performed to convince them of your truth and of your care. It has always been surprising to us to read the accounts of how many would not believe in you. We thank you that in the face of their frequent disbelief, that you remained faithful to your covenant. The promises that you had made to them, you did continue. But more than that, we bless you that when you might justly have cast them away, and when you might have permanently exercised the curses of the covenant, that you still chose to be merciful. And we bless and thank you that we who stand in a better place, and that we who stand with our feet upon the fullness of the new covenant, can have such security that you are sure in your mercies to us. Father, we do plead with you for those among us who are sensitive to your word. and yet have not known repentance and faith, we pray that you would not allow them to slip out of this blessed place of sensitivity, but that you would please bring them to a point of true faith, of true repentance, of open alignment with Christ. And we pray for those that sit here with dullness and plead with you that you would give them enough light to make them recognize their terrible state, and that you would give them enough light to make them hope in Jesus, and that you would turn them to yourself. Please be merciful to the hardened among us. We ask you in Jesus' name, amen.