Bible Commentary on Evangelism and Romans 11:25

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Question: I have read in an article that John Hagee and Arno Froese do not believe in evangelizing the Jews. Does Romans 11:25 support their beliefs? Can you explain this verse?

Answer: We would never endorse John Hagee for many reasons that are obvious to our readers...his ties with the Word of Faith movement, for one.
Although we respect Arno Froese for his strong insight into Bible
prophecy, we would strongly disagree with his beliefs on Jewish evangelism, if that is indeed his viewpoint. We have subscribed to the Midnight Call magazine for years and cannot recall ever reading anything within its pages to indicate such a position.

The Bible unequivocally teaches that the Gospel is for everyone-- Jews
and Gentiles alike. The Jewish person must come to Jesus just like everyone else. Jesus is the Messiah (Read Isaiah 53) for ALL mankind.

Consider the STRONG words of Jesus concerning Himself:

Jesus said, in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Remember that Jesus was speaking to a Jewish leader when He spoke these words:

John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Acts 10:43 To him [Jesus] give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

1John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of
God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

To suggest that one is automatically saved just because one is a Jew is to contradict the Scriptures. Were the evil Old Testament kings saved? Were the evil children of Israel saved when they rebelled against the Lord? Were they saved when they, in their disbelief, worshipped idols and sacrificed their children to devils? No, but there has always been a remnant of Jews who worshipped the Lord and who looked to Him for their salvation. Old Testament saints, by faith, looked ahead to the time of Jesus the Messiah-- The Lamb. New Testament saints look back to Calvary and believe on Jesus-- that He is the promised Messiah fulfilling the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Though the Jewish people are God’s chosen people, it does not mean that they are exempt from receiving their Messiah. “Chosen” does not mean, “saved”. An example:

The Hebrews were slaves in Egypt for over 400 years. They were God’s chosen people even while they were in slavery but they were not saved UNTIL they crossed over the Red Sea and got out of Egypt. The same applies in a spiritual sense. The Jewish people are God’s people…they are the children of Abraham BUT...

Each individual, whether Jew or Gentile must come to God through
the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Messiah. A person is not saved
until they accept Him as their Savior. It was Jesus who died for our
sins (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22) thus fulfilling the prophecies written in the Old Testament. Jesus made atonement for our sin at the Cross and rose from the dead.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every
one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all.

The Church has NOT replaced Israel and God has NOT forsaken Israel but each individual person, whether Jew or Gentile, must come to God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

John 10:9 [Jesus said] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he
shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Dr. A. C. Gaebelein wrote:
"It is Christ the Door, through which Israel also must enter, as every
other sinner must use Him as the gate, the door of salvation."

Salvation comes only through Jesus and each person must receive Him
for themselves. Once a person receives Jesus, they are born again. They become part of the Body of Christ-- the Church of the Redeemed. They become joint heirs with Christ but no one can be a part of the Church against their will.

God knows every heart. Each person must make a choice, "What shall
I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" Salvation comes only by believing on Jesus. Each person must receive Him for themselves. God reaches His arms out to everyone and says, "Come" but one can only
come to God by faith-- faith in His Son, Christ Jesus.

BLINDNESS?

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant
of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There
shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

The Holy Spirit addresses the issue of the Jewish remnant in Romans 11.
To answer your second question, blindness is only for the time being and has to do with the nation of Israel as a whole, but not for the individual Jew. It is a corporal blindness but not it does not pertain to each individual and their heart.

No matter what time frame in history, since the Resurrection of Jesus, there has always been a Jewish people who have sought their Messiah and found Him. There has always been a remnant (Romans 11:5) who have sought the Lord and found Him in the Scriptures. Remember: each individual must seek the Lord for themselves. Jesus is not a religion... Jesus is the Savior! He saves each person as they believe on Him and
come to Him by faith. Those that seek God will find Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Many Jewish people have found Jesus within the pages of the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus can be found in Isaiah 53, Isaiah 9:6, Zech 12:10, Psalm 22:16, Daniel 9:26, Psalm 16:10, Micah 5:2, Genesis 49:10, 1Chron 17:11 plus many, many others.

One only realizes that he needs a Savior by realizing that he is a sinner-- and that his self righteousness and good works will never suffice in God's eyes. From the very beginning, God has been looking for a people with a broken and contrite heart-- those who would rend their hearts and not their garments (Joel 2:13), those who would come to Him by faith, trusting Him to be their Savior. Isaiah 43:11 says, "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour."

God is near to those who will open up His Word and reach out in prayer for understanding. Those whose hearts are humbled, not puffed up with their own pride or knowledge; Those who desire to know God and those who fear God. Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Those who pray in humility to the God of Abraham to reveal Himself to them, will be heard. Those who seek their Messiah shall find Him. Those who pray for understanding of the Messianic prophecies will understand in their heart. God will hear the prayer of the seeking humble soul and will answer him.

Though Israel, as a whole, reject the Gospel and are blinded, the Jewish individual who will take out his Bible and read the Scriptures and who will seek God in humility (acknowledging to God that they do not know everything pertaining to the Scriptures) shall not be blinded. They will find their Messiah if they search for Him with their whole heart.

Many Jewish people, including rabbis, are coming to the Lord Jesus Christ every day. So blindness has nothing to do with each individual but it has to do with the entire nation as a whole-- until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek
the LORD understand all things.

WHAT SHALL I DO WITH JESUS?

When a person hears the Gospel, they have two choices: they can believe the Gospel or reject the Gospel. The Gospel of Christ is the POWER of God unto salvation. How can a person be saved if they refuse their Messiah, who died to save them? God cannot save a sinner any other way except by the way that He provided-- the way of the Cross-- JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS. Jesus died as the Passover Lamb. He shed His blood for our sins.

Leviticus 17:11, "...for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."

Jesus shed His blood and made atonement for our sins:
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Jesus rose again triumphing over the grave. He conquered death!
Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

The Greatest Blessing Is Coming to Israel, as a whole:

Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

There will come a time when ALL of Israel shall be saved, when Christ Jesus returns in power and in great glory! There is coming a day when Israel will no longer have the Gentiles ruling over Jerusalem. At the Battle of Armageddon, all the nations of the world will come in against Jerusalem in the attempts to destroy her and just when all looks hopeless, Jesus shall appear and rescue His people. The Jewish remnant shall look upon the Lord Jesus and His pierced hands and feet (Psalm 22:16) and realize that it was Him all along, who is their Messiah. That day will come at the time of Armageddon, when Jesus returns in power to rescue them:

Zechariah 12:9-11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son
of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Daniel 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

EVANGELISM IS MOST IMPORTANT

So just from the few verses above, we can see that evangelism is most important-- first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. We must proclaim the Gospel to every person for the Gospel is for EVERYONE. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is good news and we are commanded to share it with a lost and dying world. How can one receive Jesus accept they hear the Gospel? One must hear first in order to believe. So Jesus gave us a commandment to preach the Gospel to every creature-- Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven. He is our Messiah! "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." (Acts 16:31)

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Romans 10:12-17 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jesus commanded us:

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

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