神没有弃绝了他的百姓 God has not abandoned His people

罗马书 11：1－6  Romans 11:1-6

我且说，神弃绝了他的百姓吗？ 断乎没有！ 因为我也是以色列人，亚伯拉罕的后裔，属便雅悯支派的。神并没有弃绝他预先所知道的百姓。你们岂不晓得经上论到以利亚是怎么说的呢？ 他在神面前怎样控告以色列人说：主啊，他们杀了你的先知，拆了你的祭坛，只剩下我一个人，他们还要寻索我的命。神的回话是怎么说的呢？ 他说：我为自己留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的。

如今也是这样，照著拣选的恩典，还有所留的余数。既是出於恩典，就不在乎行为；不然，恩典就不是恩典了。

¹ I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ² No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, ³ “LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” ⁴ And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”

5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace - his undeserved kindness in choosing them. ⁶ And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is - free and undeserved.

使徒保罗问一个自答的问题：“神弃绝了他的百姓以色列人吗？神在保罗身上的呼召与救恩证明了神更本没有弃绝了他的百姓。因为保罗是一位以色列人，是亚伯拉罕的后裔，是从便雅悯支派的人。显然的，神对他的决定是信实的。他并没有弃绝他预先所拣选的百姓。

既然先知以塞亚在神面前怎样控告以色列人说，“主啊，他们杀了你的先知，拆了你的祭坛，只剩下我一个人，他们还要寻索我的命。” 神的回话是怎么说的呢？ 

The Apostle Paul asked a rhetorical question: “Has God rejected His own people, that is, the Israelites?” God’s call and salvation of Paul’s life is proof that God has not abandoned His people. He was an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and from the tribe of Benjamin. Thus God is faithful to His decision, He has not rejected the people He has chosen from the beginning.

Even though Elijah the prophet complained to God that the wayward king Ahab and the idolatrous Israelites had killed all of God’s prophets and he was seemingly left alone, and fleeing for his life, God’s reply was: He has kept for Himself 7,000 remnants who were true to Him, and did not bow down to the idol Baal.

Similarly, in the days of the Apostle Paul where the Israelites were under Roman rule and there were people who compromised their faith, and allied themselves with the Romans, such as the chief priests and the scribes. There is also a remnant of Israelites who received God’s undeserved grace, kindness, favor and salvation. And they knew that it was not by good works that they received God’s grace – it is purely free and undeserved. Praise God! The same could be said of Gentiles, many of today’s Christians all over the world – we have received God’s underserved grace and salvation in Jesus Christ, our Savior, and He is the Savior of the world.