11:32 What does it mean that God has concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all?
11:32 What does it mean that God has concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all?
We learn from this that human disobedience in whatever form does not jeopardize sovereign grace (CP V25-32). God wants to save as many sinners as he can.
The word concluded in V32 (KJV), means to shut up on all sides, to enclose, to shut up completely. The underlying thought is that God has shut up the entire human race, Jews and Gentiles alike, within the state of their own unbelief and disobedience, so that He might have mercy upon them all, (CP Ro 3:9-12,19-20,23; 5:6-8; 2Cor 5:14; Ga 3:22; 1Jn 5:14).
This does not imply as some believe, that everyone who ever lived will be saved, but simply that salvation is offered to all (CP Mt 11;28-30, Jn 3:16-18; 7:37-38; Rev 22:17).
Nor does it mean that God ordains sin for the sake of, or with a view to redemption, but that He subordinates sin to His redemptive purpose (CP Ro 1:16-17; 3:21-26; 5:1-2, 8-11, 15-21; 9:27-29; 10:4; 11:1-5,12,23,26-29; 2Cor 5:18-21; Gal 3:22-26; Eph 2:11-18).
See also comments on Ro 3:9, 3:19-23, 3:24-26(A), 5:1 and Eph 2:8-10, and author's study The Doctrine of Grace in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2).