Children (Romans 9-11), continued

  • Romans 11:1-4 – Paul is reassuring them that God had not rejected Israel. It is Israel that had rejected God! Elijah felt alone in standing for God in I Kings 19:10-18, but God reminded him that God still had many followers left.
  • Romans 11:5 – Despite being in the minority, there were still a remnant clinging to God in Paul’s day.
  • Romans 11:6 – What sort of works are these? Works of merit – something we can do in order to be owed salvation (Romans 9:31; 4:4-8). It’s impossible for man to do such works. We need Jesus for salvation!
  • Romans 11:7-10 – Got chose a certain type of people to be saved – the faithful. People themselves decide if they will be in that group. It is very easy for us to be prejudiced against God’s word so that when we see evidence that it is true, our heart is hardened instead of softened to faith. You must have the right information and the right attitude to be able to accept it. See also Isaiah 29:10; Psalms 69:22-23.
  • Romans 11:11 – See Acts 13:44-47. The Jews were jealous of salvation coming to the Gentiles.
  • Romans 11:12 – How much better would it be for the Jews to turn and believe in Jesus!
  • Romans 11:13-15 – See Acts 9:15-16. How odd it must have been for Paul, a Jew of Jews, to go speak to Gentiles and see their conversion when the Jews rejected him. See Acts 14:27; 15:3, 12.
  • Romans 11:16-18 – See Genesis 12:2-3; Romans 9:7-8. There was a physical part of this “tree” and a spiritual part. Gentiles can now be grafted into this tree in a spiritual way, enjoying the blessings that come from Christ. Paul warns the Jews not to have a bad attitude about this as though the blessings come from them. The blessings come from God!
  • Romans 11:19-21 – Be careful with your attitude, Gentiles! Paul warns that they could be “broken off” as well if they fall into unbelief.
  • Romans 11:22-24 – See Romans 2:4-6. If we are removed from the tree for unbelief, we can still come back to be grafted in again, whether Jew or Gentile. This passage also obliterates the arguments from Calvinists around unconditional election and perseverance of the saints. See also Galatians 3:26-29.