Romans 11:1-6

Passage

Therefore, I say, “Did God not reject His people?”  Let it not be so!  For even I am an Israelite, out of a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.  God did not reject His people after knowing them in advance.  Or have you not known what Scripture says in Elijah’s life, how he appeals to God against Israel?  “Lord, they killed your prophets.  They demolished your altars.  And I am being left behind alone.  And they seek my life.”  But what does the divine revelation say to him?  “I caused seven thousand men to remain to me, who have not bowed at the knee to Ba’al.”  Therefore, even in this present time in this way a remnant has been chosen by grace.  And if by grace, it is no longer out of works.  Otherwise, grace no longer becomes grace. 

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul now wishes to talk about God’s relationship with the Hebrew people.  Some will wonder if God has rejected all of the Hebrew people as the message goes out to the Gentiles.  But Paul reminds them that he is a Jew.  The Gospel going to the Gentiles doesn’t mean the Jews are excluded!  After all, even Jesus’ own disciples were all Jewish!  God isn’t closing the door on the Hebrew people; He is simply increasing the people invited into a relationship with Him!  It’s not one or the other; it is simply increasing the scope of the one.

Why do we sometimes think that God works in an “us or them” mentality?  How is God’s love big enough to include any who truly receive His grace?

Second Thought:

With respect to Israel, Paul reminds his readers that at one point Elijah was convinced that he was alone.  However, God was quick to remind him that even in the most desperate of times God had reserved a large number of faithful people that Elijah did not know about.  The point is that God had brought them about.  It wasn’t Elijah or any other human that arranged for those people to be faithful.  Rather, it was God who had spoken into their life and they had responded.

How does God create faith in you?  How does God create faith in others?  Why is it important that we see ourselves as God’s vessel as He goes about His work?

Third Thought:

Having reached the end of this portion of this point, Paul speaks about why salvation by works and salvation by grace are necessarily exclusive.  After all, if salvation is by works, then at some point we have to do something to earn God’s love.  Even one small iota of works means that grace is not enough on its own.  If we earn even one small iota of our salvation, then grace is not strong enough to do the whole job.  In that case, we are not saved by grace; we are saved by that one part we had to earn regardless of how small it is.  This cannot be so.  We cannot earn salvation; it is given fully and completely through God’s grace.  The best we can do is to receive what God has fully and completely given to us.

How dangerous is salvation by works?  When we believe we must earn God’s favor, what does that do to how we live our life?  Why is it so important we cling to grace and not our works?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 11:7-10