Romans 11 expositions (#2).

Here is some email correspondence I had with a friend over Romans 11.

The important thing to note about Romans 11 is that it is not talking about any individuals salvation. It is clearly talking about nations and not individuals.

[1] I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
[2] God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
[3] Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
[4] But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
[5] Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
[6] And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
[7] What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
[8] (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
[9] And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them:
[10] Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
[11] I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
[12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
[13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
[14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
[15] For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

1-15 is clearly general information about Paul's Acts ministry how that Israel (as a nation/race) have been blinded but that there is a remnant that is being saved into the grace program. Israel is being diminished and now God is dealing with and blessing the Gentiles (as a nation/race)

[16] For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
[17] And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

It is a little confusing with all the different roots, branches, trees, and fat, but I think Paul is saying that the Gentiles are taking part in the blessings from God (fatness). The Gentiles are the wild tree that has been grafted into Israel's former position of blessings and Israel has been broken off. Israel was in unbelief and the Gentiles started believing by faith (as seen from Acts 13 onward) and now God has the Gentiles in Israel's former position of blessings and "fatness".

[18] Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
[19] Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
[20] Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[21] For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

In 18-19 we see that some Gentiles might start getting "highminded" thinking that God is through with Israel and now they are......I think "spiritual Israel" is a good term for this lol.......The Gentiles might come to a point that they think because they are Gentiles and not Israel than they don't have anything to worry about, just as Israel had been as in Matthew 3:9 "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

The Gentiles were in danger of having a similar mindset, so Paul tells them that Israel was cutoff because of their unbelief and that the Gentiles are standing by faith. That means Israel is blinded and the Gentiles are being saved, but then in 20-21 Paul let's them know that just as the nation of Israel was cutoff from God's blessings ("fatness") FOR UNBELIEF, that same thing could happen to the Gentile nations FOR UNBELIEF.

Some try and use this to say that these saved Gentiles that Paul is writing to could be cutoff from God and that this was of OT prophecy. However, Paul says in verse 25 that this is a "MYSTERY" (not in the OT) and then in v.33 Paul refers to God's plan for all this as "unsearchable" and "past finding out".

Paul had just said in Romans 8 that nothing could separate these believers from the love of God (can't be cutoff).  Not to mention the reason that Israel was cutoof was for UNBELIEF and Paul says that these Gentiles are standing BY FAITH (not unbelief, so not in danger of being cutoff). 

 [22] Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

[23] And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
[24] For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

My interpretation is affirmed here, what I am saying is that Romans 11 is teaching that Israel is in "unbelief" and has therefore been separated from the blessings of God ("fatness") and now that the Gentiles "stand in faith" they are getting the "goodness" and "fatness" and Israel "severity". But if the Gentiles become in "unbelief" they will be cutoff from the "goodness" of God and Israel can believe and come back in the goodness of God.

As a KJB believer I could also use this to say that the Gentiles (as nations) were serving God and standing by faith and so God gave them a perfect Bible in their almost universal language, the AV, as most Gentile nations that have served God (past or present) have had access to English. Though now we see people rejecting the AV and think that they have replaced Israel and are "spiritual Israel" and the "bride of Christ" which they are not. (close to being cutoff?)

[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.
[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:
[27] For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Here we see that the blindness of Israel was a mystery and that they will not be God's people again until the fullness of the Gentiles. 

 

2nd Email.

 

It is a very easy chapter . The context is talking to Jews (nationally) and Gentiles (nationally) and the subject is "riches" and blessings/fatness from God.

[12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

[17] And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Those who are broken off from God's goodness and blessing was due to unbelief (rejected God) which was Israel and so now His goodness has gone to the Gentile nations because they are standing by faith (received God).

[20] Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

[21] For if God spared not the natural branches (for unbelief), take heed lest he also spare not thee (for unbelief).
[22] Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity (because of unbelief); but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness (keep receiving God and standing in faith): otherwise thou also shalt be cut off (for unbelief).

That is the only thing the passage could be saying, for the saved Gentiles standing by faith do not have to work for salvation (Romans 3-5) and they have eternal security (Romans 8:31-39). How could it be saying anything else?

And history has proven the passage to be true. The Gentile nations that received God and as a whole served God got blessed by God and took part in blessings (God gave us a perfect Bible in the universal language of Gentiles) and those who did not accept God have not been as blessed (look at Africa and Asia). But now, for example, America has gotten high minded and has not continued in the goodness of God and the "rapture" (for lack of a better word) is clearly going to be soon. See 2 Timothy 3.

Especially considering, "Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in" is prominent today. People are claiming to have replaced Israel, they have claimed themselves as the bride of the Lamb, spiritual Israel, etc.