Romans 11: 1 – 36
The Outline:
The Future For God’s People
1) A remnant, chosen by grace.
2) Salvation for the gentiles.
3) A jealous reaction.
4) There is only ever one tree.
5) The final, complete gathering.
Some notes: Really I want this one to be as simple as possible. People can then decide what they think of the finer detail.
This is a message of great hope, a triumphant conslusion to Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel of God, a gospel which is of faith from first to last.
God is faithful. He has not abandoned Israel, the salvation of Paul and other Jews is evidence of this. The number is not important. In times past Israel had been reduced to a remnant. God knows who are His.
Again, while Israel had strayed from God, God saves the Gentiles. Christians of Gentile background should always look on this with awe, wonder and humility. It is not that we were more worthy of being chosen than the Jews, but our being chosen points Israel back to the sovereign wonder of God’s salvation. Our interactions with them should be those of people who have been set free by the Father’s saving love. No-one gets persecuted into the Kingdom.
Please note that there is only one bush here. God does not have two peoples, the Father does not have a wife and the Son a bride. There are not two covenants. There is the original bush and root stock. Some branches are removed. They do not remain part of the bush. Other stock is grafted in. It is part of the bush, not separate. The other stock could be regrafted onto the bush, it is well suited for that. The other stock could be removed. There is only one bush.
I don’t know how this is ever thought of as replacement theology. You can’t replace something with itself.
It is clear that Paul indicates that Israel hold a particular place in God’s promises. I don’t know if that includes special real estate or what. That is not the point here. Israel deserves what every people deserve, justice and equity. But ultimately it is not a question of whether we are for or against Israel, it is a matter of whether we are for God and His promises.
This brings us to Paul’s conclusion. Through the the work of Jesus all of God’s people will be gathered. The nation of Israel will be a part of that. I don’t know if that includes all its people at one point in time. But we have every reason to be positive.
God is a saving God. No-one deserves salvation. God does not need to keep people out of heaven, no-one deserves to get in. God provided the way for people to get in. He loves His Son and the extent of His saving grace will testify to the immensity of His mercy and love.
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