Romans 11:1-10
The Remnant and the Rest

Introduction
1. When it comes to salvation there are only two answers…saved or lost. There are no other
options.
2. Are you a believer or an unbeliever? Are you saved or lost?
3. Romans 11:1-10 Paul makes two distinctions:

Are you a believer or an unbeliever? Are you saved or lost?
I. THE REMNANT 11:1-7a
Hath God cast away His people? God forbid!
Paul gives 3 evidences to support his claim:
A. Personal Remnant 1
For I am also an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin (a favorite tribe)
1.Paul was 100%...His people.
2.Paul hated the church. He breathed out threatenings against the Christians. He stood by and watched Stephen be stoned.
3.But God in His mercy reached Saul. What God did for Saul He can do for you. No one is too bad that the mercy of God cannot reach them.
B.Past Remnant 2-4
1.From Abraham on God has always had a believing remnant. At the time of Elijah, he knew of no other believers (when we feel sorry for ourselves, we tend to exaggerate). 7000 were all of the believers in the whole world!
2.God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Foreknowledge isn’t merely knowing something beforehand. To foreknow is to predetermine and preordain. Israel is the only nation God has foreknown and predetermined to be His people and the recipients of His love and grace. (Deut. 7:6-8)
3.Elijah was running from Jezebel after the slaying of 450 prophets of Baal. She was going to kill Elijah. Elijah runs 200 miles south to a cave. In verse 3 he prays not against Jezebel, but Israel! God shows up…He is not in the earthquake, wind or fire, but a still small voice: What doest thou here Elijah? 7000 have not bowed their knee to Baal.
4.The remnant is always in the minority. I have reserved…God does the saving and keeping! I don’t know whether you are real or not, but God does! He knows those who are His and those who aren’t. You can fool me, but you can’t fool God!
C.Present Remnant 5-7a
1.Even so, at this present time also there is a remnant. On the Day of Pentecost 3000 believed. In Acts chapter 4, 5000 were added to the church. Most estimate that by the end of Acts 25,000 believers (mostly Jews) had come to faith in Christ. By the writing of Romans there were doubtlessly over 100,000.
2.Election according to grace…There is nothing in us that moved the heart of God to save us.
*This is the way it is of all believers of every age. It is not by virtue of race, bloodline, good works that saves us. Before the foundation of the world God graciously chose the physical descendants of Abraham who would become His spiritual descendants. *According to Ephesians every believer was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
3. It’s All of Grace. According to verse 6 it cannot be on the basis of works (your

good outweighs your bad) then it would be no more grace! The Jew in Paul’s day
was religious, but lost. They could not find what they are looking for…verse 7a But
those whom God had chosen for Himself did seek His righteousness.

Are you a believer or an unbeliever? Are you saved or lost?
II. THE REST 11:7b-10
*The Rest were blinded…Hardened. Hardened is passive, caused by an outside power.
The power is God.
*Hardened is blinded. It is a medical term and describes the formation of calcium built up
that occurs in the fracture of a broken bone. ‘Calcify’. While it is true that they become
hardened like stone and unable to make any spiritual movement it is the result of their
natural indifference.
* God declares them such because and after they made themselves such
(hardened: 10:3, 21). When God speaks it is prime time. Some of you here this
morning may never hear God’s voice again.
*3-word pictures describe those hardened individuals. It describes every individual apart
from Christ:
A.Slumber lit. ‘stupor’ Eyes should not see. Ears should not hear.
1.God does this. They are insensitive to God. It was their own doing.
2.By continually saying ‘no’ to God, God steps in…a God hardened man is beyond hope! Are you without Christ? Is God speaking?
3.Only God know when you’ve crossed the line!
B.Snare
1.Table…it could be the 2’ table when they could kneel for fellowship or their food in the Old Testament Law.
2.Note the words: snare…trap…stumbling block…retribution. The very thing that was to bless and bring them to God hindered.
3.Hindered: church…the Word…Prayer…ceremony…we get wrapped up in form, religion and we miss the Person and a relationship with the living God.
C.Slave
1.Eyes were put out…bow down is bent under a burden.
2.The Jews rejected the Messiah. They fled from land to land. Hitler…Stalin…ultimately the Great Tribulation the Jew is scattered and pursued.
3.By rejecting Jesus, we choose slavery!

UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE: “WARNING”
If anyone hears the truth and does not respond, the time can come in which
he or she will be incapable of responding.

You are taking an exam…an eternal exam:
Are you on your way to heaven?
Are you saved or lost?


Be Careful How You Answer Because It Will Affect Your Future.