Romans - Part 5: ELECTIONSample

Did God Reject His People?

After proving that the Gentiles are entering into a covenant relationship with God and Israel has not obeyed the gospel because they are disobedient and contrary people (Rom 10:16, 21), Paul begins chapter 11 with a critical question.

Has God rejected his people?

Paul is not asking if God has rejected the spiritual remnant, the people of God. The answer to that is obvious: of course not. God has purposed to have a people that are his. Instead, Paul asks if God has rejected his people, the Israelites. Paul’s emphatic answer is, "By no means." This answer can be implied from the previous verse and its quotation from Isaiah 65:2. God has not closed his hands toward Israel. All day long, God has held out his hands to disobedient Israel. God has not thrown Israel away. God has not rejected Israel.

Paul explains that God has not rejected Israel by bringing up his ethnic descent. Paul is an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, and of the tribe of Benjamin. Paul is from ethnic Israel, and his conversion proves that God has not abandoned Israel. God has undoubtedly not rejected His people because God chose Paul to be part of the people of God, the remnant. Paul is receiving the covenantal blessing and promises given to Abraham.

Paul’s second proof that God has not rejected Israel is from Elijah. To understand Paul’s point, we need to know a little about the background of the days of Elijah. In the days when Elijah prophesied, the nation of Israel had abandoned the rule of God, asking for a king to rule over them. Ahab and Jezebel were ruling over Israel when Elijah was prophesying. The majority of Israel has abandoned and is in rebellion against God. This rebellion is so great that Elijah believes he is the last shred of righteousness in the nation. (1 Kings 19:10,14) God comes to Elijah and tells him that a small group of people have not bowed their knee to Baal. Even when nearly all of Israel was plunged into idolatry, God did not reject Israel. (1 Kings 19:18)

Paul brings this imagery forward as a parallel to Israel. "So too at the present time, there is a remnant…." There was a people who were serving God even when most of Israel had abandoned God in the days of Elijah. In the same way, some people are serving God even when most reject Jesus. God’s people are not forsaken, and God will fulfill His promises to them.

Notice that there is a remnant "chosen by grace." This is a point Paul continues to bring up. The remnant are not chosen by their works or by their merits. Because there is a remnant does not suggest that there are some Jews who were successful at keeping the Law. Everyone deserves God’s wrath. Only by God’s grace and good purpose has He decided that there will be people who are His. This point was previously made in Romans 9:29.

Paul also reminds us about grace. There is a remnant by grace. If the remnant exists by grace, it cannot be by works. If there is a remnant based on works, then it cannot be by grace. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. God is not showing grace if we earn our way into being part of the remnant. God is not showing grace if we can merit our place in the remnant. If it were, then it would not be grace. The remnant would be our rightful, deserved place. Instead, it is by grace there exists the remnant, the people of God who are receiving God’s promises and blessings.

We are never alone in our faith in Christ. Sometimes we can feel like we are the only ones left who are trying to serve the Lord. I wonder what number God would give us of the number of people who are serving the Lord today. How many hundreds of thousands or millions of people on the earth are seeking him? God always has a people that are His, no matter how dark the days may be.

-Justin Lopes