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Monday, January 23, 2017

Monday's Message: Grafted Gentiles




Rom. 11:5-34
“Thou also shalt be cut off” – WHAT!? There it is, folks: you can lose your salvation! Forget about the many passages that blatantly and clearly teach the exact opposite. Focus all of your attention on these six words and form your entire doctrine on eternal insecurity right here; go ahead and cross out – better yet – rip out John 10; Romans 1-8; Hebrews 1-8; and 13; Galatians & Ephesians… just for starters! Those passages will all be irrelevant if we want to form our beliefs right here! I am, of course, not serious about that; however, eliminating passages of the Bible and focusing on a few statements out of context is the only way you will find that you can lose your salvation in the Bible.

Let’s take a closer look at this passage. First of all, God did not replace Israel with the church. No, but rather, He added the opportunity for all to be part of the church. God allowed Israel as a whole to make a choice based on warnings from men of God and from His Word. We find two groups mentioned here; they are the same divisions you will discover today: the minority and the majority.  “There is a remnant according to the election of grace”
The remnant is referring to the minority. “The rest were blinded” here we find the majority. The difference between the two: “election”.

Please do not get hung up on Biblical terminology that many have attempted to redefine. We recently had a Presidential election in our nation. The two leading candidates for the office were Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Both of these individual spent a large sum of money and invested a great deal of time and energy in an all out effort to get elected. I believe we could all agree that both of them desired every citizen’s vote, but neither of them were met with that reaction. I hope that you can see the parallel here: Christ laid down His life for everyone, thereby choosing or electing every person. You and I must now make our choice, just as many did in the Presidential election. He chose all, but not all chose Him. The “elect” is that group who were chosen by Christ (all men) who in turn chose Him.

God has “grafted” us into the Good Olive Tree “contrary to nature” Generally, grafting is used to save a wild tree
A good branch is grafted in to enhance the fruit, yet here a wild branch is engrafted to save the branch. This is only possible because Christ is incorruptible! I have read about grafting and have a basic understanding of the teaching presented in this passage; however, I will not bore you with my limited knowledge. Instead, I encourage you to study out this concept!

The comparison being made is of two groups not an individual situation; though each individual must make a choice as to which group he will belong. Every person must choose to experience the “goodness” or the “severity” of God. There is no middle ground, and it is not our behavior that will make this determination. We must choose Christ for salvation to experience His goodness, or by default we will according to our condemnation of sin receive the severity of His judgment. He went to the cross to redeem us; if we treat that lightly it will not be good for us.

On them which fell…” What was the fall? The fall was from grace. The children of God in the Old Testament went from believing Scripturally in the wonderful grace of Jesus to believing in a final acceptance of Christ based on the good deeds they were doing. They fell from grace to works. They fell from grace to idolatry. These people were saved through the same faith that you and I are saved. We look back to a risen Saviour; they looked forward to a coming Messiah. They wasted the opportunity given to them, so God offered it to others. The Word is still available, but His presence is not as sweet. He left them in darkness and slumber.

“Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” This is not referring to eternal life. This we can say adamantly because the idea of works is included. We can all see throughout the Old Testament that judgment of God and way He “cut off” His people from the provision, protection, and prosperity of the Promised Land.

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6  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.
Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Rom 11:8  (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.
Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
Rom 11:11  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.
Rom 11:12  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?
Rom 11:13  For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Rom 11:14  If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
Rom 11:15  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?
Rom 11:16  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Rom 11:17  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;
Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22  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.
Rom 11:23  And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
Rom 11:24  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?
Rom 11:25  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.
Rom 11:26  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:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?




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