Gentiles Grafted In
So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
In chapters 9-11 we have one of the most profound passages of God’s Word, if not all literatures combined. There is no one on the planet who would dream this up and/or create the truth found in the chapters. You could study these three chapters forever and never really pummel the depths of there meaning.
In these chapters, Paul is speaking about the doctrine of election. He is explaining it to the Roman (Gentile) Christians. The doctrine of election, simply put, is that God choose us to be saved. The implication (in our minds) is that means He chooses others to NOT be saved. This devotional is not focused, however, on the implication, but on what is exactly stated. The main thought Paul is saying in the above passage is that Israel was giving all the benefits to be God’s people. But, because they attempted to do so by works and not by faith, God rejected them. That rejection was God giving “all the nations” the message of the Gospel. In chapter 11, Paul address two questions. The first one is in 11:1 and simply asks, “Has God rejected His people, Israel?” The answer is NO, because in reality they rejected Him and there are still some to be brought into grace. The second question Paul attempts to answer is in the above passage: “So, I ask, did they (Israel) stumble in order that they might fall?” Paul answers, “By no means!” The point is, did Israel’s stumble (not believing in God’s plan by faith) mean God’s plan is ended. Paul explains that the fact that Israel fell made it possible for Gentiles to receive all the riches of the Gospel. So many study election and fail to realize the beauty of God deciding to adopt Gentiles into faith. Israel’s rejection meant our reconciliation. That is the amazing truth God wants us to have. Yes, God still has plans for the remnant of the Jews. But, God has made it possible for Gentiles to partake of those blessings. We are grafted into the vine. As branches we partake of the fruit of the Vine (Jesus).
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