21 The Warning And The Assurance Series

Romans 11:19-24

19You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Paul realises that his Gentile readers might feel superior to the Jews because they were cut off, while they (the Gentiles) were grafted in, and so he addresses this thinking. He goes on to explain that the Jews were cut off because they did not put their faith and trust in Jesus, and the Gentiles were grafted in (and stand), because of their faith in Jesus.

He tells his Gentile readers to not be haughty but instead to possess a holy fear, because if God did not spare the natural branches (the Jews), owing to their lack of faith, neither will He spare them if they become haughty. In fact, there’s no room for haughtiness at all, because the Gentiles have really done nothing to boast about. Jesus did what we couldn’t do. He lived the righteous life, paid the penalty for our sin, and then gifted us with the Righteousness of God. We merely accepted His free offer – therefore this eliminates any possible reason for boasting. Therefore if we boast, we undermine the gracious gift of God, and open ourselves up to His judgment against us.

He then goes on to remind them to bear two things in mind – things they, and we today, should never forget. The first thing we should never forget is the goodness of God, and the second thing is the severity of God. God was good to the Gentiles in that He welcomed them into the family when they put their faith in Jesus, but God was also severe in His dealing with the Jews, who rejected Jesus, and His work on their behalf. As a result, the Gentiles were adopted into His family, and the Jews were cut off from the family for a while. He reminds us that if we don’t bear this in mind we too will be cut off.

He then adds another element of encouraging information. He says that if the Jews don’t continue in unbelief; i.e. if they put their faith in Jesus, they will be grafted into the olive tree again. In other words, if the Jews who were cut off because of their unbelief, chose to believe in Jesus, they will be reconciled back into the family of God. He goes on to say that God is able to graft them in again.

Paul goes on to explain the process of the re-grafting of the Jews into the olive tree. He says, that if the Gentiles, who like a wild olive tree, could be grafted into a cultivated olive tree – something which is contrary to nature, how much easier would it be for the natural branches to be grafted back into their original olive tree. This gives the present day Jews a lot of hope that they can be grafted back into the olive tree, if only they put their faith in Jesus.

Romans 11:25-32

25For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.