In this week's ongoing study of the Book of Romans, chapter 11 is the next one in line

The Olive Tree And The Branches

]Romans 11]

In today's chronological study of the Book of Romans, the apostle Paul continues his train of thought regarding the Hebrew people versus the remaining nations of the world. He continues to elaborate about the Jews as being God's chosen people while he explains why that status was going to the Gentile nations instead of Israel. Paul quoted from the prophet Isaiah chapter 65 and verse one, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me”. God's purpose for the Gentile nations (that's us) was to extend the salvation of Christ to all humanity, provoking Israel to jealousy. So let's pick up where we left off last week beginning at chapter 11 and verse one.

“I ask then; did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says about the prophet Elijah – how he appealed to God against Israel: 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me'? (I Kings 19, verses 10 and 14) And what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed their knee to Baal'. (I Kings 19:18) So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. What, then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written, 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.' (Isaiah 29: 20) And David says, 'May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see and their backs be bent forever'. (Psalm 69: 22-23) Again I ask, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater will their fullness bring! (Romans 11, verses 1-12, NIV)

God has not rejected the Jewish nation, Paul wrote, and he states unequivocally that he is living proof that this is so. Keep in mind that when Paul wrote these words, the overwhelming majority of Christians in the early church were Jewish converts. It is a documented fact that all of the living apostles (James had already been executed at the time these words were written) were ministering to the Jews of their day. Only Paul, as we learned from last week's study, was ministering to the Gentiles. If I as an Israelite, Paul was saying, can be saved, then so can the rest of us. “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” As we have learned previously, grace is defined as unmerited favor from God. It is a free gift with no strings attached, provided that we surrender control of our lives to Jesus Christ, making him the Lord over all right down to our daily lives. “What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did.” “The elect” is a reference to all non-Jews who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb of God, none other than Christ himself. “The elect” are all born-again Christians.

“... did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.” Paul is saying here that since so many non-believing Jews had rejected the salvation of Christ, he would cause all the Gentile nations to get their fair share of grace ahead of the Jews, deliberately making them angry. Anyone who rejects Christ will be proven wrong, first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile. Those who are proven wrong but still will not change their ways are in danger of final judgment that leads to eternal death. But those who do believe, whether Jew or Gentile, will be granted eternal life in New Jerusalem, a life without end where time as we know it does not exist. Paul makes his point by comparing new Christians to branches of an olive tree. The olive tree is used throughout the Bible as a symbol for Israel. It goes back to the tradition of Jesus teaching us all that “I am the vine, and you are the branches”. It's in all four gospels if you want to look it up.

“I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I might somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough that is offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole branch is holy; if the root is holy, then so are the branches.” (Romans 11: 13-16 NIV)

In the first verse above, Paul makes reference to himself as a Jewish man when he talks about being an apostle to the Gentiles, or non-Jews. He then states by doing so he hoped to “somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them”. This is a direct reference to a passage in the book of Acts where Paul's arguments for his new-found Christian faith are rejected by his Jewish peers at every turn. “Let your blood be on your own heads”, Paul exclaims to them. “From now on, I will take my message to the Gentiles”. Paul then uses a quote from Christ to make his point when he says,” If the part of the dough that is offered as first-fruits is holy, then the whole branch is holy”. Jesus said during one of his parables, “A small amount of yeast works through the whole batch of dough”. This is what Paul is referring to when he says, “ If the part of the dough that is offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole branch is holy.” “First fruits” refers to the ancient Jewish tradition in the Old Testament of offering up a tenth of their livestock and their crops for sacrifice at the temple at Jerusalem. Unfortunately, this tradition is still being taught in churches as being a requirement today even though Jesus' sacrifice on the cross takes the place of Old Testament teachings. (yes, you should still give to your church and other non-profits, but the 10% requirement was abolished when Christ rose from the dead three days after he was crucified. Any church that teaches tithing 10% of one's income today is bending and twisting the Gospel so as to turn houses of worship into profitable businesses. God will deal with them severely!).

“If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap of the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in'. Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.” (Romans 11: 17-21 NIV)

In this passage, the branches that have been “broken off” is a metaphor for non-believers. New believers from all backgrounds are what Paul calls “wild olive shoots”. They are grafted into the vine that is Christ (“I am the vine, you are the branches”) by our faith. They become a branch that is part of the olive tree that symbolizes Israel. Since Jesus walked the earth as a Jewish man, all who put their faith in Christ literally become Jewish by adoption. They become a branch of the olive tree that symbolizes Israel. And Christ is the root of that tree, with all believers becoming branches. And Paul then warns us all that if God “did not spare the natural branches (the descendants of the Jewish nation), He will not spare you either”. All who are grafted into the olive tree that is Israel can be cut off and replaced with new believers if they do not bear fruit. This is a warning from God that we are to remain faithful as Christians. Faith is something that is continuous, that is put into successive action. Faith is defined in the Book of Hebrews as being “the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. Faith is something that does not occur once, but rather it is something that is ongoing and that must be maintained by the believer if our walk with Christ is to be a fruitful one. Being fruitful is the evidence of our faith in Christ. Everyone we meet will know that we are adopted into the family of God when we do these things. Paul then explains this within the following verses.

“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God; sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, now much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!” (Romans 11: 22-24 NIV)

How do we keep from being cut off from the olive tree that is not only Israel, but the entire body of Christ? By continuing in the kindness of God, using His perfect love which is found in Christ. If we fail to do this, Paul warns, then “you also will be cut off”. The evidence of our faith can be found in how we treat other people, exemplifying the unconditional love of God. Our faith, then, depends on our kindness and empathy towards others. After all, if we “do not persist in unbelief”, we will be grafted as a new branch onto the olive tree that comprises the Bride of Christ. And this nation, unlike the Israeli people of today, will be made up of Jew and non-Jew alike, being regarded by God as equals. God sees right past the boundaries of the nations and looks straight into the heart of humankind to discern whether or not we should be a part of the family of God. Our faith in God is something that is written on our minds and our hearts, and it manifests itself by the way in which we live our lives as Christians. And now let's wrap this up for today starting from verse 25.

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has received a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved as it is written: 'the deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins'. (Isaiah 59: 20-21) As far as the Gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who at one time were disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Oh, the depth of the riches and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen!” (Romans 11, verses 25-36, NIV)

“Israel has received a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved... ”. What was Paul writing about here? All of the nation of Israel will be saved, but only after all the Gentiles who have surrendered to Christ have been brought into the Church, that is, all of the non-Jews who are born-again believers. So even though the Jewish nation will be saved by God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see Genesis beginning with chapter 15 up to about chapter 32), the non-Jews will enter into God's kingdom first, and the Israelite nation second, due to their unbelief regarding the risen Christ as the Son of God. “As far as the Gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Who are God's enemies? It is those who refuse to believe and so be saved. God's call is irrevocable, Paul wrote. I'm sure Paul was paraphrasing the teachings of Christ, who said, “Anyone who comes unto to me for worship and for the forgiveness of sins will in no way be cast out”. However, this does not mean that once we are saved, that we remain in that state by default. If a born-again Christian continues to live in sin, whatever their sins might be, or if they become believers only to turn away for whatever reason, it is the same as walking away from a good job, a marriage, or any other beneficial relationship. Obviously this would not be a good idea at all. But this also disproves what some denominations teach, which is that once we are saved by Christ, we remain saved no matter what our behavior is outside the church. This is a false teaching, and if any of you find yourselves in such a church, I would advise you to consider looking for a better one. “For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” We are all born sinners. That's why it is imperative that we become reborn by the unconditional salvation and love of Christ.

How about you? Are you living your life as being part of the olive tree that is greater Israel, a branch grafted in by God? It all comes down to how we treat other people. If we treat others the way we would like to be treated ourselves, we can never be cut off as an unfruitful branch of that tree. And if we maintain our faith in God through Jesus Christ our Lord by continuing in His kindness and grace, we become a part of that tree forever. Let's all begin to practice this starting today. We must be willing to show kindness to others whether they deserve it or not, because Jesus died for us even though we didn't deserve it. This is the crux of the entire matter. If we “continue in His kindness” God will continue in His kindness for each of us. There really is no better way to live our lives for Christ.