Welcome back to our study of the book of Romans by the late Dr. RC Sproul. Today we’ll be looking at Romans 11:1-36
Romans 11
The Remnant of Israel
11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,[a] a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever.”
Gentiles Grafted In
11 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. 12 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[b] mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[c] of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:[d] a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now[e] receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
This chapter includes 5 separate lectures, see links below for access
1.Israel’s Rejection Not Total ( Romans 11:1-10) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
The apostle Paul wonders, “Has God driven away His elect?” and responds with a passage from Elijah and the episode with the prophets of Baal. Even among apostates, as Elijah discovered, and as we see with apostate churches today, there is always a remnant. In Chapter 11, Dr. Sproul explains that ethnic Israel is being discussed.
2.Israel’s Rejection Not Final Part 1 ( Romans 11: 11-23) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Even though Israel stumbled, salvation has come to the Gentiles as a result of that stumbling, according to Paul. This sets the stage for Paul’s exposition of the “mystery” and his outreach to the Gentiles. Even if there have been examples of Jews evangelizing, like as Jonah, they still do not do much nowadays. Dr. Sproul talks on the significance of the Olive Tree in Israel, as well as circumcision.
3.Israel’s Rejection Not Final Part 2 ( Romans 11: 25-26) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Paul says that Israel has been partially blinded until the whole of the Gentiles has come in, and then adds, “and thus all Israel will be saved.” Is there a future for ethnic Israel in this verse because the term “until” refers to a time frame? The terms fullness of the Gentiles and times of the Gentiles are comparable, according to Dr. Sproul.
4.Israel’s Rejection Not Final Part 3 ( Romans 11: 26-35) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Dr. Sproul explores open theism and whether God has complete awareness of all occurrences in this lesson. If something happens, we may trust that it is God’s will. God does not wait for the sinner to change before bringing him to Him; rather, God goes to the sinner and changes him, bringing him to Him. The lecture comes to a close with a study of prayer and how it affects people’s lives.
5.Israel’s Rejection Not Final Part 4 ( Romans 11: 36) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Dr. Sproul discusses three prepositions in this verse”of Him,” “through Him” and “to Him” and what they teach us about the nature of God. In this lesson, we discover that God is the means and end of all things starting in Genesis 1 and everything results in God’s glory. Finally, we discover that God sets the standard and is the source of all righteousness and good.
Be Sure To Subscribe To Ligonier Ministries on Youtube
PS: All the videos series from RC Sproul added to the website have been thoroughly listened to by myself. And I highly recommend them to anyone looking to deepen his/her faith in Christ. We live in the age of relativism and now more than ever understanding what we believe, and why believe what believe is not optional.
My name is Tayib Salami and I started Tayibs.com for the sole purpose of exploring difficult questions about the Christian faith that most of us shy away from. In 2017, I entered a very dark time in my life and it’s only by the grace of the Living God that I’m still alive today. It led me to really go deeper in my faith and consider a myriad of questions that I never thought about asking myself or others before. Welcome and enjoy the ride with me.