Summary Romans 11:1-16

The Israelites (the Jews) of the Old Covenant mostly all rejected Jesus as the Christ, their Lord and Messiah. And all who rejected Jesus Christ were cut out of Israel. But God did not reject them to the point to where they could not yet believe in Jesus and still be saved and still be included in Israel, i.e. the Israel of God. For a remnant of Jews would be saved by the grace of God (Romans 9:25-28; Romans 11:5). But via their rejection of Christ, God opened the way for the Gentiles to believe in Jesus Christ.

Some Branches Broken Off

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?” (Romans 11:17-24 NASB1995)

Who is biblical Israel? Under the Old Covenant, they were the Jews. Under the New Covenant they are both Jew and Gentile by biblical faith in Jesus Christ. But Israel is not just those who believe in Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ himself is Israel (Galatians 3:16; Hosea 11:1; and Matthew 2:14-15). And if we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, then we, too, are Israel, the Israel of God. For the promises spoken to Abraham were spoken to him and to his seed, that is Christ (Galatians 3:16).

Now, all Jews who were once part of biblical Israel, but who rejected Jesus as the Christ, their Messiah, they were cut out of Israel, and they became no different from their Arab neighbors who also did not believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 9:6-8; Romans 11:17-24; Galatians 4:22-31). And all Gentiles who believed in Jesus were grafted into Israel and became one people of God with all Jews who believed in Jesus as the Christ, their Lord and Messiah. But it is only by the grace of God that any of us are included in biblical Israel.

So, not one of us has the right to be snooty about being accepted into God’s family. For all of us are born into this world with sin natures, in the image of Adam, the first man created by God, and the first man to sin against God. And none of us can come to faith in Jesus Christ unless God the Father first draws us to Christ, and he persuades us as to his righteousness and his holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of God’s requirements that we deny self, die to sin, and walk in obedience to God’s commands, by the grace of God.

And we can only live for the Lord in the power of God, and not in our own flesh. So all we have that is of God comes from God and not from our human flesh. And please note what it says here, for this is critical that we get this. Just as all Jews who rejected Jesus Christ were cut out of biblical Israel due to their unbelief, if we do not continue in the faith, and if we turn away from God, and if we go our own way, and we choose our sin over God, and that is where we remain, we can be cut out of biblical Israel, the family of God, too.

For our God defines faith (belief) as obedience, and he defines disobedience as unbelief (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:1-23; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10). And his word teaches us that we are not saved by lip service only. By God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ we must deny self, die to sin daily (in practice) and walk (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord and to his commands. For if sin is our practice, and not obedience, we do not have eternal life with God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

Do Not Be Arrogant
An Original Work / December 24, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love