How Do Some Say Romans 11 Warrants Support for Modern Israel?

This is a shorter version of a recent study on Romans 11. This one zeroes in on the chapter’s more controversial verses.

Romans 11:1: “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”

Jesus called Paul into his grace. Being Jewish didn’t mean he could not be saved. Yet he was not in God’s grace when he was rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. Nothing said here is claiming that God would not cast away the Jewish political nation. He did so shortly after the Book of Romans was written.

Romans 11:2-3: “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot (know) ye not what the scripture saith of Elias (Elijah)? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”

In relation to foreknowledge, God has appointed only one plan of redemption from sin unto eternal life. God foreknew Israel in the sense of planning a specific nation to bring forth Christ through. The unfaithful of Israel often persecuted the faithful remnant (and this continues to this day). Paul’s point is that there were always faithful Israelites (though often very few); and there were always unfaithful Israelites (sometimes almost all of them).

Romans 11:4-5: “But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

That remnant of natural Israelites according to the election of grace is now among the true Christian church as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. How much more clearly could Paul have stated that? The Zionists have no good reason to say Jews who reject Jesus Christ are among God’s chosen people.

Romans 11:6: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

The unconditional security believers go wrong badly since they do not heed the examples from the Old Testament of actually receiving God’s grace. Paul has just used the example of Elijah and the 7,000 people in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal being the remnant according to the election of grace in their time. He also applied that example to the present time. The true remnant according to the election of grace submits to the Lord and keeps the requirements of His covenant. Those who believe that living in sin and disobedience is compatible with having a saving interest in Christ are blatantly disregarding the Old Testament illustration of salvation by grace which was just given. In Romans 11:6 Paul is rebuking the Jews who rejected Jesus while claiming that the sacrifices in the Law of Moses were sufficient for their justification. They also called their hope in justification through these sacrifices “grace.”

Romans 11:16: “For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.”

The Lord raised up the ancient nation of Israel for the holy purpose of teaching His ways to the world and bringing forth the Messiah through it. The Jews as a people have a holy calling. Yet the reality that salvation is of the Jews only means greater trouble for Jews who deny Jesus Christ as the Jewish Messiah and do not faithfully follow Him. The unbelieving Jews are cut off from the true remnant of Israel. This is obviously implied in the next verse.

Romans 11:17-18: “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.”

Rather than rebuking people for not consenting to the unjust, partial concept of Zionism and its disastrous real life implementation, this verse is actually rebuking believers in unconditional security for the Christian. It is often you, Zionist Christians (very many of you), who think that you are immune from Jesus rejecting you in the end no matter how you live. When Romans 11 warns Christians not to boast against the branches (meaning, natural Jews), it doesn’t mean to support them in their theft of land nor back off from holding them accountable for their thefts, murders, and other oppressions. The warning to Christians not to boast against natural Jews comes in the context of stating that Jews who reject Jesus Christ have been cut off from covenant with God while true believers in Him from among the Gentiles are grafted in. This is why true believers in Christ, whether they are natural Jews or Gentiles, are called the seed of Abraham and “the Israel of God” (see Galatians 3:29 and Galatians 6:16 respectively). The modern nation of Israel is an impostor entity. The land of modern Israel was lawfully inhabited by others whom the Zionist Jews stole from, displaced, and murdered (many) in taking it.

Romans 11:19-22: “Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”

Zionists and all unconditional security believers don’t behold the Lord’s severity. They disregard the Lord’s severe judgment on Jerusalem through the Romans in AD 70. They bless Jews who reject Christ as if they are God’s chosen people anyways. They support them in taking land and trampling others with no warrant from the Lord. They speak and act like Jews don’t need to be held accountable for their sins and rather think they can be won to Jesus by flattery- all in utter defiance of the righteous severity of God.

Romans 11:23-24: “And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?”

There is nothing said here to warrant calling unbelieving Jews God’s chosen people nor to warrant supporting Zionism.

Romans 11:25-27: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion (Zion) the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

Paul is not negating everything he said about the lost condition of Christ-rejecting Jews here. He is rather describing the true nature of salvation. Jesus will also restore Israel nationally- when He returns. At that time He will deliver the faithful remnant of Israel (composed of faithful Jews and Gentiles) and judge the ungodly. He will root out the enemies of His Gospel and they will not inherit His kingdom.

Romans 11:28: “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes.”

The Zionist Christians don’t believe that Jews who deny Jesus Christ are enemies concerning the Gospel. They also tend to think that Jews who reject Jesus aren’t so bad compared to other sinners. They are out of line with the Bible’s counsel themselves. Paul had already made it clear that the remnant of Israel according to the election of grace is comparable to the 7,000 in Elijah’s time who had not bowed their knees to Baal. Those who were worshiping Baal in Israel were natural Israelites too. The Lord still wants Jewish people to bow to Jesus as their rightful Lord and thereby come into line spiritually with their faithful ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Zionist Christians disregard the first half of Romans 11:28 and make unwarranted claims out of its second half.

Romans 11:29: “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

Verse 29 is not teaching unconditional security. That has even been blatantly rebuked in this chapter. It is rather teaching that God did not make a mistake in calling Israel (that is, ancient Israel) as a nation to its special purpose in His plan of redemption nor does He regret giving His Word through that nation.