The Remnant And The Rest

THEME: After giving what seems like a discouraging, and perhaps disparaging assessment of Israel’s present rejection of Christ in Romans 10, Paul gave an upbeat prediction of Israel’s future restoration in Romans 11. At present there is a remnant of Jews who believe in Jesus as their Messiah while the rest have been hardened to the truth in order to provide time for Gentiles to be saved. But as soon as the fullness of the Gentiles has come in and the nation of Israel had been made sufficiently jealous by the way God has focused His attention on saving non-Jews, there will be wide-spread repentance and regeneration among the Jews at Christ’s second coming. In other words, Israel’s rejection of God and God’s retribution of Israel is not total nor is it final. In vv. 1-10, Paul provided FOUR PROOFS that God has not rejected the Jews entirely; He has sovereignly selected a remnant who acknowledges Jesus as their Messiah and He has partially hardened the rest.

1. The Power of God’s Redemption (v. 1)
2. The Permanency of God’s Relationship (v. 2a)
3. The Presence of God’s Remnant (vv. 2b-6)
4. The Purpose of God’s Retribution (vv. 7-10)