Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Gentiles/heathen » Salvation coming to the gentiles
Now the apostles and elders met to consider this matter. After a lengthy discussion Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose among you that through me the heathen should hear the message of the good news and believe it. And God who knows men's hearts testifies for them by giving them the Holy Spirit, as He did us, read more.
and in this way He put no difference between us and them, because He cleansed their hearts by faith. Then why do you now try to test God by putting on these disciples' necks a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we could bear? In fact, we believe that it is through the favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
and in this way He put no difference between us and them, because He cleansed their hearts by faith. Then why do you now try to test God by putting on these disciples' necks a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we could bear? In fact, we believe that it is through the favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
Because they could not agree among themselves, they started to leave, when Paul had spoken one word more: "The Holy Spirit beautifully expressed it in speaking to your forefathers through the prophet Isaiah: 'Go to this people and say to them, "You will listen, and listen, and never understand, and you will look, and look, and never see! For this people's soul has grown dull, and they scarcely hear with their ears, and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they may never see with their eyes, and understand with their souls, and turn to me, that I may cure them."' read more.
"So you must understand that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen; and they will listen to it!"
"So you must understand that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen; and they will listen to it!"
What are we then to conclude? That heathen peoples who were not in search for right standing with God have obtained it, and that a right standing conditioned on faith; while Israel, though ever in pursuit of a law that would bring right standing, did not attain to it. Why? Because they did not try through faith but through what they could do. They have stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble, read more.
as the Scripture says: "See, I put on Zion a stone for causing people to stumble, a rock to trip them on, but no one who puts his faith in it will ever be put to shame."
as the Scripture says: "See, I put on Zion a stone for causing people to stumble, a rock to trip them on, but no one who puts his faith in it will ever be put to shame."
I say then, God has not disowned His people, has He? Of course not! Why, I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not disowned His people, on whom He set His heart beforehand. Do you know what the Scripture says in Elijah's case, how he pleaded with God against Israel? "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone have been left, and they are trying to kill me." read more.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
just as "Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him as right standing with God"? So you see, it is the men of faith who are the real descendants of Abraham. Because the Scripture foresaw that God would bring the heathen into right standing with Himself on condition of faith, He beforehand proclaimed the good news to Abraham in the promise, "It is through you that all the heathen will be blessed." read more.
So the men of faith are blessed as partners with trusting Abraham. For those who depend on what the law commands are under a curse, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all the commands that are written in the book of the law, to do them." Now it is evident that through the law no man is brought into right standing with God, for "The man in right standing with God will live by faith," and the law has nothing to do with faith, but it says, "It is the man who does these things that will live by doing them." Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" -- that the blessing promised to Abraham might through Jesus Christ come to the heathen, so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.
So the men of faith are blessed as partners with trusting Abraham. For those who depend on what the law commands are under a curse, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all the commands that are written in the book of the law, to do them." Now it is evident that through the law no man is brought into right standing with God, for "The man in right standing with God will live by faith," and the law has nothing to do with faith, but it says, "It is the man who does these things that will live by doing them." Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" -- that the blessing promised to Abraham might through Jesus Christ come to the heathen, so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.
Israel/jews » The salvation of israel
I say then, God has not disowned His people, has He? Of course not! Why, I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not disowned His people, on whom He set His heart beforehand. Do you know what the Scripture says in Elijah's case, how he pleaded with God against Israel? "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone have been left, and they are trying to kill me." read more.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
Salvation » Salvation coming to the gentiles
Now the apostles and elders met to consider this matter. After a lengthy discussion Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose among you that through me the heathen should hear the message of the good news and believe it. And God who knows men's hearts testifies for them by giving them the Holy Spirit, as He did us, read more.
and in this way He put no difference between us and them, because He cleansed their hearts by faith. Then why do you now try to test God by putting on these disciples' necks a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we could bear? In fact, we believe that it is through the favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
and in this way He put no difference between us and them, because He cleansed their hearts by faith. Then why do you now try to test God by putting on these disciples' necks a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we could bear? In fact, we believe that it is through the favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
Because they could not agree among themselves, they started to leave, when Paul had spoken one word more: "The Holy Spirit beautifully expressed it in speaking to your forefathers through the prophet Isaiah: 'Go to this people and say to them, "You will listen, and listen, and never understand, and you will look, and look, and never see! For this people's soul has grown dull, and they scarcely hear with their ears, and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they may never see with their eyes, and understand with their souls, and turn to me, that I may cure them."' read more.
"So you must understand that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen; and they will listen to it!"
"So you must understand that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen; and they will listen to it!"
What are we then to conclude? That heathen peoples who were not in search for right standing with God have obtained it, and that a right standing conditioned on faith; while Israel, though ever in pursuit of a law that would bring right standing, did not attain to it. Why? Because they did not try through faith but through what they could do. They have stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble, read more.
as the Scripture says: "See, I put on Zion a stone for causing people to stumble, a rock to trip them on, but no one who puts his faith in it will ever be put to shame."
as the Scripture says: "See, I put on Zion a stone for causing people to stumble, a rock to trip them on, but no one who puts his faith in it will ever be put to shame."
I say then, God has not disowned His people, has He? Of course not! Why, I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not disowned His people, on whom He set His heart beforehand. Do you know what the Scripture says in Elijah's case, how he pleaded with God against Israel? "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone have been left, and they are trying to kill me." read more.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
just as "Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him as right standing with God"? So you see, it is the men of faith who are the real descendants of Abraham. Because the Scripture foresaw that God would bring the heathen into right standing with Himself on condition of faith, He beforehand proclaimed the good news to Abraham in the promise, "It is through you that all the heathen will be blessed." read more.
So the men of faith are blessed as partners with trusting Abraham. For those who depend on what the law commands are under a curse, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all the commands that are written in the book of the law, to do them." Now it is evident that through the law no man is brought into right standing with God, for "The man in right standing with God will live by faith," and the law has nothing to do with faith, but it says, "It is the man who does these things that will live by doing them." Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" -- that the blessing promised to Abraham might through Jesus Christ come to the heathen, so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.
So the men of faith are blessed as partners with trusting Abraham. For those who depend on what the law commands are under a curse, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all the commands that are written in the book of the law, to do them." Now it is evident that through the law no man is brought into right standing with God, for "The man in right standing with God will live by faith," and the law has nothing to do with faith, but it says, "It is the man who does these things that will live by doing them." Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" -- that the blessing promised to Abraham might through Jesus Christ come to the heathen, so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.
Salvation » The salvation of israel
I say then, God has not disowned His people, has He? Of course not! Why, I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not disowned His people, on whom He set His heart beforehand. Do you know what the Scripture says in Elijah's case, how he pleaded with God against Israel? "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone have been left, and they are trying to kill me." read more.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.
But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." So it is at the present time; a remnant remains, in accordance with God's unmerited favor. But if it is by His unmerited favor, it is not at all conditioned on what they have done. If that were so, His favor would not be favor at all. What are we then to conclude? Israel has failed to obtain what it is still in search for, but His chosen ones have obtained it. The rest have become insensible to it, as the Scripture Says, "God has given them over to an attitude of insensibility, so that their eyes cannot see and their ears cannot hear, down to this very day." And David said: "Let their food become a snare and a trap to them, their pitfall and retribution; Let their eyes be darkened, so they cannot see, and forever bend their backs beneath the load." I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall in utter ruin, did they? Of course not! On the contrary, because of their stumbling, salvation has come to heathen peoples, to make the Israelites jealous. But if their stumbling has resulted in the enrichment of the world, and their overthrow becomes the enrichment of heathen peoples, how much richer the result will be when the full quota of Jews comes in! Yes, I now am speaking to you who are a part of the heathen peoples. As I am an apostle to the heathen peoples, I am making the most of my ministry to them, to see if I can make my fellow-countrymen jealous, and so save some of them. For if the rejection of them has resulted in the reconciling of the world, what will the result be of the final reception of them but life from the dead? If the first handful of dough is consecrated, so is the whole mass; if the tree's root is consecrated, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and yet you, although you were wild olive suckers, have been grafted in among the native branches, and been made to share the rich sap of the native olive's root, you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock? For to keep you from being self-conceited, brothers, I do not want to have a misunderstanding of this uncovered secret, that only temporary insensibility has come upon Israel until the full quota of the heathen peoples comes in, and so in that way all Israel will be saved, just as the Scripture says: "From Zion the Deliverer will come; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob; And this my covenant I make with them, when I shall take away their sins." As measured by the good news the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes, but as measured by God's choice they are His beloved because of their forefathers, for the gracious gifts and call of God are never taken back. For just as you once disobeyed God, but now have had mercy shown you because of their disobedience, so they too are now disobedient because of the mercy shown you, that they too may now have mercy shown them. For God has locked up all mankind in the prison of disobedience so as to have mercy on them all.