Romans 11:6 Themes and Topics

But it is not that God's word has failed. For not everybody that is descended from Israel really belongs to Israel, nor are they all children of Abraham, because they are his descendants, but the promise was "In the line of Isaac your descendants will I be counted." That is, it is not Abraham's natural descendants who are God's children, but those who are made children by the promise are counted his true descendants.

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." But how did God reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have never bent their knees to Baal." read more.
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,

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."

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!"

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."

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.

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.

For it is by His unmerited favor through faith that you have been saved; it is not by anything that you have done, it is the gift of God. It is not the result of what anyone can do, so that no one can boast of it.

For He saved us and called us with a holy call, not in accordance with anything that we had done, but in accordance with His own purpose and unmerited favor which was shown us through union with Christ Jesus eternal ages ago, Verse Concepts

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, Verse Concepts

because we know that a man does not come into right standing with God by doing what the law commands, but by simple trust in Christ, we too have trusted in Christ Jesus, in order to come into right standing with God by simple trust in Christ and not by doing what the law commands, because by doing what the law commands no man can come into right standing with God. Verse Concepts

Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, was it not in your name that we prophesied, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many wonder-works?' And then I will say to them openly, 'I never knew you at all. Go away from me, you who practiced doing wrong.'

Because no human creature can be brought into right standing with God by observing the law. For all the law can do is to make men conscious of sin. Verse Concepts

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. Verse Concepts

But when the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Saviour were brought to light, He saved us, not for upright deeds that we had done, but in accordance with His mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

but anybody may have right standing with God as a free gift of His undeserved favor, through the ransom provided in Christ Jesus. Verse Concepts

In fact, we believe that it is through the favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." Verse Concepts

has made us, though dead because of our shortcomings, live again in fellowship with Christ -- it is by His unmerited favor that you have been saved. Verse Concepts

But God's free gift is not at all to be compared with the offense. For if by one man's offense the whole race of men have died, to a much greater degree God's favor and His gift imparted by His favor through the one man Jesus Christ, has overflowed for the whole race of men. Verse Concepts

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. Verse Concepts

For God's favor has appeared with its offer of salvation to all mankind, Verse Concepts

so that we might come into right standing with God through His unmerited favor and become heirs of eternal life in accordance with our hope. Verse Concepts

but anybody may have right standing with God as a free gift of His undeserved favor, through the ransom provided in Christ Jesus. Verse Concepts

In fact, we believe that it is through the favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." Verse Concepts

has made us, though dead because of our shortcomings, live again in fellowship with Christ -- it is by His unmerited favor that you have been saved. Verse Concepts

But God's free gift is not at all to be compared with the offense. For if by one man's offense the whole race of men have died, to a much greater degree God's favor and His gift imparted by His favor through the one man Jesus Christ, has overflowed for the whole race of men. Verse Concepts

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. Verse Concepts

For God's favor has appeared with its offer of salvation to all mankind, Verse Concepts

so that we might come into right standing with God through His unmerited favor and become heirs of eternal life in accordance with our hope. Verse Concepts

You people, whoever you are among you, who try to get into right standing with God, through law have cut yourselves off from Christ, you have missed the way of God's favor. Verse Concepts

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. Verse Concepts

Now when a workman gets his pay, it is not considered from the point of view of a favor but of an obligation; Verse Concepts

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."

While Jews are demanding spectacular signs and Greeks are searching for philosophy, we are preaching the Christ who was crucified -- a message that is a trap-stick to the Jews and nonsense to the Greeks,

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.

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.

Verse Concepts

You people, whoever you are among you, who try to get into right standing with God, through law have cut yourselves off from Christ, you have missed the way of God's favor. Verse Concepts

Some people came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom that Moses handed down, you cannot be saved." So, as a dire disturbance and a serious discussion had been created between Paul and Barnabas and them, they decided that Paul and Barnabas and some others from their number should go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about this question. So they were endorsed and sent on by the church, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told of the conversion of the heathen and brought great rejoicing to all the brothers. read more.
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported what God had done through them as instruments. But some members of the Pharisaic party, who had become believers, arose and said that such converts must be circumcised and told to keep the law of Moses. 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, 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." By this he quieted the whole congregation, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul tell of the signs and wonders which God had done through them among the heathen. When they finished, James responded as follows: "Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told how God at first graciously visited the heathen to take from among them a people to bear His name. The words of the prophets are in accord with this, as it is written: 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen dwelling; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again, So that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord, Yes, all the heathen who are called by my name, says the Lord, who has been making this known from ages past.' So I give it as my opinion, we ought not to put difficulties in the way of the heathen who turn to God, but we should write them to abstain from everything that is contaminated by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from tasting blood. For Moses from the ancient generations has had his preachers in every town, and on every sabbath has been read aloud in the synagogues." Then the apostles and elders in cooperation with the whole church passed a resolution to select and send some men of their number with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers. They sent this letter by them: "The apostles and elders as brothers send greeting to the brothers from among the heathen in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. As we have heard that some of our number have disturbed you by their teaching, by continuing to unsettle your minds, we have passed a unanimous resolution to select and send messengers to you with our beloved brothers Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we send Judas and Silas to you, to bring you the same message by word of mouth. For the Holy Spirit and we have decided not to lay upon you any burden but these essential requirements, that you abstain from everything that is offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the meat of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will prosper. Good-by."

For we hold that a man is brought into right standing with God by faith, that observance of the law has no connection with it. Verse Concepts

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. Verse Concepts

But when I saw that they were not living up to the truth of the good news, I said to Cephas, and that before them all, "If you are living like a heathen and not like a Jew, although you are a Jew yourself, why do you try to make the heathen live like Jews?" We ourselves are Jews by birth and not heathen sinners, and yet, because we know that a man does not come into right standing with God by doing what the law commands, but by simple trust in Christ, we too have trusted in Christ Jesus, in order to come into right standing with God by simple trust in Christ and not by doing what the law commands, because by doing what the law commands no man can come into right standing with God. read more.
Now if, in our efforts to come into right standing with God through union with Christ, we have proved ourselves to be sinners like the heathen themselves, does that make Christ a party to our sin? Of course not. For if I try to build again what I tore down, I really prove myself to be a wrongdoer. For through the law I myself have become dead to the law, so that I may live for God. I have been crucified with Christ, and I myself no longer live, but Christ is living in me; the life I now live as a mortal man I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I never can nullify the unmerited favor of God. For if right standing with God could come through law, then Christ died for nothing.

You must submit to discipline. God is dealing with you as His sons. For who is the son that his father never disciplines? Now if you are without any discipline, in which all true sons share, you are only illegitimate children and not true sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we used to treat them with respect; how much more cheerfully should we submit to the Father of our spirits, and live! read more.
For they disciplined us only a short time, as it seemed proper to them, but He does it for our good, in order that we may share His holy character.

This is why I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the heathen -- that is, if you have heard how God's favor has been entrusted to me for you, and how by revelation the secret was made known to me, as I have briefly written before. read more.
By reading this you will be able to understand my insight into the secret about the Christ -- which in the earlier ages, so different from the present, was not made known to mankind as fully as now, but through the Spirit it has been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets -- that the heathen through union with Christ Jesus are fellow-heirs with the Jews, are members with them of the same body, and sharers with them of the promise through the good news,

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,

So then, my dearly beloved, keep on running from idolatry. I am speaking to sensible men; decide for yourselves about what I say. Is not the consecrated cup which we consecrate a sign of our sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the loaf which we break a sign of our sharing in the body of Christ? read more.
Because there is only one loaf, so we, though many, are only one body, for we all partake of one loaf. Look at the Israelites in their practices. Are not those who eat the sacrifices in spiritual fellowship with the altar?

This is why, ever since I heard of it, I have never ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you, through full wisdom and spiritual insight, with a clear knowledge of His will, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord to His full satisfaction, by perennially bearing fruit in every good enterprise and by a steady growth in fuller knowledge of God; then you will be perfectly empowered by His glorious might for every sort of joyous endurance and forbearance, read more.
and you will always be thanking the Father who has qualified you to share the lot of His people in the realm of light. It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of His dearly loved Son, by whom we possess the ransom from captivity, which means the forgiveness of our sins.

All who are under the yoke of slavery must esteem their masters to be deserving the highest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be abused. Those who have Christian masters must not pay them less respect because they are brothers; they must serve them all the better, because those who get the benefit of their service are believers and so are dear to them. These are the things that you must continue to teach and urge them to do.

Dearly beloved, do not be astonished that a test by fire is coming upon you, as though something strange were happening to you, but so far as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, keep on rejoicing, so that at the uncovering of His glory you may rejoice triumphantly. If you are suffering abuse because you bear the name of Christ, you are happy, because the glorious Spirit of God is resting upon you.

Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ have obtained the same precious faith that we have: spiritual blessing and peace be to you in increasing abundance through a full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; because His divine power has given us everything that is needful for life and piety, through our full knowledge of Him who through His glory and excellence has called us to Him. read more.
It is through these that He has given us His precious and glorious promises, so that through them, after you have escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires, you may come to share in the divine nature.

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. Verse Concepts

Now when a workman gets his pay, it is not considered from the point of view of a favor but of an obligation; but the man who does no work, but simply puts his faith in Him who brings the ungodly into right standing with Himself, has his faith credited to him as right standing.