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Romans 11:19-24
This passage of Romans 11:19-24 continues with the Apostle Paul’s comparison of Israel and the Gentiles to that of an olive tree and its branches. He makes special note here of the branches, being the Israelites that have lost faith in God, that were broken off so that a place for the believing Gentiles to have a place as the “grafted in” branches. But Paul also notes that the “grafted in” Gentiles should not be, “haughty, but fear” (Romans 11:20, NKJV) as if God did not spare the unbelieving Israelites, as the natural branches, then why would He spare the “grafted in” branches if they too were to lose faith in Him (Romans 11:21-22). The Apostle Paul then explains to us that in God’s great grace, as He prepared a place to graft those Gentiles in that believe in Him, then also, as the fallen Israelites return in faith to Him, as the Prodigal son returns, so is the faithfulness of God to receive them back to their rightful place, “grafted back into the tree.”
This is a promise of the Israelites and the Gentiles being of the same family of God – in Christ.
God has a place for you in His great plan of salvation. I say, “great plan of salvation” because it is just that – a great plan that is developed by God. We do not create our own plan of salvation; that is God’s work in us through Christ Jesus for all who will believe in Him. That includes Israel and all the Gentile nations. We do not decide who will and who will not inherit salvation and eternal life in heaven through Christ Jesus. Our own thoughts and discerning actions are to be based, in that realm, on ourselves as to our own relationship with God through Christ Jesus. We should not judge others as to their rights of salvation as we are all insufficient in the eyes of God unto salvation (Romans 3:23). But we, individually, have the option; the choice to believe in God or to not believe in God. We have the individual decision to put our faith in Christ Jesus in our obedience and sincere desire to follow in His teachings that we could, as He is, be the light unto the world as God’s children – in Christ.
Dear LORD,
You have given us all a place in Your great plan of salvation not because we have earned a spot in your grace, but that You, in Your great love for us, have shown mercy on us who put our faith in You through professing Jesus Savior and believing that He has been raised from the dead in victory over sin, death, and Satan once for all (Romans 6:10) that as we are taught by the Apostle Paul in Romans 6:11 that we too should live through Christ Jesus to You in seeking Your will for our lives. Thank You for forgiveness in Christ Jesus for all who will believe. In Jesus name I pray, amen.