Romans 11:28-29

As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable.

Paul, in v28-32, summarizes chapters 9-11, giving us another glimpse into God’s divine decree, the secret workings of God in His plan of salvation. God pulled back the curtain for us in Job 1-2, showing us that God and Satan were playing games with the man named Job, but, to our knowledge, God didn’t let Job in on those behind-the-scenes transpirations. And the purpose in that was to show Satan the faith of Job – upheld by God Himself who spoke to Job out of the storm. And here God tells us through Paul what He is doing, and why He is doing it, regarding salvation.

First, Paul explains a couple things we as Gentile Christians need to keep in mind as we understand the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. (A) How do the Jews relate to us in our union with God the Father through Jesus Christ regarding the Gospel? Paul wants us to see that they (Jews and the corporate nation of Israel) have stubbornly denied the Gospel and have thus become enemies of God on account of us, or for our sake. They have hardened their hearts to the truth that Jesus is Messiah. And that’s a summary of chapter 10, that man is accountable to believe the good news. That this is God’s plan to our benefit is summary A of chapter 11. (B) How do the Jews relate to us in our union with God the Father through Jesus Christ regarding election? Paul wants us to see that they (Jews and the corporate nation of Israel) are loved by God in a unique way, as they are in a unique position in God’s redeeming purposes; and this unique situation is based solely on account of God’s gracious covenant promises with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and not because of something in them. That’s a summary of chapter 9. As v29 says, “God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” This refers us back to those things mentioned in Romans 9:4 (see also Isaiah 46:9-10). God has designed and is working history toward His desired end for His glory to reveal His mercy and will not be thwarted in that plan. God is not finished with Israel, and so neither should Gentile Christians be finished with Israel. And that’s summary B of chapter 11.

Why does Paul tell us that we need to have this two-fold view of the Jewish people? First, Paul doesn’t want Gentile Christians thinking they’re more deserving than the Jews. He doesn’t want Gentile Christians saying, “They didn’t believe and we did.” Faith, a most unnatural thing in this fallen world, is a gift of our gracious God. Faith isn’t something that the human heart contributes to the equation of salvation. Faith is an exotic transplant into the human soul. And if Gentile Christians boast and say, “Ultimately the difference between us and between the Jewish people is that they failed to believe and we believed,” they have failed to realize that God’s election brings about faith. Second, Paul doesn’t want Gentile Christians to quit evangelizing the Jews. He doesn’t want to them to fail to hope for the salvation of the Jewish people. Ironically, and tragically, the modern-day approach is to avoid sharing the Gospel with Jews altogether to keep from being called anti-Semitic, but Paul is saying here that failing to share the Gospel with them is the most anti-Semitic thing that could be done! The Gospel is first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile. Paul is saying not to neglect the Jews in evangelism, but to go to them first, in prayer and preaching and, above all, in love.