Romans 11:19-24 (NKJV)

You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

First off, let’s clear up one misconception. The tree here is not Israel; it’s God. I am the vine, you are the branches. (John 15:5a)

OK, but then why are the Israelites natural branches, while the gentile believers were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree? What’s so natural about an Israelite?

This is about God’s people and His covenant with them. Throughout history, there has always been a covenant people. There are lots of terms used to describe them—sons of Abraham, sons of God, the remnant, the invisible church, etc.

Before Christ, these people were the Israelites. They were mainly genetic descendants of Israel, though there were exceptions such as Ruth. Faith was always the key, and lack of faith was always the problem. That’s how “remnant” so often ended up being the descriptor; the unfaithful kept getting winnowed out.

Now God has blown the lid off this narrow view of the covenant. God’s covenant people don’t just include a few “token gentiles” with faith being the “secret sauce.” Now faith gets top billing.

But that doesn’t mean that the sons of Abraham have become second fiddle. Israel is still the name of the covenant people; it just isn’t ethnic. We need to understand that to keep from getting cocky.

People are people; they’re going to turn every blessing into grounds for pride. We tend to think that since we’re “saved” we have a “reserved seat” in heaven. That conflates God’s point of view (outside of time) with our point of view (inside of time).

Paul’s warning is blunt. You must continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

People who claim Jesus as their Lord, need to act like He really is. That doesn’t mean everyone should quit their jobs to do church work. Just the opposite—Paul continued as a tentmaker—but many modern Christians view Jesus as merely their savior instead of their king.

If this nation is going to get the revival it so desperately needs, it must begin in the church. Confessing Christians need to start practicing the kingship of Jesus.

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