Confusing Romans Chapter 11 (
and so all Israel shall be saved)
Another chapter that is almost always quoted by those who believe that all (
or nearly all) of the literal nation Israel will be saved in the future, is Romans chapter 11. It is a chapter which is often misunderstood, and that is seldom examined 'carefully,' or compared with what God has said has been fulfilled in Scripture. This chapter deals with the visible 'representation' of Covenant Israel (
both old and new), and pictures it symbolically as the olive tree. The Jewish people are signified as the natural branches that grow from that olive tree. In other words, they were the visible Covenant people of Israel before the cross. We read that some of the branches of this tree (
some of the Jewish people of Covenant Israel) were broken off, and some branches from the Gentile nations were grafted into this Covenant tree. This signifying a New Covenant Israel representation, which is now made up of both Jews and Gentiles alike. i.e., one body.
Notice that God is making the distinction between the natural Olive Tree branches (
the original Covenant people Israel), and the wild olive tree branches (
sons of God from the Gentile nations) who now are grafted into this New Covenant 'along with' the branches of Israel not broken off. It's very important to understand this distinction here, because it proves beyond a doubt that the Old Covenant Israel representation has now become a New Covenant with Israel, made up of Jews and Gentiles alike. And this is just as God had promised of old. He would make a New Covenant with Israel.
Going about this systematically, we see one tree 'represents' Covenant Israel, and the other represents the Gentile people. Obviously, if the tree signifies Covenant Israel and the branches are the Jewish people of Covenant Israel, then when the Gentiles branches are moved from their tree, and are grafted into the Covenant Israel Tree with the natural branches, they then become part of that same Covenant Israel. To say anything less is nonsensical, and is to dabble in rank confusion. They've left their Gentile tree, and enter into "Covenant Israel" along with the Jewish branches that were not broken off (The Apostles Paul, John, etc.) in God's judgment. Where is the mystery? It's revealed.
By the same token, those branches broken off (
Jewish people who were not saved, and were blinded) they are not Israel in God's eyes. In the Biblical vernacular, they have been
cut off from their people. That is the same picture that we saw in Romans chapter 9 where God delineated that, "
they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." In some theologians' minds they are, but that is not the way God sees it. Some have been cut off from the Olive Tree (
Covenant Israel representation) and are in spiritual blindness, while some Gentiles have been grafted in that they may also sit at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Matthew 8:11), being loosed from 'their' blindness and made to see. Gentile Christians now have citizenship, and are part of the community of the Israel. This includes any Jewish Christians today. Together we make up this New Covenant Tree, the commonwealth or citizenship of Israel. As indeed God so clearly expressed in the book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 2:11-20
- "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
- That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
- But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
- For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
- Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
- And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
- And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
- For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
- Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
- And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;"
Where once we were Gentiles, strangers and aliens (noncitizens) of Israel, we are now fellow citizens, no longer foreigners or strangers from the Covenants of Israel, but fellow saints. One must then ask, just how much clearer can we expect it to get? In Christ there is one salvation program for both the Gentiles and the Jews. It is pride, political agenda, vain genealogies, and Premillennial tradition that promotes the idea that God has two separate salvation plans, and two separate chosen people. But this is utter nonsense. There was one sacrifice, one time for taking away the sins of Israel, one olive tree, one congregation of God, one body, one people, and one deliverance. ..All of which was instituted and established at the cross.
Some facts to consider in this illustration of the Olive Tree.
- It unambiguously shows that this 'cannot' represent the literal nation of Israel. If it did, that would mean Gentiles were leaving their literal lands from the time of the cross to today, to go live physically in the land of Israel. We clearly understand that is untenable. i.e., we're not being grafted into the literal earthly or worldly middle eastern land. We are being grafted into the congregation of God, the visible representation of 'Covenant Israel,' which is not a physical nation nor land, but a 'corporate' (external) people of God. A congregation once 'represented' by a nation, but now represented by all nations called in one body of Christ.
- Likewise, the tree cannot be the Spiritual indivisible Israel of God, of which all are saved. The reason being, they could not be broken off if this Tree represented that Israel. i.e., perseverance of the Saints or the indivisible body cannot have anyone lose salvation. So this tree corporately represents the children of God, for it symbolizes Covenant Israel both on the Old Covenant, and the New Covenant side of the cross.
- We should not lose sight of the 'important' fact that this is the 'same' Tree of Covenant Israel, but in a New Covenant Israel dispensation, which allows Gentiles to be grafted into it (as read in Ephesians chapter 2). It is important for us to understand what it "cannot" represent, so we may better comprehend what it must represent. Because this is not a new tree, it is the same root, the same trunk, the same tree, but with some branches broken off, and some Gentile branches grafted in. i.e., illustrating the continuity of the Covenant, which is so well documented in the doctrines of 'Covenant Theology.'
So, the Tree cannot be symbolic of the physical nation Israel, and it cannot be symbolic of Spiritual Israel. Thus it is symbolic of external Covenant Israel. The corporate congregation. That is the only Israel of God that can have people cut off, and also people not cut off, but grafted in. Many in the congregations today (
like many in the congregation of Israel then) are not truly saved, and will be cut off. Indeed, in verse eighteen of Romans chapter eleven, God warns the New Covenant Gentiles not to boast. In boasting, they are deluding themselves as to responsibility for their Salvation. If they are deceived into thinking that they are better than the Jewish people who fell, then they as a corporate body, will suffer the same judgment. God assures us, they don't bear the Root, but the Root bears them. In other words, we have nothing to boast about, for Christ (the Root) is our help, our strength, the author and finisher of our faith, and we cannot take one ounce of credit for being better than the Jewish people were. For this is the same pride and arrogance that brought down the Old Testament congregation Israel, and will bring down New Testament congregation Israel, if they follow that same dangerous path.
I have covered this all in the "Exposition of Romans Chapter Eleven," so I won't go over all this here. Briefly, the controversial verses that many people either misunderstand, or choose to read into them, are generally verses 25 to 27:
