Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
We see the answer to my previous question, that only SOME of the branches were cut off, and that we are grafted in amoung those branches still remaining, those that are also nurished by the root of the Olive tree. Olive Tree is symbolic of the Jewish people.
Rom 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
In other word do not exalt yourself above the natural branches saying they were cast away that "I" could take their place. We find a direct correlation to Rom 12:3 of think not more highly of yourself than you ought! And it just so happens to be the 3rd verse of the next chapter (12) of the one we are currently studying about this same topic.
Rom 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
--If the branches may not boast over the root that bears them, then the Gentile may not boast over the seed of Abraham; Becuase really what is our standing as Gentiles in relation to Israel, except that of a branch in relation to the root? From Israel hath come all that we are and that we have in the family of God; as says the scriptures : for "salvation is of the Jews" ( Jhn 4:22 ).
Rom 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
See previous commentary on boasting of this type.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee.
Here is the verse: So let us keep context paramount.
The natural branches as it states were broken off for unbeleif, and we stand [in] by faith [belief]. Don't be arrogent in this knowledge but fear.
WHY?
Because if God spared not the natural branches (Those in unbeleif) He will not spare you. That is an odd statement for a beleiver to be equated with one of unbelief. Not when you understand the scriptures have been constitantly refering to the cutting off as temporal (as in setting aside). Be fearful that God will set you aside or not use you. There is nothing worse to a beleiver than to be useless to God. As we look at the rest of the chapter you will see that is exactly what it is refering to. (rewards for those faithful not loss of salvation)
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
God is good and severity (rough) and we are to to look at it. Serverity toward those of unbelief but good toward you [for salvation] grafting in. But we must continue (live) in HIS goodness or you will be cut off.
REMEMBER this is talking and has been constitantly so, speaking of setting aside not disowning. We see thin in the very next verse.
LOOK: Those cut out
are NOW grafted BACK in.
A quote from the David Brown commentary:
--This appeal to the power of God to effect the recovery of His ancient people implies the vast difficulty of it--which all who have ever labored for the conversion of the Jews are made depressingly to feel. That intelligent expositors should think that this was meant of individual Jews, reintroduced from time to time into the family of God on their believing on the Lord Jesus, is surprising; and yet those who deny the national recovery of Israel must and do so interpret the apostle. But this is to confound the two things which the apostle carefully distinguishes. Individual Jews have been at all times admissible, and have been admitted, to the Church through the gate of faith in the Lord Jesus. This is the "remnant, even at this present time, according to the election of grace," of which the apostle, in the first part of the chapter, had cited himself as one. But here he manifestly speaks of something not then existing, but to be looked forward to as a great future event in the economy of God, the reingrafting of the nation as such, when they "abide not in unbelief." And though this is here spoken of merely as a supposition (if their unbelief shall cease)--in order to set it over against the other supposition, of what will happen to the Gentiles if they shall not abide in the faith--the supposition is turned into an explicit prediction in the verses following.
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree?
We are cut from the world and grafted into the olive tree, how much better a grafting (how much easier a grafting) the natural branch into the natural tree.
We see again, they will become grafted back into this tree. So they are not cut off or disowned by God but merely set aside. Can you graft a dead branch into a living tree. No. So that which was cut out is still viable and able to be grafted back in since it was not dead, but cut out and set aside.
I can continue if you would like but I am simply showing the "cutting off" you keep coming back to, is NOT what you assume it to mean with regard to content and context of scripture. We do not need to fear God removing salvation from us, since it is based on HIM being able to KEEP us Saved.
We can not as beleivers leave Christ nor can we live a life style that denies He is our Lord, God, and Saviour. Thus as beleivers we are not able to deny Him since we have been given a new nature that is alive and in union with Christ Jesus and empowered and sealed by the Holy Spirit that we may live IN Him. We are to keep thing in their proper perspective that we do not loose sight of what is truly important - living for Christ - which is why the VERY NEXT CHAPTER states we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices. Not because we will loose our salvation but the rewards that are supposed to accompany a life devoted to Him.