Romans 11

28 Apr 2026 - Theology

All Israel Shall Be Saved

God’s Chosen People (1-12)

In the previous chapter, we read about how many people in the nation of Israel do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead, and thus they are not saved. Paul continues that thought in this chapter:

Romans 11:1 - “I say then, Hath God cast away [rejected] his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”

Paul himself is not a Gentile; he is an Israelite.

In the next verses, Paul explains how God has not rejected physical Israel, the people he foreknew. He uses Scripture from 1 Kings 19 as an example.

Regarding Israel:

1 Kings 19:10 - “And he [Elijah] said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

God’s response:

1 Kings 19:18 - “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”

Romans 11:5 - “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

“election” - Strong’s Concordance [1589]

• choice, election

“grace” - Strong’s Concordance [5485]

• unearned and unmerited favor
• God’s grace affects man’s sinfulness and not only forgives the repentant sinner, but brings joy and thankfulness to him
• mutually exclusive to works

We see in the next verse that grace and works are mutually exclusive; you can not choose to believe both; it has to be one or the other (6). Israel has not obtained salvation because they seek salvation through their own works.

Romans 11:11 - “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”

Through this mistake of Israel, salvation has come to the Gentiles, which God uses to provoke Israel to jealousy.

Romans 11:12 - “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”

God has not meant that Israel be this way forever. It would be better for the world (including the Gentiles) if the Jews believed in Jesus Christ and thus received His righteousness by grace.

Two Kinds of Branches (13-24)

Paul’s aim in writing about the unbelief of the people of Israel is so that some of them might be saved. (14)

Romans 10:1 - “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”

If the casting away (Romans 11:1) of physical Israel allows for the reconciliation of the Gentiles to God by faith, how much more shall the receiving of physical Israel be, but life [noun] from the dead [adjective]? (15)

“life” - Strong’s Concordance [2222]

• noun
• state of righteousness

“dead” - Strong’s Concordance [3498]

• adjective
• describing those who are slaves to the state (noun) of Sin

Paul then uses a metaphor of an olive tree and its branches to show how, by faith, believers have been grafted into the righteousness of God. The Gentiles have been grafted in because of their faith, and thus they can participate in the holiness (noun) of the root and of the fatness (riches or benefits) of the tree.

On the contrary, physical Israel has been broken off from the tree because of their unbelief. This does not give the Gentiles license to boast, because their state of holiness does not come from themselves, but from God, who is the root.

Romans 11:22-23 - “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity [noun]; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness [noun]: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.”

Just as physical Israel has been broken off from the tree because of their unbelief, the Gentiles can also be broken off because of unbelief. Similarly, just as the Gentiles were grafted in because of their faith, God is able to graft physical Israel back in if they believe.

“All Israel Shall Be Saved” (25-36)

Romans 11:25 - “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

“fullness” - Strong’s Concordance [4138]

• noun
• a fullness, complete number

Here, Paul reveals a mystery that a temporary blindness has come upon Israel to allow the “fullness of the Gentiles.” But this is only a temporary blindess (or hardening), as we will read in verse 26.

Romans 11:26 - “And so all Israel [fp] shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the [ppt] Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:”

[fp] = future tense; the passive voice represents the subject as receiving the action of the verb

[ppt] = The present participle denotes continuous or repeated action

Paul is talking about God’s future promise, despite the current situation. It isn’t that the Gentiles have taken the place of Israel as branches of the tree, but that God will use the wild branches (Gentiles) to provoke Israel to jealousy, and thus they will be grafted in by faith in the Deliverer, Jesus.

We can be sure of this promise because of verse 27:

Romans 11:27 - “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

“sins” - Strong’s Concordance [266]

• noun
• sin as a state; the kingdom or domain of Sin

Isaiah 27:9 - “By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin…”

See also Jeremiah 31:31-34!

The people of Israel are considered “enemies” to the Gentiles due to their opposition to the gospel, which paved the way for Gentiles to receive salvation. Despite their current unbelief, God holds Israel in high regard because of His covenantal promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (28)

Romans 11:29 - “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

God’s promises and choice of Israel are unchangeable. His plan for them will be fulfilled, regardless of their current unbelief.

In verses 30-32, Paul proves that salvation is entirely a matter of God’s mercy, not human merit. These verses are used to demonstrate that all are equal in needing God’s mercy, because both Jews and Gentiles have lived in unbelief at some time.

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. Romans 11 - Greek Interlinear