“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” vs29

The gifts and callings of God are without repentance. The promises made to the patriarchs must be maintained. God’s elect - Jew and Gentile - will all be saved, and He uses hardening to do it!

First, He warns us (vs21). “If God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.” He is telling both Jew and Gentile to CONSIDER the wrath of God and take the gospel seriously. He sends someone else to hell to spare the elect. He says, “Remember Lot’s wife.” He takes the gospel from one to give it to another, and then warns him to persevere. He does all things - even the hardening of some - to save elect. He is not failing in any way: The gospel is doing exactly what He promised.

We must remain in His kindness and keep believing the gospel: We must never take it for granted. “Behold therefore the kindness and severity of God: severity indeed upon those having fallen, but kindness of God toward you, if you continue in the kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off [vs22].”

Secondly, God has the power to graft in sinners (vs23). Israel as a nation can be destroyed, while the elect among them spared. “And even they, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” We see this frequently in the Prophets, where a remnant is spared while the majority perishes. He says, “The coastland will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; they will find pasture there. They will lie down in the evening among the houses of Ashkelon, for the Lord their God will return to them and restore their fortunes (Zeph 2:7).” This has always been God’s plan - to glorify Himself in saving sinners who have rejected His gospel by hardening most of them and saving the minority. He sent it unto the Gentiles, so He could save the Jews! The hardening of the Jews is only partial! It is not full; it is not total rejection. “Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened [vs7].”

He did not cast off those whom He foreknew, but the promise was never to the nation as a whole. Sometimes Israel is all the Jews; Sometimes it is spiritual Israel, both Jew and Gentile. Sometimes, Israel is the elect among the Jews, and these all shall be saved BY the Gentiles receiving mercy, as jealousy is provoked and mercy is preach salvation to all! “For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you may not be wise in yourselves: A hardening in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles may come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved [vs25].”

Thirdly, God will take away their sins: It is not because they are worthy or better people; it is not because they are owed; Gentiles and Jews shall be saved because we obtain mercy, and God can’t be stopped! He set His love upon us, and He forgives us, wiping our slate clean. “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins [vs26-27].”

He forgives, so NO SIN can stand in the way of mercy, but He will loose us from its bonds. It’s not up to man, so the promise is sure. Many don’t obtain it, but the elect will.

Thirdly, because of the patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - promises were given to their children after the flesh. He looked down their lineage and saw some that He would save. He didn’t owe them, and they’re not superior, but He promised and shall fulfill it. “Regarding the gospel, they are enemies [rejected it] for your advantage [Gentiles to be brought in], but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs [vs28].” God’s mercy runs through bloodlines, whether it be one from a family, two from a city, or a million from a nation.

Finally, there is no possibility of God going back on His promise, so let us rest assured and go out with the gospel. “Since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable [vs29].” Jews CAN hear because there is a remnant. Gentiles can hear because the Jews have rejected it. Sinners will be saved because God promised to graft in the most obstinate and rebellious. He’s always gathered hard-hearted sinners unto His praise.