ROMANS Study Guide

Rom 11:24 For if you were cut out of the natural wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more these being according to nature will be grafted into their own olive- tree?

f. Paul warns the Gentile Churches about pride over their being

included in the new covenant and the Jew’s exclusion:

vss.16-24

1) Paul uses an analogy of the “first fruits offering” that makes The whole harvest holy and blessed of God. The grafted on Gentiles were made holy by the first fruits “offering of Christ” (The fulfillment and spiritual conclusion of God’s plan through the Jewish People). Paul uses another illustration dealing with the Old Testament sacrificial system in which if a portion of flour was offered to God in sacrifice, the whole lump of flour the offering came from was made holy. Therefore, Jesus makes the nation yet holy before God – a people that can still belong and used of God. 2) Therefore, the Gentile Peoples have been made Holy by being brought into the flow of God’s People (from Abraham and the Patriarchs… down to Christ Jesus who established our righteousness before God). So, the Gentiles by being placed in this ongoing his tory leading up to Christ… they are now made Holy. (Acceptable to God) 3) Paul warns the Gentiles not to miss the point of what happened to Israel as a warning to them… the unbelieving Jews were taken out because of their unbelief. The Believing Gentiles were placed in the Body of Christ because of their faith. If they co ntinue in faith… even though they are not the historical people of God… they will enjoy the blessing of being grafted into Christ. But if they reject the Lord as much of Israel had done… beware… God did not spar e the natural children (or branches)… he won’t spare you either. Likewise, if they (the Jews) want to come back into the New Covenant by faith in Christ… see how much easier it will be to restore the natural children.