Romans 11:29-32

A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 84 Chapter 11:29 – 32

By Pastor Randy Jonhson

1. Verse 29 “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
1. In verse 28 we learned “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes...” They became enemies of God because of their sins, God treats them as an enemy because He has basically excluded them from usage.
2. But also in verse 28 we learned “but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.” But they are still loved of God, because of election.
3. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” – God is not surprised at Israel; in fact He predestinated it to all come out this way.

a. What is the difference between the Israelites and the Gentiles? Are the Gentiles better at following God will? No! God simply elected to give more grace to the Gentiles to follow His word more.

b. The Israelites will recover and be used again, when God chooses to use them again.

4. The gifts and calling of God is without repentance because God foreknew all His works before the foundation of the world. – If God planned it this way why would he repent of choosing the Israelites or the Gentiles?
5. We function by the gifts and callings of God everyday, and He never desires to repent of it because He chose it this way.
6. Some will refer back to Genesis 6:6 “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

a. God did not change His mind because the word repent here does not mean – a turning around – but rather it means - to sigh, that is, breathe strongly – It angered God even though He knew the world would act this way.

b. Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

2. Verse 30 “For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:”
1. This is to the Gentiles, before grace came we did not trust God, obey God, or even want God. But not that the gifts and calling has come that has all changed.

a. Ephesians 2:2 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”

b. Acts 14:16 “Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.”

2. “…yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:” Mercy, love, and grace are the only reason we as Gentiles changed and repented.
3. We as Gentile believers never need to forget who we were and where we come from by Gods mercy.
2. Verse 31 “Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.”

1. “Even so have these also now not believed…” – The Jews are where we were, in the state of disobedience and unbelief.
2. They (the Jews) showed no mercy for the Gentiles, but God did, and therefore we as Christian believers show mercy to the world.

a. We show mercy because God showed us mercy.

b. God commanded that we preach the Gospel (1.) to the entire world, and (2.) to every creature – that is to every human being, even to the Jews. Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

3. “…that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.” - not through the mercy we have to share but by the mercy of God shown to us. – We are actually attempting (by preaching the gospel to the world) to share Gods mercy and we exclude no single person, not even the Israelites who crucified Christ.
3. Verse 32 “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”

1. The words “God hath concluded” means - to shut together, that is, include – The meaning here is that God has put both Jews and Gentiles are the very same, unbelieving and disobedient, we are all the same and in need of the same Saviour and salvation, grace, mercy, and love.
2. “…that he might have mercy upon all.” Not all the world but all the elect of the world. This word “all” is like the word “world” in John 3:16 neither include every single person in the world but all the different nations of the world.
3. God has not respect of person that He will choose one nation over another nor condemn a nation simply because they are different; God chose the Israelites in the Old Testament and the Gentiles in the New Testament, which includes the world.
4. Galatians 3:22 “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” – Not to every single person of the world but rather to them that will believe.
5. Both Jews and Gentiles have acted the same way toward God, both are under sin, both need mercy and Jesus Christ, and both will get them.
6. Both also have an elected remnant that God has chosen to save, and both are loved of God.