Jun. 29, 2025

Series: Transformed   6-29-25

The Called, the Chosen & the Elect

(Romans 11)

THE QUESTION:

Romans 11:1 ¹ I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! 

Romans 11:11 (ESV) ¹¹ So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

THE TRESPASS:

Romans 10:3 (ESV) ³ For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

THE ANSWER:

Romans 11:25 ²⁵ …Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 

SPECIFICS ABOUT ISRAEL’S HARDENING:

1.) IT IS PARTIAL - “in part” (because throughout this time “there is a 

remnant chosen by grace,” v. 5)

** “Hardening” - refers to dullness (not stubbornness).

2.) IT IS TEMPORARY (because it will end when God’s chosen number of 

Gentiles has been saved).

Romans 11:25-26 ²⁵ …until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, ²⁶ and in this way all Israel will be saved.

** “Saved” – delivered or preserved safe from danger.

> This doesn’t mean that EVERY Jew living at Christ’s return will be born again.

             **Romans 9:6 For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

Romans 11:28–29 ²⁸ …as far as election is concerned, (the Jews) are loved on account of the patriarchs, ²⁹ for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

** “Gift” (charisma) - a gift of grace, an undeserved benefit. The suffix –ma, 

indicates “the result of grace”.

** “Call” – an invitation.

Literally v 29… “The result or benefit of God’s undeserved gift of grace and his invitation to both Jews & Gentiles through His calling are irrevocable.”

GENERALITIES ABOUT ISRAEL’S HARDENING: 

1.) The Jew is currently hardened, but ultimately BELOVED. 

2.) We are Spiritually Honored, but Morally UNDESERVING. 

Ephesians 2:13 (NASB) ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you (Gentiles) who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

BOUT #1: ELECT vs ELITE

• THE “ELECTED” ONES - to select, elect or choose. 

• THE “CALLED” ONES - Called, invited, welcomed. 

Originally it was used to designate those invited to a banquet. 

• THE “CHOSEN” ONES – are those who have obeyed the Call or 

Accepted the Invitation.

Matthew 22:14 (ESV) ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.

THE PROCESS OF SALVATION:

- God CALLS & INVITES us back to Himself.

- We hear His CALL & ACCEPT His invitation.

- God JUSTIFIES our sin & declares us CHOSEN. 

       - Once CALLED & CHOSEN, we now become God’s ELECT.

BOUT #2: ARROGANCE vs APPRECIATION

Romans 11:17–21 ¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in… ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ …they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant… ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

BOUT #3: DISCIPLINE vs PUNISHMENT

A DIVINE QUANDARY:

How can a righteous God reward sin by blessing an unrighteous people? 

Yet, if God does not fulfill His promises, He can no longer be called righteous.

Romans 11:12 (ESV) ¹² Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 

REALITIES ABOUT ISRAEL’S HARDENING:

          1.) There are CONSEQUENCES that Come with our ACTIONS.

                …their failure means riches for the Gentiles

1 Peter 2:4–10 ⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone (Jesus Christ)… ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… ⁹ you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

          2.) The Jews will again have Full INCLUSION in the FUTURE.

                …how much more will their full inclusion mean!

BACK TO THE FUTURE:

Zechariah 13:8–9 ⁸ In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. ⁹ This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ” (500 BC)

Hosea 1:8–9 ⁸ Gomer had another son. ⁹ Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God. (750 BC)

Hosea 2:23 ²³ I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one. ’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’ ”

Zechariah 12:10 (ESV) ¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

BOUT #4: REMNANT vs MAJORITY

THE QUESTION:

Romans 11:1 ¹ Did God reject his people? By no means! (Not Now & Not in the Future)

PAUL’S EXAMPLE:

Rom 11:1 I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 

ELIJAH’S EXAMPLE:

Romans 11:2 ² God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:  ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? ⁴ And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself (a Remnant of) seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”  

THE PRESENT REMNANT:

Romans 11:5 ⁵ So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 

** “So too” means what was true then is true now: there is a remnant that are 

Chosen by grace. (Not on the basis of the Law of Moses, but of grace.) 

• God does His best work through a REMNANT!