Some commentators think that Romans 9–11 is an odd digression from the main point of Paul’s letter.i
But Anders Nygren argues forcefully in his commentary on Romans that Romans 9–11 fits perfectly with Paul’s calls to live by faith in Christ. The Jewish people were not living by faith, and hence they were not being saved from God’s wrath in this life (Rom 1:16-32). Paul shows that a day is coming when Israel will live by faith and be delivered from God’s wrath at the end of the Tribulation (cf. Rom 10:13; 11:26).
God promised Israel a future kingdom with a population numbering like the stars in the sky. But currently, Israel rejects her Messiah, Jesus. Does that mean that God will not be faithful to His promise? Does His righteousness cause Him to break His promise to Israel?
Absolutely not. In these three chapters, Paul shows how God maintains His righteousness and will one day fulfill His promise to Israel.
Romans 9 deals with Israel’s current rejection of Jesus Christ. This chapter is rather gloomy. However, even here we see glimpses of Israel’s future. In the chapter, Paul speaks of a saved remnant—that is, in every generation, some Jews believe in Jesus Christ and live by faith. While the nation did not even exist from AD 70 until 1948, there have always been believing Jews walking in fellowship with Jesus Christ.
The nation is still largely unbelieving. Few live by faith, either. But there is a future for Israel. God will fulfill His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One day, every living adult Jew will be a believer living by faith. That will be the largest remnant since Paul’s time. Then, during the Millennium, Israel’s population will skyrocket, fulfilling God’s promises.
Keep grace in focus, and you won’t fall into the trap of believing Replacement Theology, a view that is so prevalent today.
i Of course, most misunderstand the point of the letter as well. It is about believers’ being delivered from God’s wrath in this life by walking according to the Spirit (Rom 1:16-32), not about unbelievers’ being saved from eternal condemnation by faith plus works.
