Israel's Adversarial, Beloved Status

March 6th, 2025
by Dr. Lance Waldie

Romans 11:28-31 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.

Verse 28 flows straight from the context of vv. 25-27, drawing a conclusion to the current state of Israel as a predominately unbelieving people. In relation to Christians they are God’s “enemies,” for they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. This is their spiritual condition as they stand before God. In spite of this, Gentile Christians are not called to hate Israel, for Israel’s current state of unbelief has allowed Gentiles to be brought to salvation in Christ (v. 28; cf. 11:11).

Certainly Gentile Christians are not to treat their Jewish brethren as rivals to be destroyed but as enemies to be loved (cf. Matt. 5:44). Though Israel is an enemy of God with regard to the gospel, she is loved by God “from the standpoint of God’s choice,” or election, for the sake of their forefathers (i.e., Abraham, Isaac, Jacob). Now God’s choice of Israel does not mean that every Jew who ever lived will be saved but that the nation as a whole is blessed by God. Being “beloved” of God will culminate in the salvation of the elect for salvation. So, since “all Israel will be saved” (26), Gentile believers must maintain a proper, loving attitude towards Israel.

Verse 29 explains that both God’s calling and His gifts, which are given to His people, are “irrevocable,” literally “not repented of”—emphatic in the Greek text. God is unable to repent of His gifts and His calling of Israel, for “It is not as though the word of God has failed” (9:6). God called Israel through Abraham to be a special, unique nation among all other peoples in history, and He has not rescinded that divine call. Israel’s “gifts” (Gr. charismata) would the numerous blessings Paul spoke of in 9:4-5. These gifts continue to be offered freely to Israel, the same salvation offered to Gentiles, namely belief in Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, Lord of heaven and earth. Those who trust in Jesus as the Christ receive God’s gifts, and God will never repent of such. Gentiles must therefore respect the Jews, for they themselves have a secure salvation as a result of Israel’s unbelief. Albeit, God will save Israel—always true to His word.

Verses 30-31 are parallel in a 3+3 format and summarize what Paul has said. The first three points concern Gentiles who were, first, at one time disobedient to God. Second, they are now receiving mercy by God. Third, they are receiving mercy because of Jewish unbelief. The second three points concern Jews, who are, first, currently disobedient to God. Second, during their disobedience the Gentiles are able to come to faith which is the “mercy shown to you.” Third, the mercy currently being shown to the Gentiles will eventually produce the future mercy for the Jews. This is what Paul previously said in 11:11 and 11:14, namely, that Israel will become jealous of Gentile salvation and will eventually long for what the Gentiles have in Christ. This will, in turn, bring forth their “fullness” (11:12), their “life from the dead” (11:15).

The second use of the word “now” in v. 31 simply means that though Israel is not “now” receiving the mercy of salvation, Paul sees the time of Jesus and the events of His life up to His second coming as an unfolding unity of time called the eschaton—the time of the end.

Food For Thought
Christians can view Israel as their enemies in terms of the gospel. But true Christians love their enemies! In loving the Jews through our actions and behavior toward them, therefore, we will move them to jealousy (11:11). And when God’s time arrives, they will indeed come to Christ in mass and bring divine blessings upon the world that the world has yet to experience.