Many believers today have been woefully
deceived because of a misunderstanding of Romans 11:29, which says
that “the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” Many
people falsely think that this verse means all Jews are God's people, even
if they reject Christ and refuse to get saved. Tony Garland teaches this
heresy, as do many others.
The truth is that Romans 11:29 refers to God and not man. It is God Who has never repented (changed His mind) about the promises that He made to Abraham and his seed. The word repentance has nothing to do with man. This is the biggest mistake that Bible students make, that is, wrongfully interpreting this Scripture verse. Thus, there is not one Scripture which teaches that unbelieving Jews today are God's chosen people. There is a remnant of believing Jews today, just as there was in Elijah's time (Romans 11:2-5). The apostle Paul said that there was a remnant of Jews by the election of grace during his time (Romans 11:5). In other words, by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Likewise, there is still a remnant today of believing Jews, saved by God's grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are true Israel, God chosen people today. Yes, true Israel are God's people!
Please note that the CHURCH is NOT Israel. Every believer is called by three terms; namely, the Body of Christ, the Church and the Bride of Christ. My understanding is that the Body of Christ is composed of all Christians, Jews and Gentiles alike. The Body of Christ comes together to meet in local New Testament churches. There is no such thing as the universal or invisible church. The Body of Christ has never gather as a whole yet, but will for the first time at the Rapture, which I understand to be the Bride of Christ.
And then there is Israel, which is composed of all Jews, saved and unsaved alike. However, there is a remnant of saved Jews, the Jews who are the remnant of God, those Jews that have been born anew by the Spirit of God. These are God's chosen people and true children of Abraham. Galatians 3:26-29 plainly teach that only born-again Jews are heirs according to promise. Notice what Jesus taught in John 8:39, “They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.”
In other words, Jesus acknowledged that they were ethnic Jews (biologically related to Abraham), but they were not born-again Jews (spiritually related to Abraham). If they were truly Jews, then they would have believed on the Lord as did Abraham their father (Genesis 15:6). The Jews claimed Abraham to be their father, but Jesus rebuked them and said, 'YE ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL' (John 8:44). John 8:47, “He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
Romans 2:29, “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Again, the Bible plainly teaches that a true Jew is a born-again Jew. No Christ-rejecting, disobedient, arrogant, blaspheming, Bible-hating Jew is part of the remnant of God's chosen people. If all Jews are God's chosen people, then what's the purpose of even mentioning a remnant? The Bible plainly teaches that the remnant in Elijah's day were those 7,000 men who had not bowed their knee to Baal. Those Judaizer Jews today who revere the blasphemous Talmud as their holy book are serving the Devil. They blatantly reject Jesus as their Messiah. The Talmud says that Jesus was a bastard child, conceived from a Roman Soldier who raped Mary. That's how much Christ-rejecting Jews hate the Lord. They are NOT a Jew inwardly as the Bible says. True Israel are those Jews who inwardly are circumcised in heart, that is, Abraham's children by faith in Jesus Christ.
Yet, many foolish people today insist that unbelieving Jews who hate the Lord are God's chosen people. As you just read, Jesus said they are not of God, but of the Devil, their real father. If all Jews were God's chosen, then why would the Bible even mention a remnant? What would be the purpose? Romans 11:1-5 teaches that there has always been a remnant, and always will be a remnant, until Christ returns to regather them from around the world to enjoy and occupy their Promised Land forever and ever.
Again, the apostle Paul says in Romans 9:6, “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” Clearly, there were false Jews in New Testament times, just as their are false Jews today. Again we read in Revelation 2:9, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” Who can deny that some Jews are liars and are not truly God's chosen. Some are, but some AREN'T! It's important for every Christian to understand this truth, which is why I am mentioning it twice!!!
The very idea is insane that Christ-rejecting, blaspheming, hateful Zionist Jews (most of whom are Communists, Marxists, Atheists and Freemasons) are God's chosen people. THEY ARE NOT!!! Zionist Jews teach that a Roman Soldier raped Mary in the Talmud, and that's how Jesus was born (as a bastard child). The Jewish Talmud teaches that Jesus is boiling in urine and excrement forever. This is the holy book of Judaism. These are the Jews who foolish Believers have been duped to believe are God's chosen people. May I remind you again that the Bible says, “FOR THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL, WHICH ARE OF ISRAEL.” You cannot show me one single verse in the Bible which says that all biological Jews are God's chosen people. In sharp contrast, the Bible does say in Romans
Romans 11:28-32, “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”
The Word of God teaches that the Jews are God's people by His sovereign will, and that this calling is without repentance. The word “repentance” here refers to GOD and not to MAN. This is important to understand. The Bible is NOT saying that God chose all Jews, including Christ-rejecting and wicked Jews, even without them repenting to believe the Gospel. This is the false doctrine which many people think from ignorance of the Scriptures. What the verse truly means is that God has never changed His mind concerning His promises to make of Abraham a great nation, and to bless the nations of the earth through Abraham's seed. These prophecies have and are being fulfilled still today.
God will also keep His promises to defend the of Israel during the Tribulation, and to regather Israel at the Second Coming of Christ to the earth. Jesus will literally reign upon the throne of David.
The following eye-opening Bible commentary is by William Kelly...
Hence the apostle goes on to affirm what is wholly different from the gospel and church state. "According to the gospel, [they are] enemies on your account; but according to the election, beloved on account of the fathers.* For the gifts and the calling of God [are] irrevocable." (Ver. 28, 29.) The meaning is that, after the Jews proved their hostility to the gospel instead of being saved by it, which God turns, as we have seen, to His gracious call of the Gentiles meanwhile, election love will still prove faithful in the latter day to the sons for the sake of the fathers. This is not the principle on which souls are blessed now whether from Gentiles or from Jews. There is no difference. All are alike guilty and lost through their sins; all alike forgiven and saved through faith. But after the actual unbelief of the Jews, sovereign mercy will interpose at the end of the age. For the gifts and the calling of God admit of no regret on His part. He may repent of creation (Gen. 6), never of what grace gave in promise to Abraham and to his seed, never of His call which was first illustrated publicly in the father of the faithful. According to that "election" He will yet break their stony heart and put a new spirit within them.
SOURCE: Romans 8 - 16 - by William Kelly
Again, because this is such an important topic of discussion, here is further helpful commentary by Albert Barnes...
Verse 28. As concerning the Gospel. So far as the gospel is concerned; or, in order to promote its extension and spread through the earth. They are enemies. The word enemies here stands opposed to "beloved;" and as in one respect, to wit, on account of" election," they were still beloved, i.e. beloved by God; so in another respect they were his enemies, i.e. opposed to him, or cast off from him. The enemies of God denote all who are not his true friends, Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10, comp. Romans 11:8. The word here is applied to the Jews because they had rejected the Messiah; had become opposed to God; and were therefore rejected by him. For your sakes. For your advantage. Their rejection has become the occasion by which the gospel has been preached to you. Comp. Romans 11:11,19,20. As touching the election. So far as the purpose of election is concerned. That is, the election of their fathers and of the nation to be the peculiar people of God. They are beloved. God still regards them with interest; has purposes of mercy towards them; intends still to do them good. This does not mean that he approved of their conduct or character, or that he had for them the same kind of affection which he would have had if they had been obedient. God does not love a sinful character; but he may have still purposes of mercy, and regard men with deep interest on whom he intends yet to bestow mercy. For the fathers' sakes. Comp. Deuteronomy 10:15. He had chosen their fathers to be his peculiar people. He had made many promises to Abraham respecting his seed, and extended these promises to his remotest posterity. Though salvation is by grace, and not from human merit, yet God has respect to his covenant made with the fathers, and will not forget his promises. It is not on account of any merit of the fathers or of ancient saints, but solely because God had made a covenant with them; and this purpose of election would be manifest to their children in the latest times. As those contemplated in the covenant made with Abraham, God retained for them feelings of peculiar interest; and designed their recovery to himself. It is clear here that the word election does not refer to external privileges; for Paul is not teaching the doctrine that they shall be restored to the external privileges of Jews, but that they shall be truly converted to God. Yet this should not be abused by others to lead them to security in sin. No man has any security of happiness, and of the favour of God, but he who complies with the terms of his mercy. His commands are explicit to repent and believe, nor can there be safety except in entire compliance with the terms on which he is willing to bestow eternal life. {b} "for the father's sakes" Deuteronomy 10:15 Verse 29. For the gifts. The favours or benefits which God bestows on men. The word (\~carisma\~) properly denotes any benefit which is conferred on another as a mere matter of favour, and not of reward. See Romans 5:15,10; 6:23. Such are all the favours which God bestows on sinners, including pardon, peace, joy, sanctification, and eternal life. And calling of God. The word calling (\~klhsiv\~) here denotes that act of God by which he extends an invitation to men to come and partake of his favours, whether it be by a personal revelation as to the patriarchs, Or by the promises of the gospel, or by the influences of his Spirit. All such invitations or callings imply a pledge that he will bestow the favour, and will not repent, or turn from it. God never draws or invites sinners to himself without being willing to bestow pardon and eternal life. The word calling here, therefore, has not respect to external privileges, but to that choosing of a sinner, and influencing him to come to God, which is connected with eternal life. Without repentance. This does not refer to man, but to God. It does not mean that God confers his favours on man without his exercising repentance, but that God does not repent, or change, in his purposes of bestowing his gifts on man. What he promises he will fulfil; what he purposes to do, he will not change from or repent of. As he made promises to the fathers, he will not repent of them, and will not depart from them; they shall all be fulfilled; and thus it was certain that the ancient people of God, though many of them had become rebellious, and had been cast off, should not be forgotten and abandoned. This is a general proposition respecting God, and one repeatedly made of him in the Scriptures. See Numbers 23:19, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he not said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Ezekiel 24:14; 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalms 89:35,36; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18; James 1:17. It follows from this, (1.) that all the promises made to the people of God shall be fulfilled. (2.) That his people need not be discouraged or desponding in times of persecution and trial. (3.) That none who become his true friends will be forsaken, or cast off. God does not bestow the gift of repentance and faith, of pardon and peace, on men, for a temporary purpose; nor does he capriciously withdraw them, and leave the soul to ruin. When he renews a soul, it is with reference to his own glory; and to withdraw those favours, and leave such a soul once renewed to go down to hell, would be as much a violation of all the principles of his nature as it would be to all the promises of the Scripture. (4.) For God to forsake such a soul, and leave it to ruin, would imply that he did repent. It would suppose a change of purpose and of feeling. It would be the character of a capricious being, with no settled plan or principles of action; no confidence could be reposed in him, and his government would be unworthy the affections and trust of his intelligent creation. SOURCE: Romans - Chapter 11 - Barnes' Notes on the New Testament on StudyLight.org |
Thus, even unsaved Jews are still God's people, BUT they have clearly been cut off by God for their unbelief...
Romans 11:20, “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.”
The Bible teaches the Gentiles not to become arrogant.
Romans 11:22, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?”
The great lesson of this passage is certainly that just as the Jews of the Old Testament became proud (assuming that they alone knew God), so also could the same thing happen to Gentiles in the New Testament era. There is a danger of either looking down on the Jews, or looking up to the Jews. Both are sinful, for God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). Zionist Jews (who are all Freemasons) have infiltrated the churches, teaching people (even naive believers) that God wants them to look up to the Jews and financially support them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
If it had not been for the grace of God, Gentiles would never have been grafted into the life of God (salvation) which the Jews enjoyed. The new life which enables Gentiles to produce fruit, grows from the same root that the old stock of Israel grows. Thus, Gentiles should have a humble attitude, not toward the Jews, but toward God who saves men by His love, mercy and grace through faith in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Neither Jews nor Gentiles can claim stake to God. Romans 10:12, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
