“As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.” -Romans 11:28
For clarity’s sake, Paul’s categories are as follows:
the Church at Rome to whom he is writing and whose constituency is both Jew and Gentile believers where the majority group is apparently Gentile;
broader Israel which includes both the elect remnant and the unbelieving ethnic Jews;
the elect remnant, those who are currently in a state of unbelief but will believe because of the covenant God made with their fathers;
and, unbelieving Israel which has rejected true belief for religious form and identity.
As regards the gospel limits the context of Paul’s first statement to God’s mysterious work of redemption which is currently in view. The elect Israel, the remnant, are currently enemies of God (along with the rest of unbelieving Israel) for the Gentile’s sake. Had the elect remnant not been temporarily hardened along with the unbelieving Israel, the Gentiles would not have been brought in. But it is through this temporary hardening (or partial harding as it relates to broader Israel) that grace has come to them.
But as regards election, remnant Israel are beloved because of the covenant made with their believing forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. What joins unbelieving Israel and remnant Israel together to make broader Israel is their ethnicity, their physical lineage. But what distinguishes remnant Israel from ethnic Israel is faith.
Although remnant Israel (along with unbelieving Israel) is currently in a state of unbelief, and therefore enemies of both God and believers, they will eventually be provoked into belief via the Gentile inclusion. This will happen because they are elect by God as he promised through the covenant he make with their forefathers.
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