Study Desk

for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation.

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes upon Him will not be put to shame."

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him,

for "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

However, they did not all heed the good news, for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"

And Isaiah is very bold and says,"I was found by those who did not seek Me,I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me."

But as for Israel He says, "All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."

I say then, has God rejected His people? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

But what does the divine response say to him? "I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness be!

For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Quite right! They were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be haughty, but fear,

for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

For I do not want you, brothers, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

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;

for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,

For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.