Romans 11 and The Chosen Remnant

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The Flower Falls

9 min readApr 23, 2019

NOTE: The post you are about to read is adapted from Chapter 11 of my book The Flower Falls: A Careful Examination of Calvinism’s TULIP. The entire book is available here in blog format, but you can find it in print form on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.

The Chosen Remnant (Romans 11)

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice” (Romans 11:5).

If you’ve been reading my posts from the beginning, you know we’ve spent a good deal of time examining the context of Romans 8 and 9 in search of support for TULIP’s idea of unconditional election, but we have not yet considered Romans 11:5 where Paul wrote about a “remnant according to God’s gracious choice.” Calvinists read this passage and conclude Paul was referring to people of all generations whom God chose and predestined for salvation before the foundation of the world. This fits well with their overarching narrative and belief that they are one of those chosen and predestined people. The problem is, they have no more support for that belief than Jehovah’s Witnesses have for claiming their leaders are the 144,000 faithful witnesses mentioned in Revelation 7. Both groups overlook the context of the respective passages and read something into the texts to support their claim.

In contrast to the Calvinistic view, Paul’s words and their context indicate he was referring to first-century Israelites who, like the seven thousand people mentioned in 1 Kings 19:18 who had not bowed down to Baal, were continuing in God’s kindness by faith (Romans 11:1–22).

Remember the Context

You might recall that when considering Paul’s question in Romans 8:33 “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” here we noted that much of the first nine chapters of Romans are written in question-answer format, with Paul addressing anticipated objections from his readers and answering them with words of truth. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, to see that he continued this pattern throughout chapters 10 and 11 before concluding with his famous “therefore” in Romans 12:1. In fact, his statements in Romans 11:1–5 are in line with the series of questions and answers he began in 10:14 and didn’t conclude until the end of chapter 11.

If we hope to find the identity of the remnant Paul referred to, however, we need to go back to Romans 9:1–3 where he wrote of his great sorrow, unceasing grief, and wish that he was “accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Paul went on throughout chapter 9 explaining that, although the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, and the promises belonged to his kinsmen Israel, “they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel.” And “pursuing a law of righteousness” they “stumbled over the stumbling stone” which is Christ (vv.6, 31, 32).

This painful reality seems to have prompted him to write that his heart’s desire and prayer to God was for their salvation (10:1). Then, after expounding on the reasons for his concerns and prayer for his Israelite kinsmen, Paul seemed to anticipate the fear his readers might have for themselves and their loved ones, so he reached back to Joel 2:32 and reminded them, “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 will call on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:12–13).

Those are bold words, but Paul knew that even they might not be enough to overcome the fear of his readers, so he graciously went on to give voice to more questions and concerns:

“How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”(Romans 10:14).

Then, “How will they preach unless they are sent?” Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news of great tidings!’” (Romans 10:15).

Paul then wisely took a moment to explain that, though it had been preached, “They did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ” (vv. 16–17).

Then, anticipating yet another question, he asked, “Surely they have never heard have they?” And, as was his pattern, he answered immediately and directly. Quoting from Psalm 19, he responded, “Indeed, they have; ‘their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world’” (Romans 10:18).

Paul’s reply seems to have left no room for more questions. They had heard. Yet, even with such a strong rebuttal, the objections continued: “Surely, Israel did not know did they?”(v.19). Paul responded with a reference to Deuteronomy 32:21 which speaks of God making Israel jealous by “that which is not a nation, by a nation without understanding.”

This then brought him to the crux of the concern: “God has not rejected His people, has He?”(11:1). After all, if he rejected Israel, what would keep him from rejecting Gentiles?

Paul’s first response was to exclaim, “May it never be!” then remind his readers that he too was an Israelite, “a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” His fuller explanation, however, is found in the entirety of Romans 11 where he began by telling his readers that God “had not rejected His people whom He foreknew” (11:2). And, though they stumbled, a remnant of Israel remained (vv.3–11).

Paul then continued throughout verses 12–22 using two illustrations to demonstrate how, though distinct, Gentiles were united with Israel in Christ. The first was of a lump of dough added to holy dough and thus made holy. The second was of wild olive branches grafted into the rich root of a holy, cultivated olive tree; thus making the branches holy. Both provide a beautiful picture of the holy unity of Israelites and Gentiles in Christ, but Paul didn’t stop there. He went on to write about natural branches being broken off from the cultivated tree for their unbelief, and the possibility of grafted branches being broken off.

Those are sobering words but thankfully, he didn’t stop there either. He went on to say it was possible for the branches previously broken off to be grafted in again (Romans 11:23–24). Then, again referencing his unbelieving Israelite brethren, he made this bold statement: “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 calling of God are irrevocable” (vv. 11:28–29).

Indeed, God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable, but the combination of Paul’s grief over his Israelite brethren, his words about branches broken off for unbelief, and his prayer for their salvation seem to indicate that, though irrevocable, God’s gifts and calling are not irresistible. They can be rejected. Quoting Isaiah 65:2, Romans 10:21records God’s words: “All the day long I have stretched out My hand to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Israel was indeed a disobedient and stubborn nation, but a faithful remnant existed among them. Paul communicated that truth by turning the attention of his readers to Elijah who, after expressing concern he was the only faithful person in Israel, was told by God that he left for himself seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal (Romans 11:1–4). This comforting truth set the stage for Paul to tell the Romans, “In the same way then, there has come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice” (v.5).

The Identity of the Faithful Remnant

Some Christians today read Romans 11:5 and claim they’re part of the faithful remnant referred to, but Paul’s words and their greater context make that impossible. Believing Gentiles are declared descendants of Abraham by faith and enjoy all the blessings that come with that (Galatians 3:7–8), but the context of Romans 11 indicates Paul was referring to God’s choice of Abraham’s physical descendants, Israel (vv.5, 28–29). Though many Israelites had been broken off for their unbelief (11:20), a faithful remnant of them remained. In other words, some of them obtained righteousness through faith. The righteousness by faith discussion began in Romans 9:31where Paul wrote that, pursuing righteousness through the law, Israel did not obtain it. But as he continued throughout chapters 10 and 11 Paul explained that a faithful remnant of Israel did.

The existence of a faithful remnant wasn’t foreign to the Israelites. Isaiah referred to a remnant returning to the Lord in 10:20–22. And later, in chapter 65, the Lord made a distinction between his chosen ones who seek him and those who forsake him:

“I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and an heir of My mountains from Judah; even My chosen ones shall inherit it, and My servants will dwell there. Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, and the valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for My people who seek Me. But you who forsake the Lord, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune, and who fill cups mixed with wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, All of you who bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not hear. And you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight” (Isaiah 65:9–12).

The Lord unconditionally chose Israel according to his grace. And, because he is a God who keeps his promises, his choice of them will not change. However, though he made specific unconditional promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he never made an unconditional promise of eternal salvation to them or their descendants.

A faithful remnant in accordance with God’s gracious choice and unconditional election of Israel continues to exist. Nevertheless, though all of Israel can rightly be referred to as God’s chosen people, the remnant that Isaiah and Paul wrote of refers to “My people who seek Me” (65:10).

Faithful Israelites have sought God and followed Jesus since the first century, and they will continue to do so throughout every generation. But the belief that modern-day Gentiles are part of the remnant Paul wrote of in Romans 11:1–5 not only violates the context of his words, it overlooks the simple fact that he was referring to people “at the present time” (v.5).

Rather than questioning whether you, I, or anyone else is chosen, perhaps we should examine ourselves in light of 1 John:

Am I confessing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he came in the flesh to redeem mankind and destroy the works of the devil?

Am I walking in God’s light and in fellowship with him and others?

Am I practicing righteousness or lawlessness?

Am I loving in deed and truth or only in word?

Am I abiding in God and he in me?

Am I trusting in Jesus’ resurrection as my expectation that being “in him” means sin and death have lost their power over me?

And, when I fail to do any of these things, am I crying out for forgiveness and trusting in Jesus alone, who is the atoning sacrifice for all sin and whose blood cleanses me from all of my sins?

The context of Paul’s letters to the Ephesians and the Romans dispute TULIP’s ideas about Unconditional Election, but we have a long way to go before exhausting the verses used by Calvinists to support their beliefs. The apostle Peter had much to say to and about the “chosen”. Could it be in his letters that we find ground for TULIP can grow? Join me here where we’ll examine them together.

You can connect with me on Twitter, or email me at patti@theflowerfallsoff.com

To read more, return to the homepage or follow one of the links below.

Calvinism’s Errors: A Brief Introduction

The Protestant Reformation: Truth and Error

Calvinism, Illusory Truth, and the Scriptures

The Sovereignty and Will of God

Chosen and Predestined Ephesians 1

Calvinism and the Plain Sense of Pronouns

Redemption, Adoption, and the Seal of the Spirit- Ephesians

Romans 8- Foreknown and Predestined

Romans 8:33- A Charge Against God’s Elect

Romans 9- Love & Hate, Potter & Clay