Four Warnings to Gentile Believers

Romans  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  36:15
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Romans 11:17-24
Paul has been speaking about how God has dealt with Israel.
In verse 11-12 he spoke of provoking the Israelites to Jealousy so that some might come to grace.
Here in verse 17, Paul begins with a parable of an Olive Tree.
His point is to show how God has worked with Israel, and the Gentiles.
The olive tree was one of the most used, productive trees in Israel.
It was important for their economy, as well as their day to day use.
God, through Paul uses the image of an olive tree as a picture of God’s relationship the Nation of Israel.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
The natural branches refers to Israel.
The wild olive branches refers to the Gentile Believers.
The olive tree itself refers to God and a right relationship with God.
Some wild olive branches have been grafted into the tree.
It is interesting to note that Paul uses the words thou (kai su) which is singular.
He is not speaking to all Gentiles, but to particular Gentiles.
The Gentile believers are called a wild olive branch.
He was not a part of the olive tree.
He was estranged or alienated from the olive tree.
But the Gentile believer is now said to have been grafted into the olive tree.
He is now attached to God.
He is in right relationship with God.
So he partakes of the nutrients and life of the olive tree.
Wow, what a privilege!
To be nourished by God!
because he has chosen to graft us in.
It is now as much our right as the believing Jew!
The Gentile believers have been grafted with them (the Jewish believers.
There is only one family.
We are all in the God’s family.
But with this comes four warnings to the Gentile Believers.

I. Do Not Boast

18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
This verse is the understood conclusion to an if/then statement.
If some of the branches were broken off, and you were grafted in…Then don’t boast!
It is so easy for a new christian, once there is some growth, to boast, or become judgmental.
It’s easy to look around when God has convicted you of certain areas that have become hindrances in your life…then you see other Christians still doing some of the things that God has convicted you of.
I’m not talking about sin which the Word of God clearly forbids.
But some of those areas where the Word of God doesn’t directly prohibit…but the Holy Spirit may convict an individual who may struggle in that area.
It’s easy to begin to judge after we begin to feel secure in our new Olive tree position.
Maybe some in Paul’s day were looking at the lack of faith in Jesus Christ that some of the unbelieving Jews had.
The leaders in the Jewish communities were persecuting the church and Christians who followed Jesus.
Many Jews chose to not follow the Way, because of this persecution.
But Paul doesn’t want these grafted in Gentiles to become dismissive, or judgmental in boasting of their position.
They are the ones who are dependent on the root, not the root dependent upon them.
We need not become boastful as we look around and see others who may not have grown as quickly as we have.
We need not become judgmental over those who have not been taught.
We have worked hard to try to instill in our kids to not be judgmental of others.
They are not always successful, as we as parents are not always successful.
It’s hard sometimes for Christians to look at what appears to be the “freedoms” that others have to do what they want…or miss church to enjoy other fun activities, etc.
But I tell them that the Bible says, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
We are not better than anyone else, we are just held to a greater requirement than others.
Once we have been shown by God’s Word the right thing to do, we are required to follow it.
We have been given an opportunity to learn from God, but it also requires us to follow His ways.
Don’t be judgmental of others around you who do not do what you do, and do not become envious of those around you who do not do what you do.
Just let everyone of us follow as the Holy Spirit leads us.
He is a much better Holy Spirit than we are!
The Second Warning to the Gentile Believers is

II. Do Not Become Complacent

To be complacent is to show a smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Paul imagines the argument from the Gentile Believers here in verse 19.
“The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.”
In other words, they were cut off to make room for us.
There is an arrogance in this argument.
The refusal of these Jews to accept Jesus as Christ has nothing to do with us.
They thought, aren’t we superior to those branches who were broken off?
Didn’t they get broken off to make room for us?
Paul’s response in the next verses lead them to the conclusion that this should humble us, not lift us up in pride!
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
This should cause us, who are Gentiles, to be humble about our place on this Olive Tree.
The only difference between us is faith in Christ.
Don’t be highminded, or arrogant, Paul says…but fear!
Who do we think we are compared to God’s chosen people?
The Jews had the godly heritage…we were the wild branch…the ungodly heritage.
The Jews had the Patriarchs living for the one true God… Our ancestors were heathen polytheistic people.
The Jews had the Word of God and the Messiah born through their lineage…We had neither of those.
The Jews had the prophets of God....We had false humanistic priests of this world led by the demons and devils.
We have no room to boast!
So therefore...Hold fast to your faith in humility!
Hebrews 2:1 KJV
1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
This isn’t a defense of the false theology of being able to lose your salvation.
No you still must reconcile these verses with the whole of Romans, as well as all of scripture.
It is just a caution to not be arrogant, or complacent in their new found place in God.
It is simply a word of warning, just as 1 Cor. 10:12
1 Corinthians 10:12 KJV
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
I remember many a car ride with my mom and dad, when us three kids would be misbehaving in the back seat…well mostly my sister…just kidding, she was always the angel.
But i remember more than once my mom or dad telling us boys, “Behave yourself or else!”
Or more specific, “Don’t make me pull over.”
They didn’t have to be any more specific.
We knew it was not a good thing!
Paul is turning around in the driver seat and warning these believers, don’t boast, or else!
The response he is looking for is a humble obedience.

III. Do Not Lose Site of God

The Reality of who God is.
That is both sides!
See the goodness and the severity of God.
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.

A. The Severity

Let’s look at the second mention first.
The severity of God is seen in the spiritual fall of Israel.
The word severity means and abrupt, sharp, rough, cutting off.
The Jews had committed the very sins that Paul warns about here in these verses.
They had been arrogant and boastful toward the non Jews and refused to share the truth of God’s Word to them.
We must be careful not to fall to this as well!
How important it is that we share the gospel to everyone around us!
They had been highminded and complacent feeling safe and secure as God’s chosen people.
They began to think they better than the others around them.
But the Jews rejected the many warnings that God had sent through the years.
Prophets, God’s Word, The purpose of God’s Law.
Zephaniah 1:12 KJV
12 And it shall come to pass at that time, That I will search Jerusalem with candles, And punish the men that are settled on their lees: That say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.
They had become arrogant in their standing, and God cut them off.

B. The Goodness

“…but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
The goodness of the Lord is seen in the opening up to the Gentiles, the graphing in of the believers who were not of Jewish heritage.
But he warns them, they had better keep their eyes on how good God was to them.
Don’t get haughty and proud.
Don’t lose site of not only the goodness of God, but also the realization that we do not deserve it!

IV. Do not Forget Israel’s Restoration

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24 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?
There will be a day when a great revival will happen in Israel.
They will turn to God through Jesus as their Messiah and Savior.
Paul has already implied that there would be a day of revival when Israel as a whole would return to her special relationship with God.
Their being broken off, is not necessarily the end of the story for these individual Israelites!
Yes there will be a day of great revival in Israel…but he is also speaking of every age between now and then.
The nation as a whole…not every individual…has been cut off because of their unbelief.
But God is reminding the Gentiles…don’t think that God cannot graft them back if they repent.
But note This grafting is:

A. Conditional

There is an “if” in verse 23.
“if they abide not still in unbelief.
It is not going to happen just because they are nationally Jewish.
They have to repent of their unbelief, just as the Gentiles and all those Jews who already believed.
They have to have a change of mind.
Genuine belief has always been and will always be a condition of salvation.
Once they are these verses say they will be grafted in once again.
No one will be grafted unless they accept the Son.
John 14:6 KJV
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
This grafting is Conditional
Secondly this grafting is...

B. Possible

He is warning the Gentiles…don’t think just because they have been cut off that they can’t be graffed back in!
…for God is able to graff them in again.
God is able because of His great love for His people.
God will forgive any sin as long as the repent, and change their mind.
When they repent of their unbelief, they change their mind and believe.
John 3:15 KJV
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 5:24 KJV
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Don’t think for a moment that it is too late.
By the way this gives me great hope for America.
If God can bring revival to the nation of Israel, who for two millennia now have rejected Christ…there is still hope for America to come back to Christ!
Don’t say revival is impossible!
It is happening even right now in other lands.
We can see it too…but it is dependent upon us!
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We must repent of our sin!
Our unbelief and pray…seek His face!
And maybe God will bring revival to our country once again.
I refuse to give up hope!
Paul warns the Gentile Christians that there will be a revival among the Jews - don’t get boastful…some of them are coming too!
But it will be conditional upon them giving up their unbelief.
He reminds them that the revival is possible!
God is able to graff them in again!
And then thirdly…not only is it possible, but it is...

C. Probable

24 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?
If you were not naturally part of the tree, and yet were grafted in so that you can grow in Christ…how much more probable is a natural branch being graft into their own tree?
The grafting in again of these natural branches is much more likely than the calling of the Gentiles was.
Paul is confident in his prediction that God’s people will once again be grafted in.
Jeremiah 24:6–7 KJV
6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. 7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
The day is coming!
Let’s pray for it’s haste!
But while we pray let’s share the gospel to everyone that we can!
Give out tracts to spread the gospel.
Don’t be boastful in the opportunity that you have been given to be grafted in.
Don’t be judgmental of those around you who have not grown yet as you have.
Don’t become complacent but continue to Grow!
Don’t lose site of who God really is, but his Severity and his Goodness.
And don’t forget…if God can graft you in who were a wild olive branch, how much more is it possible and probable that God will bring revival to Israel and graft the natural branches back in.
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