For if their rejection is a reconciling of the world, what is their acceptance if not life from the dead?
Truth to Learn
God decides whom He will chose and whom He will reject.
Behind the Words
“Rejection” is a translation of the Greek word apobolē, which is made up of apo, meaning “away from” and a form of balō, meaning “to throw.” Literally, it means “to cast away” or “to discard.”
“Reconciling” is from katallagē, which is derived from the verb katallassō. This word is made up of kata, used as an intensifier, and allassō, meaning “to change.” It is used in the New Testament to express a change, or reconciliation, from a state of being enemies to one of being friends.
The word translated, “acceptance” is the Greek word proslēpsis. It is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of lambanō, which means “to take or to receive.” Thus proslēpsis means “to receive to oneself.”
Meaning Explained
This verse is nearly a restatement of verse 12, the difference being one of viewpoint and causation. In verse 12 Paul talked about the “fall” of the Jews, that is, the “falling by the wayside” as a result of unbelief on their part. It was not so much the actions or deeds of the Jews as it was their lack of faith. In the current verse Paul refers to their “being cast away,” which is an action of God in His sovereignty. Because of their lack of faith, God chose to cast them aside. But, as always, God had a purpose in casting them aside. His plan in turning from the faithless Jews was to have His message delivered to the Gentiles. However, this turning from His chosen people is not a permanent condition.
Paul says that if the casting away of the Jews by God resulted in the rest of mankind believing in His Word and being reconciled to God, then their being received back by God in the future will mean that they will have been brought back to life.
These two verses taken together demonstrate the dichotomy of election. From the human perspective it refers to the judicial action taken against man for his rejection of God. But from the heavenly perspective, it refers to God’s casting them away so they cannot believe. In either case it is only action on God’s part that brings them back.
In the following verses Paul will give a stern warning to the Gentiles that their current state of blessedness as a people is just as tenuous as that which the Jews had, and that it can be revoked by God as well. This is NOT referring to individual revocation of the blessing, but corporate rejection. Paul is not saying that God will “take back” salvation from individuals (Paul has already shown that God can’t do this). He is saying that God rejected the Jews as His chosen race and one day will take them back as His people.
Application
Individuals cannot lose their salvation once God has chosen them as the elect. However, because the Jews as a nation turned from God, He turned from them. In these last days of the church we see the Gentiles turning from God just as the Jews had earlier. It is only a matter of time before God casts the Gentiles aside and the world will be judged. In the midst of that terrible judgment, called The Great Tribulation, God will once again turn to the Jews and the remnant will be saved. And God will get all the glory and praise which only He deserves!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved
