Romans 11:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

NIV: for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

NASB: for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

CSB: since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable.

NLT: For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

KJV: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

NKJV: For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Paul has written in previous verses that God's people Israel will return to God. This will be through faith in Christ, at some point in the future. Through election—God's sovereign choosing beforehand—this is the purpose for which God has destined the nation of Israel.

Why has God done this? The prior verse said that it is because of their forefathers. Those are the patriarchs of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God gave to these three men great and unconditional promises that He would bless them and make of them a mighty nation. Since these promises were given by God, they carried the weight of certainty. The promises were God's gifts. God called the patriarchs to follow Him and He made an everlasting covenant with them that included their descendants.

Paul writes that these gifts and calling are irrevocable. Though God later made conditional covenants to bless Israel if they would keep the law, His promises to the patriarchs were mostly one-sided promises based only on His own goodness. Those promises will not be revoked no matter how deeply Israel sins in rejecting faith in Christ as the Messiah. He will always call Israel back into relationship with Himself, even bringing the people of the nation to faith in Christ in due time.

Romans 11:25–32 wraps up a long section about God's plans for His Israelite people. In short, He plans to remove the hardening of unbelief and renew His covenant with Israel. This will occur as many Jewish people come to faith in Christ at some future time. Israel remains deeply loved by God because of His irrevocable promises and calling for the patriarchs. In the end, God will show mercy to all Jews and Gentiles who come to Him through faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.

In Romans 11, Paul concludes his exploration of God's plan for His chosen people Israel. It's true that as a nation, Israel has rejected faith in Christ, but a remnant of Israelites has believed in Jesus. God has hardened the rest in unbelief, but will bring Israel back to faith when enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then many Israelites will trust in Christ, as well, and God will renew His covenant with His people. Paul concludes this section with a powerful poem or hymn about God's independence and how He is beyond our full comprehension.

Romans 11 concludes Paul's discussion about God's plan for the Israelites begun in Romans 9 and 10. Paul insists that, though Israel as a nation has rejected Christ, a remnant of Jewish Christians exists by God's grace. God has hardened the rest in their unbelief until enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then God will release Israel to believe in Christ and restore His covenant with her as many individual Jews come to faith in Christ, as well. Paul stands in awe of God's vast and unknowable mind and complete ownership of all things.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.