Romans 11:5-6 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
There is a mysterious balance between God’s mercy, which God chooses to give to whomever he wishes, and the human decision of faith. God gives mercy to all but not everyone accepts it. Paul calls the Jews who accept God’s grace as the “remnant.” Like the 7000 during Elijah’s day who believed, this remnant also believes in God’s word of which Paul just wrote in ch. 10. Paul’s key point is that those who are the remnant did not experience their salvation by their own efforts. It did not come by works of the law or self-righteousness. That is what many of the Jews of Paul’s day thought was the way to be righteous. In our day, people still function in that mindset and believe that if they do enough good deeds, they will be good (“righteous”) enough to get into heaven. Paul makes clear in this passage that only those who trust in God’s grace are the faithful remnant. If salvation did not come by grace, then that invalidates what grace is all about. These verses help us further understand and define grace. It is undeserved and it is God’s decision. Those who believe are able to tap into its transforming power.
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