The Jews were the natural branches broken off and the Gentiles were the wild shoots grafted in. How did we get here? Paul starts by pointing out in v1-2 that the reason why the nation of Israel was cut off was not because God rejected them. Rather, they rejected God. Even so, just as in the days of Elijah when he felt he was the only believer in the one true God, Paul reminds his readers in v5 that these Jewish Christians in Rome are not alone. That even at the present time, there is a remnant in Israel, chosen not by race but by grace. [Read more…] about Romans 11: Jesus is the Root of Salvation (pt2 of 4)