Don’t be wise in your own estimation.

Romans 11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery-so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; Since the beginning of this section in chapter 9, Paul was sharing why he is so concerned about his Jewish brethren. He longed for their salvation even to the point that if he could he would sacrifice himself. He began with questioning whether God’s word, His promise to Abraham had failed. Romans 9:6-7. “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: ‘THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.’” Then he showed them that God had chosen Jacob and not Esau. From there he cited Scriptures that clearly indicated that the Israel of God included some Gentiles. In the previous few verses and today’s verse, we see that Paul didn’t want the Gentile church in Rome to think more highly of themselves for being accepted by God while it appeared the Jews were being overlooked by God. He explained the mystery to them—God has hardened part of the descendants of Abraham for a period of time. The purpose for the partial hardening was so that He could bring in the fullness of the Gentiles. They needed to know this so that they wouldn’t think that they were wiser than the Jews. Have you ever thought that because you have accepted Jesus that you are wiser than those who have not? If so, then you understand the mystery. In between every word is this great truth: salvation is 100% of the Lord. We have been grafted into Israel by God’s kindness, not because we are better or wiser than others. God has given us to His Son and given His Son to us “according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:5-6). The presence of the Holy Spirit, faith, and love verify the grace in which we stand. This should be as humbling to us as it was to Paul’s first readers. We enter into this day not trusting in our wisdom, but in God’s wisdom. He will guide us to those He wishes to save until all the fullness of the Gentiles is come in, and then we will see an incredible harvest among national Israel. May we be on the alert, abiding in Christ, and expecting God to do great things as we live to love with Jesus. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com