[unlearner]

“Righteous Gentiles are grafted onto Israel, and remain, if they continue in His goodness.”

Though close, that’s not quite correct.

Believing Gentiles have been made righteous and grafted into an olive tree in order to bear fruit. Christ is the root of that olive tree, not Israel. Israel is represented by branches, some of which were broken off because of unbelief. But Israel will be brought to repentance and faith as a nation, and the branches will be grafted back in again. See Romans 11.

It is true that Jesus ministered primarily to Israel. However, there were believing Gentiles and Samaritans who received Christ’s blessings and healing. The scriptures you cited contain a mention of this. In other places He marveled how foreigners had more faith than the Israelites.

Paul was wrongly accused of teaching that God had abandoned Israel and broken His promises. He makes a special point to correct this libel. Paul pointed out that he himself was an Israelite. But, as a nation, they remain in unbelief.

God dealt with them as His chosen earthly people. This was and is a special position of favor God has given to the Jews. However, it is not favoritism. To whom much is given, much is required.

We do see signs of national repentance in the Old Testament. It never really happened to the fullest extent. There were times Israel cooperated with God nationally. Israel once promised to keep God’s laws, but they didn’t (and couldn’t but needed to realize that). There were times when Israel cried to God to rescue her. But the day when all of Israel is going to be saved has not arrived yet.

Likewise, no other nations fully repented and turned to God either. We do see Nebuchadnezzar making a decree to honor the God of Israel throughout his empire. We do see the repentance of Nineveh, the capital of the kingdom of Assyria. But God has not dealt with any nation like He has with Israel, no nation has had the privileges of God’s revealed knowledge to the extent Israel has.

And Gentile believers have received many privileges and benefits through our connection with Israel in Christ.

[af_vet_1981]

Righteous Gentiles are grafted onto Israel, and remain, if they continue in His goodness.”

Though close, that’s not quite correct

The grafting described by the Apostle to the Gentiles is that righteous Gentiles are grafted onto the olive tree, among the natural branches, not onto the root itself. With the natural branches, they partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree.

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Romans, Catholic chapter eleven, Protestant verses thirteen to twenty four,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James