Romans 11:29

Romans 11:29. For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance; not subject to recall. The adjective rendered ‘without repentance' occurs elsewhere in the New Testament, only in 2 Corinthians 7:10. This general principle of God's dealings is the basis of the latter half of Romans 11:28. The fact that God had once bestowed His gifts upon Israel, and called them to become His people, proves, on this principle, that they are still beloved for the sake of their fathers. The principle is universal, but here the application is national, hence both ‘gifts' and ‘calling' are not to be limited to spiritual gifts to individuals, and to effectual calling, or to election. Still less should the former be referred to the Jews, and the latter to the Gentiles. The Jewish nation had special endowments from God, chief among these, or rather the cause of all these, was the calling of the nation as the theocratic people to whom the Messiah was promised. All was in accordance with God's covenant, hence the irrevocableness. In what way this spiritual restoration of the Jews will affect their national life is not stated. God's faithfulness to His covenant is the truth of most practical value.