Understanding the Mystery of Salvation

In reflecting about the amazing gift of salvation, I read scriptures in Romans that explain God’s perfect plan to save us all. Let me attempt to explain it in a simple way as I understand it. God chose the Jews as His chosen people. Why? Because He created all people and He decided to choose the Jews. We don’t question God’s choices.

God’s Chosen People

If we go back to the beginning when humanity rejected God, He then came up with a plan to save us by sending His only Son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus came with only one mission—to save human beings and restore our relationship back to God. John 14:6 states that, Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Jesus came into the Jewish family as a Jew. But He was rejected by most of His own people. Romans 11:5 says that “not all the Jews have turned away from God. A few are being saved as a result of God’s kindness in choosing them.” Later in Romans 11:7 the Scripture tells us that “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do not see and closed their ears so they do not hear.” The reason this happened is because God found a way for the rest of humanity (outside the Jewish people) to get saved. “His purpose was to make salvation available to the Gentiles, and then the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves.” (Romans 11:11) In other words, “The Jews’ rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world.” (v. 12).

The Olive Tree

God makes the analogy of the Olive tree as “Abraham’s tree” where Jesus is the root, and the Jews are the branches. However, the Jews who rejected Jesus are like branches that were broken off. Then God allowed us, the Gentiles, to be grafted into the Olive tree. As explained in verses 16-17, “For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you, Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God’s rich nourishment of his special olive tree.”

So, we are in! Thank you, God! But we are warned to not be proudful of this privilege because if God was willing to break off His own branches, He won’t spare us either. Now, how do we stay attached to the tree and connected to the root? How do we make sure we are not broken off? The answer is in our hands. We continue to trust God and, in His kindness (v. 22).

God’s Plan of Salvation Is a Mystery

This entire plan of salvation is a mystery. In the end, God’s plan is for the Jews to return to Him and to save as many human beings as possible. But each person must choose God too. Romans 11:25 tells us that, “Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved.” I wondered, what is the “complete number of Gentiles”? It’s as many as possible. It’s as many as will answer “yes” to the call. Lastly, v. 31 says, “But someday they, too, will share in God’s mercy.” “They” means the Jews.

What a wonderful, amazing, and loving plan this is for all of us. What a promise God gave us and what a merciful God we serve. He could have chosen not to save us and not even give us the opportunity. I am forever grateful that He chose to save us and opened a door to spend eternity with Him.

I encourage you to reflect in the bigger masterplan of God’s salvation for all of us. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior, today is your day. You will never regret being a follower of Jesus.