I’m not sure which Bible those who are teaching this doctrine are reading, but it isn’t the one that I am reading.

Paul spends three full chapters in the book of Romans explaining the fall of the Jewish nation because they couldn’t accept God’s system of making people righteous by faith and not by rules to live by.

He explains also that because of their rejection of God’s program of the Gospel, they have become our spiritual enemies and are in opposition to God.

But Paul makes a statement here in our passage that totally refutes the false teaching that the church has replaced Israel.

We are told that “concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.”

Now this is a powerful statement that shows us that God has not abandoned Israel! But their status with God is not standing or falling based on how they are living.

Their status with God is based on their election (the fact that God chose them to be in covenant relationship with Him.)

They are still BELOVED! This means that even though they are in rebellion to Him, God still loves them like crazy.

And why does He love them and why did He elect them? “For the sake of the fathers.”

His covenant with them is based on His unbreakable covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not based on their current performance.

And this is what it means when Paul says that “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.”

Just because the Jews are currently in rebellion to God does not mean that God has revoked His covenant with them. They have not been replaced by the church.

In fact, if the church was the replacement of Israel, then God would have become a liar and we could no longer trust the covenant that He has made with us (the Church)!

God’s covenant with Israel is irrevocable! Just like His covenant with Jesus, which is the covenant that WE stand upon. None of God’s covenants can be revoked because none of God’s covenants are based on human performance.

Our behavior and performance doesn’t change God’s covenant with us. If our covenant with God hinged on our own performance instead of the performance of Jesus, we would be in a heap of hurt.

And God’s covenant with Israel still stands because He made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Israel has not been replaced as God’s chosen nation. God still dearly loves them.

And later in this chapter we find out that one day in the future, ALL Israel will be saved. They will ALL come to understand that they can only be saved by putting their faith in Jesus.

That will be a pretty cool day! The Bible tells us a lot about it. Too bad I’m out of space.