⁵ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Verses five and six draw the conclusion to verses one through four, that God preserved a remnant according to his gracious election. The idea of the remnant is found in 62 places in the Old Testament. Now Paul made an application from the illustration of Elijah.

⁵ Even so then,

These words draw the conclusion that, in Paul’s day, God had reserved a remnant of Jews who would believe in the Messiah. There was a remnant in Elijah’s day just as in Paul’s day.

at this present time [in Paul’s day] there is [has come into being] a remnant [of Israel]

God did not abandon Israel even though the majority were apostate. The “is” in “is a remnant” indicates permanence (perfect tense). God’s permanent plan for Israel continued to Paul’s day.

Even in Elijah’s time apostasy was not totally universal in Israel. The appearance of total apostasy caused dejection in Elijah. The same was true in Paul’s time; rejection of the Messiah by Israel was not total.

God never leaves Himself without a witness in any generation. He always has a faithful remnant who accepts His grace.

according to the election [God’s plan] of grace.

When God singles out a remnant of Jews, He always uses the principle of grace. God’s salvation is always exclusively by grace. The “remnant” is composed of the “elect” who participate in “grace.” It depends not on what Israel might do but on what God does. Israel’s election rests on grace.

God’s plan rests on grace, not on numbers such as the 7,000 of Elijah’s day.

Being in the saved remnant has nothing to do with physical birth into the nation Israel; rather, it is a matter of one’s personal acceptance of God’s elect plan of salvation by grace. Those in the remnant are there by acceptance of God’s plan, not physical birth.

PRINCIPLE:

Since we did nothing for our salvation, we can do nothing to lose it.

APPLICATION:

Both Israel and the church share one thing in common—the grace of God. God saves freely and according to His provision; He does not depend on the resources of people. He accepts those who receive grace by faith and rejects those who seek salvation by works.

Eph 2:8-9, ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Because we did nothing for our salvation or to gain eternal life, we can do nothing to lose it. We rest completely in God’s grace for salvation.

Ro 4:4-5, ⁴ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. ⁵ But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Ro 9:30-32, ³⁰ What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone [the Messiah].