¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; ²¹ for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

Coming to faith did not make Gentiles in any way superior to the Jews who were hardened in their unbelief. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism easily germinates in the wrongful belief that God has completely abandoned Israel. But notice, Paul has been speaking of the remnant of believing Jews. Further, our passage doesn’t say all the natural branches have been broken off. The wording suggests that Paul had in mind “some” branches. The illustration loses its obvious parallel if all the branches are cut off, for that would go against all the horticultural wisdom of ancient times. Grafting in an otherwise health tree does not replace all the branches.

The point of the illustration (and one must be careful not to read too much into the details of any biblical illustration) is that Gentiles as a group ought not to boast about their favored status of having replaced Israel for the time being.

To be sure, history shows the preponderance of non-Jews among Christ followers; these are the ones who have been grafted into the tree of Abraham’s blessing. But Paul sternly warns against any conceit, because the Gentiles’ favored status has to do with faith, not superiority over Israel. God could just as easily have revoked that favored status, just as God for a time has revoked Israel’s favored status. One cannot help but think of Paul’s admonishment in another place: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Cor 10:12). Being saved by faith means we should continue in fear, so that we continually walk by faith.

Does this passage mean a Christian can lose his or her salvation? No. Paul uses the singular “you” in reference to the Gentiles as a whole. Israel was broken off and was replaced by the Gentiles as a whole. While individual Christians are secure in Christ (see Romans 8), as a whole they may in unbelief lose their favored status with God. Indeed, we see Christendom continuing to drift away from God, with many churches today even denying the deity of Jesus Christ. God still has His remnant of true believers among the Gentiles today, but the Gentile world is in danger of being broken off from God’s favored status. God is patient, “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).

Lord, I rest secure in You by Your grace, through faith—not by my works.