The majority of Jews rejected the gospel preached by Paul.  One of their main objections was that if his message was right, it would leave the majority of Jews outside of a relationship with God.  This, according to them, would make God unfaithful to His chosen people.  The problem with their objection was that they did not realize who the chosen people of God really were.

Most Jews believed that God’s people were all the physical descendants of Abraham that came through Isaac.  The truth was, however, that among all the Jews, God only had a remnant that was His true people.  Paul knew this to be true, and he used it to show the Jews that the gospel he preached was right, even though it resulted in a small number of Jews being saved.  He does this by quoting Isaiah.

Romans 9:27 (ESV)
²⁷  And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved.

Why should the Jews be mad at Paul for teaching something that their prophets taught all along?  You see, even though Paul was a Jew, he came to realize, much by inspiration, that the Jews, as a whole, were never really the true people of God.  It was always a remnant within the nation who were really the people of God.

Romans 9:6 (KJV)
⁶  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:  

The second Israel that Paul referred to was the physical descendants of Abraham, that is, physical Jews.  The first Israel he mentions is the faithful Israelites among the nation, that is, the remnant.

God has always had a people within a people.  While the Jews, as a whole, were separated by God from the rest of the world, only a few of them, comparatively speaking, were faithful to Him.  They were the remnant.

This is still applicable today.  God still only has a remnant of people (Rom. 11:1-5).  While Paul was referring specifically to the Jews who would obey the gospel and are saved by grace, the truth is, God’s people, as a whole, still only make up a remnant among mankind.  Only a few have not bowed down to some kind of false god.  Only a few have not given in to materialism, worldliness, or denominational dogmas and doctrines.  God only has a remnant who are saved by grace.

Who is the remnant of God today?  It is the group of people who have obeyed the gospel of Christ by repenting of their sins and being baptized (Acts 2:38).  But, that is not all.  It is the group among those who have been baptized into Christ who continue to walk worthy of the gospel (Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27).  It is spiritual Israel, made up of those who have faith in God and are living faithfully.  Are you a part of this group?  If not, do something about it before it is too late.  Put on Christ in the waters of baptism (Galatians 3:21) and then be sure to live according to God’s Word.  As long as you do that, you will be a part of God’s true Israel.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things