Question:
Can you explain the contradiction of Romans 11:2 where it says that God has not cast away his people to Romans 11:15 where it says that the casting away of his people is the reconciling of the world? One verse says that God has not cast away his people but in the other verse it says that his people has been cast away. On your radio show you keep saying that in God’s eyes only believers are holy and that believers can never lose their salvation. In Romans 11:16, it says that “the root be holy, so are the branches.” If the branches are holy, how come in the very next verse (Romans 11:17) it says that these “holy” branches are broken off? Does this not prove that a person can lose his or her salvation? Also, how can the branches refer to all the people of Israel when all the people of Israel are not saved believers of Israel (the remnant of Israel)? Romans 9: 6 says, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.”
Answer:
There are no contradictions in the Bible. This passage is discussing the nation of Israel which should have been saved, but were cast away because of their unbelief. In other words, the ones who NEVER BELIEVER WERE NEVER SAVED.