Romans 11:17-24 Arrogance, the cancer of faith
Romans 11:17-24
A
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
B
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.
C
22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
Background
Do you see yourself as wiser or spiritually superior to those of other religions? If so, like many of us, you face a real danger: arrogance. Paul warns Gentile believers not to be proud or arrogant toward their Jewish brothers. Arrogance was the very reason Israel stumbled, and Gentile believers must guard themselves against repeating the same mistake, lest they too be cut off.
Israel lost their standing because of arrogance and unbelief, yet God’s mercy remains—should they repent, they can be restored. Arrogance opens the door to hypocrisy, injustice, and the lusts of the flesh; it despises God’s law and can block His grace from our lives. God is impartial: He treats Jews and Gentiles, believers and non-believers alike according to the posture of their hearts. To those who obey, He shows kindness; to those who disobey, He manifests severity.
Today’s devotion serves as a solemn warning: arrogance is a cancer of faith, subtle yet deadly, capable of undermining our relationship with God and with others. Guard your heart with humility and reverence before Him.
Observation
A
Paul warns that Gentile believers are beginning to display the very attitudes that led to Israel’s stumbling. The original branches—Israel—were broken off because of unbelief expressed in arrogance and complacency, having presumed upon their privileged status before God. Yet the Gentile believers, though once “wild olive branches” and inexperienced in the things of the Spirit, have now come to share in the same spiritual riches and even witness the same mighty works once experienced by Israel.
As a result, some Gentile Christians grow arrogant toward Israel, despising them as legalistic, bound by tradition, and missing the heart of God. They judge Israel’s faith as mere works, devoid of genuine trust. In doing so, they place themselves in the same spiritual danger. For the Gentiles, too, risk forfeiting the very virtues through which they first stood by grace—namely humility, faith, and the fear of God.
B
Paul issues a solemn warning to Gentile believers: if the original branches were broken off because of unbelief, and the wild olive branches were grafted in—not to replace them, but to share in the same root—then the God who did not spare the original branches will likewise not spare those who are grafted in. In other words, if Israel lost its standing through unbelief, Gentile believers must take heed lest they fall under the same judgment.
What is at stake here is not merely a clash of religious systems, but a clash of values. Israel, in unbelief, persisted in self-serving ways—marked by pride, injustice, and a lack of mercy. The Gentiles, by contrast, received salvation because they acknowledged God as Lord and depended wholly upon Him for salvation; this dependence was counted to them as faith. Yet if Gentile believers degenerate in their attitudes and return to self-centered living, they too stand in danger of forfeiting their place, just as Israel did.
Many modern believers assume that possessing the “correct” doctrine guarantees salvation and, in doing so, judge Israel—the original recipients of God’s promises—harshly. Ironically, they become guilty of the very sins they condemn, falling into arrogance and hypocrisy. Some are deceived into thinking that participation in baptism and Holy Communion has secured their place in God’s kingdom, even as they continue to revel in darkness. They are physically present in the church, yet their hearts remain far from God.
C
Paul sets before every person two definitive realities: the kindness and the severity of God. Toward those who persist in their own ways, God’s severity remains; but toward those who acknowledge Him as Lord and respond with gratitude for the gift of salvation, God’s kindness abides. God deals with each person impartially, without regard to race, religious background, or social status.
Accordingly, one’s standing is not determined by privilege but by the posture of the heart toward God. What has been lost through unbelief may also be restored through repentance. Israel, therefore, is not beyond hope: if they do not continue in unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God is able to graft them back into the vine.
God’s love for His people is everlasting, and His mercy remains open and available. His door stands open, inviting all to turn back to Him and live.
Truth
1. Beware of the cancer of pride and arrogance.
Pride is a subtle yet deadly danger, capable of cutting us off from God’s saving grace. The devil cannot rob us of our salvation by force; rather, it is through our own pride and arrogance that we place ourselves in peril.
Arrogance often reveals itself as ingratitude—especially toward those who once supported us. We begin to criticize the very people who invested themselves in our growth and formation. Paul therefore issues a clear warning to Gentile believers: “Do not be arrogant toward the branches.” If arrogance takes root, we must remember that it is not we who support the root, but the root that supports us.
Instead of despising those who have gone before us, we are called to pray for them and to honor them, even in their imperfections. After all, do we speak against the company that provides for us, or the manager placed over us? Do we casually criticize the pastor or cell leader who labors to shepherd and support us?
The antidote to pride is gratitude, humility, and the fear of God—virtues that keep us firmly rooted in His grace.
2. God deals with all people according to a single, consistent set of principles.
God deals with all people according to a single, consistent set of principles. He shows no partiality, favoring none on the basis of social status, background, or ability. Rather, God raises up and brings low according to the posture of the heart. In this sense, all are measured by the same standard.
For this reason Paul exhorts Gentile believers, “Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.” When God humbles a person, the proper response is not arrogance but reverent fear, lest we repeat the very failures that led to their fall. Yet if the humbled one repents, God is faithful to restore them to favor, just as before.
Therefore, our calling is always to honor God—not to rejoice in another’s downfall, but to pray for one another. Believers and unbelievers alike are not competing against one another; all stand before the same absolute standard that God has established for every person.
Applications
1. Do you sometimes think of yourself as wiser and more morally upright than non-believers? Learn to observe and discern not according to people’s religion or outward appearance but according to their heart. Write down a list virtues that could be found in some non-believers that have contributed much to your life and to the nation.
2. Do you despise other churches because you felt the impact and teachings of your church is more superior?
3. Learn to see people not through the eyes of religion but through a common values system of love, humility, sacrifice, honesty and loyalty.
Dear God, reveal to me the areas of my heart that needed transformation. As I humble myself, use the people around me to speak wisdom and encouragement so that I may grow. Forgive me for speaking words that are not helpful that cast doubts over others. Forgive me for putting up a front so that I may appear polish before others. Forgive me for judging others based on their religion and outward appearance. I recognize the purpose and the calling of each church is different and should complement and not compete with one another. Give me the wisdom to discern the ways of righteousness. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.