Romans 11:6

But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. "no more of works" -'it is no longer on the basis of works' (NASV)

Point to Note:

Remember, in the Book of Romans Paul isn't contrasting grace and obedience (Romans 4:1-5), rather he is contrasting grace and earning/meriting. God didn't place obtaining salvation on the basis of earning it or being born of the right ancestry. Rather God placed salvation on the basis of an obedient faith (Romans 1:16; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8). condition that all can meet. 'No amount of works can blot out sins already committed. Forgiveness is. matter of grace, no matter how many conditions one must fulfill in order to be forgiven... works by which. man merits justification, and commands which one must obey to be saved, are distinct matters.' (Whiteside p. 225)

In this is letter Paul has already stressed the need for repentance (Romans 2:4-5), Confession (Romans 10:9-10), and Baptism (Romans 6:3-5); and yet Paul considers all of these conditions as being. part of. salvation based on grace. And the 'remnant' were the Jews that had obeyed these conditions (Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41).

Hence Paul proves that God hasn't cast off 'His people' (i.e. been unfaithful to them), by revealing the true definition of 'His people'. God's people has always been the 'faithful', such individuals did receive God's promises (Acts 2:38), such people were enjoying the blessings that God had promised in the O.T. (Acts 3:19; Acts 3:26; Acts 13:38; ** Acts 13:32; Acts 10:43), and what about all the unblessed Jews in Paul's day? Had God been unfaithful to them? No! They had cut themselves off, by their own unbelief. God had never promised to bless unbelievers!

McGuiggan makes. good point when he says, 'Prove that God cast off "one" Jew to whom he made unconditional Messianic promises and the sky falls away.' (p. 319) Therefore all the promises to the Jewish nation in the O.T., in reference to enjoying the blessings that the Messiah would bring, were conditioned upon faith.