Romans 11:20

Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.

How instructive! Admitting, of course, that branches had been broken off, as the Gentile indicated in his boasting, Paul would not emphasize the fact that God broke them off, but shifted the emphasis to the fact that it was Israel's unbelief which had been the provocative cause.

And thou standest by faith ... means that the Gentile had not been accepted in place of anyone, and that it was not his merit at all, but God's grace that enabled him to stand. The standing of the Gentile in the church of God was totally without reference to anything that Israel did or did not do, and was and is exactly the same as it would have been if Israel did not exist. The Gentile's place in the church was due to the unmerited favor of God, and came to him following his faith and obedience of the gospel, but, even so, being absolutely undeserving of so great salvation.

Be not highminded, but fear ... is an eloquent warning, founded upon the long history of Israel as God's covenant people, who, at last, had forfeited it all through unbelief; and the argument is that "If it could happen to them, it could happen to you." Back of this lies the divine principle that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34).