Still, if the Bible consisted of nothing but Romans 9:1-29, I for one would have few objections to Calvinism. However, in v.30 Paul reaches a conclusion that cannot be separated from the entire dialogue leading up to it: "What shall we say then?" I.e., What's the point of all this? "That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith." Echoing the conclusion from chapter 4, Paul maintains in a larger context that salvation is still by faith. And faith still means two things: (1) A recognition of man's depravity and God's rigthteousness. This is a key part of what Paul has been driving home to this point. The Gentiles found righteousness not by seeking righteousness, that is, in themselves, but by believing the message of God; (2) A response of human volition or will. In my opinion, this has everything to do with Paul's conclusion, which answers the big question: Why? Why are some saved while others are not? Why did Israel seem to have missed the Messiah? "Because they did not seek it by faith" (v.32). Now Paul shifts the focus to Israel's prerogative. They did not seek it by faith. And though they stumbled in their own pride and ignorance, apparently they had opportunity: "...And whoever believes on him will not be put to shame" (v.33). In my view, an understanding of faith in Paul's argument helps make at least some sense of the disparate spiritual realities of divine election and human decision that somehow converge at the point of salvation. Faith is not reducible to an expression of God's sovereignty, nor is reducible to an expression of human willpower or works. Faith is an act of the will, yes, but an act that repudiates the ability of the will to obtain righteousness and instead recognizes the power of God to save. In other words, faith is the human acknowledgement of divine sovereignty.
So what is the good news of the gospel? It is certainly not that Jesus died to save some of us. The good news is that God so loved the world - Jew and Gentile alike - that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him would be saved. Whatever election means, it does not mean denying men an opportunity for salvation! Rather, it seems to mean something to the effect that God alone has the moral authority to initiate salvation - we cannot so much as choose it, much less live it, apart from his grace. And he has decreed from the foundation of the world that those who would respond to him in faith would be saved - and he alone knows who they are. It is a waste of time for us to try and figure out who will finally wind up being saved; thus the proper response to the gospel is not to endlessly speculate, but to confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God has raised him from the dead (10:9). This indeed is the glorious message of chapter 10 - that salvation is available to all who will hear and believe the gospel. "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (v.13). Moreover, almost as if to ensure that his people do not misunderstand the message and settle into a comfortable Calvinist-Stoic indifference to fate, God has specifically appointed the church with the responsibility of sending preachers into the world to minister the gospel, the hearing of which is essential to salvation: "...And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (v.14-15). We are sent to preach that the message may be heard, because "faith comes by hearing" (v.17). On the other hand, the Jews have heard and yet have rejected the same message. Because faith is not automatic, unbelief also comes by hearing.
What does this mean for Israel then? "Has God cast away his people?" (11:1) Chapter 11 is a comprehensive answer to that question. One would almost expect Paul to respond with a hearty "yes" here, as would many Christians. After all, Paul has gone to great lengths in preceding chapters to prove that all men are sinners, that salvation is by grace through faith, and that saving faith must have Jesus Christ as its object. In sending Christ to the cross, God has provided the final sacrifice for sins. There is nothing more to be done than to believe in him. The Jews as a people have failed to grasp any of this. It only stands to reason that God would shrug his shoulders and say, "Hey, I tried. If they don't want to get saved it's their problem!" Paul's response to this is that God's grace is again beyond human understanding, sufficient even for the salvation of persistently unbelieving, "disobedient and contrary people," those who reject Christ. "Even...at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (v.5). (This should also serve as yet another scriptural warning against judging others. Who are we to say who's going to heaven and who's not?) So the pattern of grace repeats itself. Just as God had a remedy for the fall of man in Christ, he now has a remedy for the Jews' rejection of Christ. It is again fully dependent on God's election and grace, and this time God's instrument to open the eyes of his people is... the Gentiles! "But through their [the Jews'] fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles" (v.11). In an ironic role reversal orchestrated at God's discretion, the Gentiles now enjoy center stage as his elect, so that the Jews, now looking on from the outside, might again call upon the Lord for salvation.