In Romans 10, Paul makes the point that Israel needs to submit to the righteousness of God, that is, the righteousness of faith, as also is the way for the Gentiles. And so the gospel was preached to them first, and to the Gentiles, that they might have faith, for faith comes by hearing the word of God.
While I agree that the elect at the present time and generation of Israel then spoken in Romans 11:5 and 7, at some point in time, will be converted unto obedience to the gospel, Romans 10 just does not speak the elect, more so speak about who the elect are.
“
Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e] 12 For there is
no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses
all who call on him, 13 for, “
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]
What is it you don't understand about "Everyone."?
Also, read the following verses slowly and carefully.
Romans 11:4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
The remnant spoken in v.5 refers to people of Israel ~ they are Jews (not Christians) at the present time and generation then, who, like the elect remnants in the days of Elijah, have been reserved by God for Himself, and that, by the election of grace. Concerning the remnant, Paul is not talking about Christians nor of the church, but of Israel, even them from before and after the cross. Why there is a remnant according to the election of grace, whom God saves in every generation of Israel, is for another topic, and so I will skip discussing that here for now.
Romans 9: 27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
The remnant will be saved.
Clearly, Isaiah is speaking of a remnant of the children of Israel (Jews not Christians) who will be saved. Now, who are the remnants but those whom God reserved for Himself and whom He will save? They are those whom God had chosen by grace, similar to God's choosing of a remnant of mankind in the days of the flood, who are Noah and family, whom He saved.
Romans 11:7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”
What is it that Israel seek that they did not obtain? In the ultimate sense, God's mercy, that is, salvation. Paul says that the elect have obtained it. Who are the elect? Included are all the children of Israel, both in the past and the present (at least at the days of Paul) and the future (future to Paul's time), who were chosen according to the election of grace, as remnants of Israel, reserved by God for Himself, whom He saves in every passing generation of Israel. Here in Romans 11, Paul tells us that the elect of the present time and generation of Israel, who were by grace chosen out of the rest of Israel, were not blinded by God, but the rest were. The purpose of the hardening, Paul explains in the verses that followed.
Now, I have already shown you how it is for one who is hardened and blinded by God. That the hardened and the blinded would not be able to believe, unless their blindness is taken away by God. Apostle John clearly pointed this truth out (John 12:37-40) and which you have not refuted and of course will not be able to refute. But if you insist otherwise, then so be it with you. Paul in Romans 11:25-26, concerning the hardening and blinding of Israel, tells us when such shall be taken out by God, which is until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Only then that the rest of Israel could be able to see and hear and believe. But before that, none of them are able to believe.
Tong
R0577[/QUOTE]
Paul explains that there are a relatively small number of ethnic Israelites who have obtained righteousness. These are “the elect”. They correspond to the “remnant” from verse 5. Paul distinguishes “the elect” from “the rest”. “The rest” is everyone else in ethnic Israel who is not “the elect”
[32] For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Paul thinks that non-elect people, who have been hardened, can be saved!
This tells us a lot about Paul’s understanding of what it means to be “elect”. Paul started off (in verse 7) by dividing ethnic Israel into “the elect” (who have obtained righteousness) and “the rest” (who have not obtained righteousness, are non-elect, and have been hardened). “The elect” Israelites are those who are trusting in Christ, as they have obtained righteousness already (verse 7). Regarding “the rest”, Paul thinks it is possible for a non-elect person to trust in Christ and therefore be saved.
By Paul’s definition, when a non-elect person trusts in Christ, they will become part of “the elect”, as they will then have obtained righteousness. On an individual basis, therefore, a person can change from being non-elect to being elect. They move from the group of people called “the rest” into the group of people called “the elect”.