In the Old Testament in Jeremiah’s time he says to God that no one in Israel is faithful to God. Then Gods responses back saying there are 7,000 men who are still faithful to the Living God. But this remnant is credited to God Himself to why 7,000 are left, “1 have reserved for Myself seven thousand men.” Notice it does not say these people reserved themselves because they were strong in faith and choose the right choice. But instead God takes personal credit and honor by saying “I have reserved”. And in this context of verse 5 in Romans 11 it say’s, “Even so then, at the present time there is a remnant.” God said He earlier reserved 7,000 in Jeremiahs time, which the number itself shows God sovereignly elected and picked these people from the rest to reserve them because, “I have reserved for Myself.”  Then in this light Paul says “even so then at the present time.”

 Even with the advent of the cross of Christ, Paul says it is the same now as it was then, that God is the reason why there is remnant faithful today, that this reason is not given to choices of men for, “It does not depend on man who wills(Romans 9:16,NIV)”, but because God, “I have reserved for Myself.” Then Paul drives the point even further, “at the present time there is a remnant according to the election of Grace.” A person is elected NOT because they made a choice. For if God rewards one human from another based on what one human does different from another then that is called a work, which why Paul says, “But if it is of works, it is no longer grace.” Therefore how invincible is the argument for particular atonement found in Romans 11:3-6. For here we learn God has Himself both before and after the advent of the Cross-, “I have reserved for Myself” and that this reserving by His own choice is called “election”, which is according to and founded on “Grace” and not works, for “God demonstrates His love for us… while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)