Where to start?

So tonight, i had a fasinating conversation with my friend Kat. It brought up lots of questions, more questions than i can ever begin to ask really. We talked about Jews mostly and the difference between jews and christians and what that means when it comes to salvation. Did jews just miss the mark? Are christians just jews that got it right? What about Jesus? I was finding it hard to think that God could give up on his people! That jews would not be saved! So i mulled it over and came up with some disjointed ideas about how Jesus didn't come to start a new religon, but the exact opposite! He came to end religion. This is where he became Scandioulus... Skandalon, a stumbling block to people. He may have calmed the storm but Jesus rocked the boat more than a little!

My search for more clear thoughts was made much easier with a push to the book of Romans ( a book that has been of great importance to me this year) from my father, specifically chapters 9,10,and 11.

I encourage you to go go read those right now so that you can follow my train of thought ( it will only take you 10 mins and it's worth the time)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%209&version=31 Here's a link so you have no excuse...

After reading Paul's letter to the Romans things started to make much more sense in my tiny little head.

This is how i understand it in a nutshell:

God has NOT given up on Isreal ( the jews) They are his people. (30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.)
That it's not up to us to argue who is going to be saved or not "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'[b]" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'[c]" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

That Christians are not better than them and that both will be saved12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

God has a plan for their salvation.Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
That when Christians start acting like christians should, jelousy and a desire to be like that will whell up in the jews.


And that as christians we are a grafted branch onto the olive tree that is isreal ( the jews) and should not become cocky

So Thats my understanding so far, i have alot more thinking, reading, study and conerversing to do. I'll keep you updated on the progress.

I thank god, that he dosn't give up on his people!