Paul in Romans 9 was speaking of his countrymen said that he wishes he was accursed from Christ instead of them. It was Paul who was referring to the Israelite’s when he was talking about his countrymen who were cut off from God.

When Paul was talking about his countrymen, he understood their despotic estate. He knew that they were cut off from the grace of God. The whole culture could have forgotten and none would have known any of the better. But Paul wanting to explain the difference, said that they were rejected because “they sought not the things of God by faith of believing the invisible. Israel, instead of seeking the things of faith in the invisible sought them as it were by physical findings. These were called “stiff- necked always rejecting the Holy Spirit” because they refused to transform in their understanding from the carnal to spiritual realities.