The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 9:1-13)‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”

 

The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 9:1-13)

This week we will begin reading chapter 9, verses 1-13 as we consider Israel’s Rejection of Jesus Christ and God’s Sovereign Purpose…

A new adventure awaits us as we embark upon these next few chapters of Romans 9, 10 and 11 in representation of Israel’s past, present and future condition respectively and God’s purpose and plan for His nation. It is a fascinating section filled with practical and purposeful doctrines that are essential to the Apostle Paul’s discourse. He is likened to a lawyer arguing his case and desires to leave no theological stone unturned in his Gospel presentation. Yet, these are not an easy set of passages to understand. Even when you do understand, they are not always easy to reckon with because there are some affirmations about the Sovereignty of God that leave us with very profound questions. However, we must submit ourselves to the authority of the Scriptures and desire to understand them because God has revealed them to us for our spiritual growth and maturity – for His glory!

The initial believers in the Roman church to whom the Apostle Paul writes may well have been Jewish. But it wouldn't take very long for them to become outnumbered by the numerous Gentile believers being “called” by God. This too may have caused some of the Gentile believers to look down upon the Jewish believers as second-class citizens who have been mercifully rescued from apostate Judaism. However, is Israel now just a second-class nation? Have they lost their unique identity? Do Gentile Christians have a right to look down on them? Paul will settle this very important issue and help us to understand how Israel – past, present and future – fits into God’s eternal perspective…

 

Paul’s Great “sorrow”

As Paul opens this very important chapter, he shows that Israel’s unbelief brings him great “sorrow”. To begin with, Paul says he loves the nation of Israel and gives them his “heart” – but his lament is not theological in nature… It is personal:

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart – Romans 9:1-2

Paul’s opening statement "I tell the truth in Christ" is a claim to personal honesty – “I am not lying." In other words, “This is how I really feel” – “my conscience also bearing me witness” in the “Holy Spirit.” As we walk in the “Holy Spirit” and obey Him, we can trust our “conscience” because it's under His control. And He will trigger our “conscience“ to either commend us or convict us! Paul clearly loves the Jewish people and he's not at all bitter against them. He is experiencing this “great sorrow” and “continual grief” because his “heart” is broken over these precious people’s unbelief.

 

Next Paul makes an incredible statement:

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen – Romans 9:3-5

His “sorrow” and pain over his “brethren” and “countrymen according to the flesh” – the “Israelites” – causes Paul to say he wishes himself “accursed” from Jesus Christ. In other words, “I would go to hell if it could bring salvation to my brethren.” That is an amazing and sobering statement! This man was a great evangelist because he possessed the very heart of God. If we who claim to love Jesus Christ and desire the salvation of lost souls just as Paul did, we could turn the world upside down – today!

 

The Apostle ends these initial thoughts with a “doxology of praise” to “the eternally blessed God. Amen” who alone designed such an incredibly marvelous supernatural and amazing plan of redemption.

 

God’s Great “purpose”

 

Next Paul shows that Israel’s unbelief is due to the perfectly planned “purpose of God.” To begin with, Paul says just because Israel doesn't believe does not mean the “word of God” has “taken no effect”:

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” – Romans 9:6-7

To paraphrase Paul: "I say nothing which implies that the Word of God is failed. When I say Israel has been set aside, that is not to say that the God's promises have been violated or broken.” The “glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises” have not been cancelled. That's why the literal nation of “Israel” exists today! Of all the people in that part of the world who existed in Old Testament times, there are none left today – except for the Israelites! And God has preserved them because He has yet to fulfill those “promises” & “covenants” – and their unbelief in no way violates them.

 

However, God never “promises” salvation unconditionally to each “seed” of Abraham’s covenant blessing – “not all Israel who are of Israel.” The choosing of the nation “Israel” does not mean that each individual Jew within that nation were chosen “children” to salvation – “nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham.” So the fact that many individual Jews don't believe does not cancel God’s “promises” because He never intended in His Sovereignty that every Jew would believe. But within the physical nation of “Israel” there would be a believing remnant – “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” The nation of “Israel” was elected to privilege but only the individual “seed” is elected to salvation.

 

And the next verses start out with "That is," which indicates to us that Paul is giving us a further explanation:

That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” – Romans 9:8-9

The phrase “those who are the children of the flesh” is the equivalent to the “seed of Abraham.” In other words, being born physically from the loins of Abraham doesn't mean they’re all “children” of God. The phrase "but the children of the promise” is another way to say the “children” are “counted as the seed." Paul then quotes directly from Genesis 18:14 – “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” Please note that God said “Sarah shall have a son.” Not Hagar shall have a son. Not Keturah shall have a son. God chose “Sarah” to “have a son.” God is selective. Sarah’s son “Isaac” was born at a special time by the “promise” of God’s Sovereign will and is the child of divine choice in human history.

 

But there's even a stronger illustration… Paul continues:

And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” – Romans 9:10-12

And “not only” is the illustration of Abraham and Isaac considered, but also that of “Isaac” and “Rebecca.” Not only did “Sarah” & “Abraham” receive the “promise” of a son, so did Isaac's wife Rebecca. She gave birth to twins – “Jacob” and “Esau.” And from those two “children not yet being born” God chose one “man” through whom would come the line of “promise” – this was “Jacob.” God's “purpose” and unconditional “election” finds its most unequivocal expression in His choice of the younger twin. 

 

In fact, Paul simply repeats what God had originally stated:

The older shall serve the younger – Genesis 25:23

“Esau” was first born and by Old Testament “birthright” standards, should have had the right of ”firstborn” – primogenitor meaning a “double inheritance” of blessing and respect:

Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s – 1 Chronicles 5:1

Their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn  – 2 Chronicles 21:3

However, God instead chose “Jacob” who “not yet being born” and “not of works” and not “having done any good or evil” which clearly reveals God’s election. And “of Him who calls” – sometimes God “chooses” that which doesn't seem to make sense. However, He has this “sovereign” right! Therefore, through His unconditional “election” God chose the “younger” to be set over the “elder.” And although this was set against the normal course of Old Testament life – that was God's choice. 

 

Again, Paul is making the same point with these two different illustrations. When it came to “Jacob” and “Esau,” God made a choice. So it shouldn't be surprising to us that all of the Jews don't believe. All of Abraham's sons weren't “chosen” as “children of promise” and neither were all of Isaac's.

 

Finally, this point is confirmed by a shocking statement:

As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” – Romans 9:13

That is a direct quote from the Old Testament Prophet Malachi:

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the Lord. “Yet Jacob I have loved; But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness – Malachi 1:1-3

Malachi then continues with God’s prophetic promise of “purpose”:

Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places,” thus says the Lord of hosts: “They may build, but I will throw down; they shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever. Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, ‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel – Malachi 1:4-5

God hates evil. God hates wickedness. God hates idolatry. And He hated what He saw in the “people” of “Esau.” And against this “Territory of Wickedness” is the Lord’s indignation set “forever”. The “Esau” of His hatred is the idolatrous pagan kingdom of the “Edomites” – modern-day Palestinians – of whom come from the “seed” of “Esau.” And the “Jacob” He loves is “Israel” – His people, His nation. They are the “apple of His eye” and a “chosen” people of His special blessing…

 

In closing:

God chose between “Jacob“ and “Esau“ before they were ever born. God chose them before “having done any good or evil” – that's God’s “election” choice!

 

You might say, "That's a hard thing for me to understand." Of course it is! But does it help you to see that when they lived their lives, the one that God had “chosen” demonstrated that he too chose God? And the one that God had “hated” demonstrated that he too rejected God? Does that bring some balance to this discussion? It sure does for me! Before either one of these men were “born,” God chose “that the purpose of God according to election might stand” and “not of works but of Him who calls” – Praise the Lord! 

 

Abraham had two sons – only one was a “child of promise.” Isaac had two sons – only one was a “child of promise.” Therefore, God's Word stands – as it always will – and the unbelief of “Israel” is no inconsistency with God's “promises.” Every person “chosen” to salvation – whether “Jew” or “Gentile” – is “chosen” by God before the person is even born! The purpose of God is to exalt His Sovereign will and He “chooses” before we've done anything – good or evil. Before ”Jacob“ and “Esau“ were born… God “chose.” Before ”Jacob“ and “Esau“ had done anything… God “chose.” – for His glory!

 

Today we are so accustomed to man‑centered theology that if it doesn't start with us, we can't – or won’t – believe it! We're introduced here in chapter 9 to the clear fact that God chooses between ”Jacob“ and “Esau“ before they were born and we think that's unfair. Why? Because we are so proud, self‑absorbed and man‑centered in our theology that if it doesn't start with our “choice” we can't handle it. We want to start with us and try to work our way back to God and hope He makes sense from our perspective. However, whether we like it or not… God does the choosing!

 

So what's the main point here? If God chose you because of what you did, then who gets the glory? You do. But the “purpose of God” is to glorify Himself! And the way that He glorifies Himself is to be the Sovereign One who “chooses” – not because of what you do but because of His own sovereign “calling.” If you are a Christian, the Bible says your “name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world.” And you will confirm God’s electing choice by “believing” and “obeying” the Gospel of Jesus Christ – This great truth is indeed a great mystery…

Please continue reading verses 1-13 of the ninth chapter of Romans.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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