Romans 9

I'm writing a series of articles on the book of Romans, which, as you know, is one of the more difficult and controversial books of the New Testament. This is not going to be a verse-by-verse analysis by any means, but I will write a lengthy article on each chapter of this sixteen-chapter book. I hope that you find this helpful.

After devoting several articles to Romans 8, here we are...finally...in chapter nine. This is another difficult chapter in the sense that it is often misunderstood and twisted to support certain Calvinist teachings, but really, when we read it carefully, it is not that difficult.

As we begin our study of Romans 9, let us first of all identify the primary source of contention in this chapter. There is a section in the middle of the chapter that seems to support Calvinism. Let's consider a few of these confusing statements:

"Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated" (vv. 13).

"I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion" (vv. 15).

"Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens" (vv. 18).

These above statements may appear to some to be saying that God chooses certain individuals to be saved while choosing to reject others. I agree that God chooses to save certain individuals, but I believe that God chooses those who of their own free-will meet the conditions stipulated in His word. And yes, God rejects others...He rejects those who, of their own free-will, reject His word. But Calvinism says that we humans have no free-will; that we're all robots predetermined to be either saved or lost. But that is not what Paul is discussing in Romans 9. To understand what he is saying, let's begin in verse one and move through the chapter.

In the first several verses, Paul declares his sorrow and regret that the people of Israel were not in a right relationship with God. Because they had rejected the Messiah God sent them, they were lost. "For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh" (vv. 3). Physically speaking, Paul was of Jewish lineage. His "countrymen according to the flesh" were the Jewish people. The apostle here indicates that they were NOT saved. Why? Because they were not in Christ.

Paul goes on in the following passage to make the point that the Israelites had every opportunity to be saved. They had received the covenants and the law (vv. 4). The promised Messiah had risen among them (vv. 5). Yet they had turned against Him!

And this is why the apostle says, "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel." In other words, the Jews may have been physical Israel, but because of their rebellion and lack of faith, they were not God's chosen people. Galatians 3:9 says, "SO then those who are of fa ith are blessed with believing Abraham," and in verse 29, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 6:16 refers to all faithful Christians as the "Israel of God." Who is true Israel today? It is not the Jewish nation, but the kingdom of Christ which is comprised of Christians!

Beginning in Romans 9:8, Paul begins to show that the chosen nation of Israel came through certain men who were chosen by God. These men represented Israel. Isaac, for example, was the chosen son while Ishmael was not (vv. 8-10). Isaac hadn't done anything to merit such an honor, but "that the purpose of God according to election might stand" (vv. 11). Likewise, the lineage went through Jacob, and not Esau. In fact, in verse 13 Paul quotes a verse from Malachi 1 which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Let's pause here for just a moment. What does it mean that God hated Esau? The contrast here of love and hate is intended to emphasize preference and choice. God chose Jacob instead of Esau. In this sense, he preferred to carry on the lineage through Jacob. It is also important to note, once again, that Paul is not talking about Jacob and Esau as individuals. In Genesis 25:23, the Lord told Rebekah, "Two NATIONS are in your womb..." Jacob represented what would be the chosen nation of Israel (which is why his name was later changed to Israel), while Esau represented what would be the nation of Edom.

I am saying all of this simply to remind you that in Romans 9, Paul is not emphasizing individual election (Joe is chosen to be saved while Sally is chosen to be lost), but rather national election. God had chosen the NATION of Israel over all other earthly nations. But now, they had rejected Jesus the Messiah, and so God extended the benefits of election to the Gentiles. The Jews had no right to question God. He was/is the potter and it is up to the potter what he does with the clay.

I can imagine that the Jews thought it unfair that the Gentiles had been granted repentance unto life. They had always been the chosen ones and the Gentiles had always been the heathen. The Jews came to view the Gentiles with disdain and animosity, but now they were equal before God. This didn't please the first century Jews and there are countless examples to illustrate this fact...hence Paul's admonition in Romans 9.

To further cement this point, consider Romans 9:24..."even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles," and again in verse 30, "What shall we say then That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith..."

You see? Paul is not talking about individual salvation. He is discussing the election of nations, and the manner in which God dealt with the Jews and Gentiles now that the old covenant had been nailed to the cross! It's as simple as that!