Romans 9-11: The Current State of Israel.
Romans Chapter 9: God’s Election – Through Faith.
Paul’s sorrow and continual grief in his heart: While the Gentiles are brought in from the darkness and being introduced to God, “— that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2:12 However, Israel has always walked with God and yet at the moment of the long awaited redemption in Christ, that some should fall short at the sight of it is the source of his deep sorrow. To whom it belonged and through whom the blessing has come.
“who are Israelites to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; and of whom are the fathers and from whom according of the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen”
Election of God:
For the word of God has not failed: not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham.
The Children of Abraham: to Abraham were born both of the flesh and the promise. The flesh, was brought by their own works and according to nature [flesh representing works]. But, the promise was attained through faith. Both his and Sarah’s body being past the child bearing stage, that there was nothing they could have done to obtain it except believe God. “It is in Isaac your seed shall be called.” & “at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” That is the children of the promise [OF FAITH] are called the children of God, and are counted as seed.
Then a further set of election: From Isaac: Rebecca giving birth to twins: Jacob and Esau.
Without the children being born, without doing any good or evil: that the purpose of God according to election might stand, that it may not be of works but of Him who calls.
Of Israel: Not all Israel are of Israel. God specifies Jacob over Esau. Both are born to the promise, yet there still remain a further election. Without any merit of good or evil. That works is not a means to earn a way to the grace of God but to them who answer His call in faith. “Therefore it is of faith, that it may be according to grace.” Romans 4:16
it was said to her, “the older shall serve the younger.” “Jacob I have loved but Esau I have hated.”
The aspect that stands out of Jacob and Esau is one valued the promise and blessing of God and the other despised it. Esau sold his birthright for a morsel of food, therefore failed to inherit the blessing. When the time came he sought to work for it, he went to hunt and to prepare it. However, Jacob done nothing to inherit the blessing, neither did he catch nor prepare the food, but believed the value of blessing and he was blessed.
Is God unrighteous for choosing Jacob over Esau? No— “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills or of him who runs but of God who shows mercy.
To this he gives an example of Pharaoh as one whose heart was hardened. Through whom the purposes of God was fulfilled: ”for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you…”
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Why does He find fault? Who has resisted His will? Paul explains it that God has every right to make one way and the other: Does not the potter have power over the clay to make from the same lump, vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour? This is not to say God made some wicked for the purpose of wickedness but the underlining condition of man is wickedness.
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of his heart was only evil continually. Geneses 6:5
The wickedness of man is permitted to continue that He might show His mercy to whom He calls.
- “many are called but few are chosen.”
- “God is long-suffering not wishing any should perish.”
- “I take no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked rather he turn and be saved.”
What if, God wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known [Endured with much long-suffering] vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy.
Paul is expounding on the raising of Pharaoh [vessel of wrath] with much endurance and Israel [vessels of His mercy] set free from his grasp.
even us whom He called: not of the Jews only but also of Gentiles?
Gentiles: “I will call them My people, who were not My people.” Hosea 2:23 & Israel: where it was said to them, “you are not My people, there they shall be called sons of the living God.” Hosea 1:10
The purpose of election is at work both in gentiles as well as those who are born of the seed. The main aspect being of faith. Though Israel is of a line and descendant of the fathers and the promise the purpose of election is still at work. That is to attain righteousness through faith, and not the works of the law. Abraham is a father of circumcised and uncircumcised: That he is a father to all those who believe, who have the Faith of Abraham.
Only the remnant of Israel will be saved.
Gentiles have attained the righteousness of faith, though they have not pursued righteousness, but Israel who pursued the law of righteousness did not attain to the law of righteousness. [Two types of righteousness one is of faith and the other is of the law.]
Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but by works. They stumbled at the the stumbling stone, rock of offense “whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
of him who does not work but believes on Him, who justifies the ungodly: his faith is accounted for righteousness. Romans 4:5
Jesus giving an example of self justification through works speaks of the publican [tax collector] and the Pharisees, one lists the good he has done through the working of the law the other offers up nothing but asks for mercy from God. The latter went home justified.
That is a greater sorrow, for him because unlike the Gentiles who have never sought righteousness, Israel had always sought the righteousness of God, through the law. Yet failed to attain it because, they sought it through works and not of faith.
Bread Bait. 
Leave a comment