Romans 9 Romans Series #31 Grace Baptist Church AM

Chapters 1-8Chapters 9-11Chapters Revelation Rejection Reaction (of the Mercies) (of the Mercies) (to the Mercies) Opening Opposition Opportunities (of the Gospel) (to the Gospel) (of the Gospel) Doctrinal DispensationalDuty FaithHopeLove SalvationSegregationService Israel’s PastIsrael’s PresentIsrael’s Future

 …we see God opening up the gospel to the Gentiles and closing the doors of opportunity to the Nation of Israel.  Israel is seen to suffer the consequences of her rejection of Jesus the Messiah.  Chapter 9 shares with us the Absolute Sovereignty of God- Election  Chapter 10 spells out the moral Responsibility of Man- Rejection  Chapter 11 speaks forth the Final Purpose of God- Reception  The Big Question is- Why was Israel being rejected?  The Answer is coming in the next few weeks.

 Warren Wiersbe emphasized the character of God in his outline of Chapter 9 ◦ God’s Faithfulness – vs ◦ God’s Righteousness – vs ◦ God’s Justice – vs ◦ God’s Grace - vs  Notice today – Israel’s Past – Her Election – AND the Absolute Sovereignty of Her God. ◦ Every attribute of God’s Character is seen in His sovereignty – check it out.

 Vs. 1- Real Grief  Vs. 2- Intense Grief  Vs. 3- Sacrificial Grief ◦ I could wish- not completed. ◦ It was in my heart to wish, but I couldn’t. ◦ Such a thing was not possible or permissible.  Vs. 4, 5- Intelligent Grief- I know who this Israel was! She was special!

 6 ¶ But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 8 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.  9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (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), 12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

 Read the Passage  What a remarkable beginning! vs. 4,5  Was God’s Word at fault? vs. 6  There had been a selection- Election ◦ 2 illustrations  A selection of Isaac  A selection of Jacob ◦ Malachi 1:2,3 – written 2,000 years after the fact – after the 2 boys had lived their lives and 2 nations had developed and shown their true colors.  “I don’t understand why God ‘hated’ Esau?”  “Well, I don’t understand why God ‘loved’ Jacob!”

 14 ¶ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.  19 ¶ You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

 Election brings objections.  #1- Is God Unrighteous? NO! 2 illustrations: ◦ Moses (Exodus 32)- all deserved destruction- but God chose to show mercy on many of the undeserving.  We wouldn’t say, “God is unrighteous because He let some of those dirty sinners live.” – but that should be the question instead.  And the question would quickly change even more to an exclamation, “What a gracious God!” “Sovereign mercy!” ◦ Pharaoh (Exodus)- early on there was a self-will;  A self-hardening of his own heart (10x).  That was followed by God’s hardening of his heart (10x)  But that is an automatic process, not an intrusion. He has set up those laws in our hearts already.

 #2 Why does God find fault with my sinfulness if He made me that way? ◦ God did not make you a sinner. He does not, nor did He ever, make us to sin. ◦ Notice 2 verbs:  Vs. 22- “vessels molded for destruction” (or fitted to destruction)  This verb is in the middle voice- telling us that it is acting on its own- the vessel has molded itself for destruction!  Vs. 23- “which He prepared in advance for glory”- God prepared some for His glory- “even us” (Jews and Gentiles) - the Church. ◦ If a man goes to hell- it is not God’s fault- He rejected God’s mercy and love. ◦ If a man goes to heaven- it is not of his own merit- He accepted God’s gift - Jesus Christ. ◦ Election never violates human will. ◦ The elect are the “whosover wills” and the non-elect are the “whosoever won’ts.”

 25 As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved." 26 "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God."  27 ¶ Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. 28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth." 29 And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."

 Vs. 25- Hosea 2:23  Vs. 26- Hosea 1:10  Vs. 27, 28- Isaiah 10:22, 23  Vs. 29- Isaiah 1:9

 30 ¶ What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

 “Proposal” = Invitation  Vs. 30- “did not pursue”- no effort- the Gentiles attained righteousness through faith ◦ and were built on the Rock- Jesus Christ.  Vs. 31- “pursuing”- great effort- the Jews did not attain righteousness through the law ◦ and stumbled over the Rock- Jesus Christ.

 It is possible: ◦ To be a church member and not be saved Baptism does not save. ◦ To look the part and live the life but not be saved God sees the heart. ◦ To be a part of a Christian family and not be saved It is non-transferable. ◦ To trust Christ and be saved TODAY Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.