“Called according to His purpose” Romans 9-11: part 1 “Called according to His purpose”

Predestined to be born again? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that he might be the first-born among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those He called, he also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30) We are “more than conquerors, through Him who loved us” (8:37) Doxology of Romans 8:37-39

God’s absolutely sovereign will Predestination God’s Chosen People God’s Righteousness Our Unrighteousness The Law It is all in a context – God is completely, utterly, unquestionably sovereign; His will is beyond question, whatever we might think about that!

A change of mood; Jews & Gentiles, who are God’s Chosen People now? “I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ” … the burden of kinship (and another joyful doxology!) “Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel” … “It is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring …” “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (n.b. “did not prefer”)(Malachi 1) “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 9:15 (Exodus 33:19) “It does not depend, therefore, on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” 9:16

It’s not about you, it’s all about Him! I will call them ‘My people’ who are not My people; and I will call her ‘My loved one’ who is not My loved one.” 9:25 (Hosea 2:23) Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.” 9:27 (Isaiah 10:22) Jesus, the stumbling block “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” 10:1 God has His plan – but it’s His plan, for Him to execute as he wills