The gospel is open for all. Everyone needs the gospel. The gospel is powerful for all who believe. How much the world needs the gospel. 1:18-32.

How much the good moral person needed the gospel: Chapter 2 How much the Jewish nation needed the gospel: 3:9-10, 23

It is not a new innovation of man. Predicted by the Law and the Prophets: 3:21 What the Law had said would arrive: 3:31 Demonstrated in the life of Abraham: 4:1ff

Jesus’ death can effectively deal with sin: 5:20

In chapter 6 Paul deals with the argument that teaching we are saved apart from the Law of Moses will only produce immoral behavior among believers. Actually, he notes that making the decision to be baptized into Christ is a decision to cease the practice of sin (6:2) and to start walking in newness of life (6:4).

Paul then gives his own personal experience as a godly man who was seeking to be right with God under the Law of Moses and the frustration and failure that resulted (7:14-25).

Chapter 8 deals with the amazing salvation and resources that we now have in Jesus (8:1; 26-28; 32). Yet while Paul and others were basking in a state of no condemnation (8:1), the sad fact was that multitudes of his Jewish countrymen were still outside of Christ when this letter was written (9:1).

He Loves His Nation 9:1-5 He is not an angry Jewish man. He is not disgruntled. He would sacrifice his eternity for them, if he could.

God Has Not Failed 9:6 He had kept His promises. Jews were enjoying salvation in Christ. For example, the writer: 11:1-2

Who Are His People? 9:6 Physical ties to Abraham do not guarantee salvation: 9:27 Physical ties did not even get you into the nation or the Messianic Line: 9:6-10

Not Because of Works 9:11 Throughout the book of Romans, as well as the rest of the New Testament the point is repeatedly made that in order to end of saved a person does need to obey God (Matthew 7:21; Romans 2:6-8). Thus, in Romans 9:11-16 God is not talking about the personal salvation of Jacob and Esau.

Esau never served Jacob as an individual (9:12), yet the Edomites were in subjection to the Israelites. In verse 13 God is not saying that He wanted Esau to end up lost and Jacob to end up saved, no matter how they lived. Rather, both nations were guilty and deserved to be permanently removed from their land and disappear as a nation, but God had graciously allowed Israel to return home and survive as a nation.

Willing and Running 9:16 Our personal salvation is tied to being “willing” (Revelation 22:17; 2:20) and running (Luke 13:24; Hebrews 12:1). By contrast this section is teaching that one could not simply become part of the Messianic line by personal desire. Yet, in the Old Testament God saved people that were not in that lineage, including individuals like Melchizedek and Rahab the Harlot.

Pharaoh “If God used the nation of Israel to bring Jesus into the world, then God owes them salvation?” Paul then could say, “God used Pharaoh, does that mean that God owes him salvation?”

God did not harden Pharaoh against his will God did not harden Pharaoh against his will. In the book of Exodus Pharaoh is often spoken as hardening his own heart (Exodus 8:15). God did not make Pharaoh’s heart hard before he heard the truth. Rather, Pharaoh is often pictured as returning to a hardened state after God shows him mercy and removes a particular plague (Exodus 8:15; 32; 9:34).

Throughout the account Pharaoh is spoken as being personally accountable for his choices. For example, Moses will admonish him and say, “Only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully” (8:29). Then again, “Still you exalt yourself against My people” (Exodus 9:17).

Instead of trying to prevent Pharaoh from believing, God has been very merciful to Pharaoh and has allowed him to live despite his many sins and defiant attitude (Romans 9:17). In light of all the second chances that God gave to Pharaoh, one cannot honestly argue that God treated him unfairly (Romans 9:19).

Why Does He Still Find Fault? This seems to be an argument that would contend, “If God is glorified by our disobedience, if His will is still accomplished, then how can He blame us or hold us accountable for our sins?”

Who Resists His Will God’s will in the context is His purpose in using individuals and nations to bring about His purposes. From other passages it is clear that man can resist God’s will, that is, His laws and commandments (1 John 3:4). Yet there is another will of God, that is, His purpose to bring about Christ—this is a will that no man can frustrate.

Pharaoh could have submitted to God and God would have been glorified. Pharaoh did not submit and God was still glorified and Israel left Egypt.

He Picked On Me That gave you a great chance to learn about God. To be saved.

The Potter and the Clay The point is not that God treats people like puppets, rather many other passages that use this same analogy speak of the freewill choices of those involved (Jeremiah 18:7ff; 2 Timothy 2:20-22).

Endured with Much Patience This chapter does not present to us a God who arbitrarily takes some to heaven and sends others to hell apart from their choices. Rather, it presents a God who is incredibly merciful even with very defiant individuals and who gave Pharaoh as well as the nation of Israel many undeserved second chances.

God’s People Even the Old Testament was clear on this point. The Old and New agree.

The concept that physical ancestry was not an automatic ticket to heaven was even taught in the Old Testament. Hosea had spoken of a people that were not the people of God who then would become the people of God (9:25-26). Isaiah had said that only a portion of the Jewish nation would be saved (9:27).

The truth is that many Gentiles decided to trust and obey God when they heard the gospel (9:30), and sadly many Jewish people thought that they ancestry would save them and thus stumbled when Jesus came and told them to repent (9:32-33).

I will stumble if…. I trust in earthly privileges, “I come from a good family” I don’t view myself as needing that much mercy. I want a Jesus and Christianity that fits my preconceived ideas.

Emotion, zeal, and enthusiasm can make up for not obeying God.

Without God. Romans 1:18ff It even happened to Israel. I will become Sodom and Gomorrah.