Did God Make a Mistake? Romans 9 Chapter 8

Romans 8: doctrinal teaching Romans 12-15: practical duties Romans 9: Israel’s past election Romans 10: Israel’s present rejection Roans 11: Israel’s future restoration Israel: the only nation with the complete history: past, present, and future Attributes of God in Romans 9 –His faithfulness (1-13) –His Righteousness (14-18) –His justice (19-29) –His grace (30-33)

God’s Faithfulness (1-13) –Theme: God’s election of Israel Blessings of election –Adoption of Israel by God ad His people (Ex 4:22-23) –Glory in tabernacle & temple (Ex 40:34-38 & I King 8:10-11) –Covenants (Abrahamic, Moses, Davidic) –Laws to govern their political, social, & religious life –Service of God –Purpose: Jesus through Israel might come into the world –Israel failed, or took none effect It was not of natural descent (6-10) –God chose Isaac by Sarah –God chose Jacob –Not on physical

It is not of human merit (11-18) God chose Jacob –Choice based not on character or conduct –9:13 refers to Malachi 1:2-3 –Refers to a nation, not sinners God’s Righteousness (14-18) –Election, matter of grace –God’s mercy according to compassion according to God’s will, not man’s will Pharaoh & Moses, both sinners & murderers God is holy & punishes sins, but He is also loving & desires to save sinners Hardening of Pharaoh (18) –At least 15 times in Exodus 15

–Pharaoh hardened his heart & God hardened his heart God’s Justice (9:19-29) –“Who are we to argue with God?” (19-21) God, the potter and we, the clay Divine sovereignty Fitted (22): fitted himself for destruction, not God God prepares men for glory (23) God reveals mercy in Israel & power & wrath in Egypt God’s purpose was to form His church from both Jews & Gentiles (24) Prophesied

–God turns from Jews to Gentiles (Hosea 2:23) –New people being called God’s people & sons of the living God (Hosea 1:10) –Only remnants would be saved (Isa 10: 22-23) »God’s work of judgment during tribulation »God’s grace in Isa 1:9 in sparing the believeing remnants »Election made possible the salvation of Gentiles »God rejected Gentiles & chose the Jews so that Through Jews Gentiles can be saved God’s grace (9:30-33) –Divine sovereignty to human responsibility –Jews sought righteousness, but didn’t find it, while the Gentiles wasn’t searching found it

Jews attempted to be saved by works, not faith through grace No difference for all have sinned (Romans 3:22- 23) Israel’s rejection means Gentiles’ salvation Christ, God’s stone of salvation (Isa 28:16) –Christ, the stumbling stone (Ps 118:22) Righteousness –Good work or character or “by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9) –Not a question of whether we r among elect –“Whosoever will” (Rev 22:17) Israel’s rejection of Christ does not deny the faithfulness of God