God's Sovereign Choice
1I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised![1] Amen.
6It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."[2] 8In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[3]
10Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[4] 13Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[5]
14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[6] 16It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
Chapters 9-11 of Romans form a unit. The subject matter of these three chapters is
Israel, both as a spiritual people and a physical nation. These chapters are
somewhat parenthetical. The flow of thought could have gone from chapter 8 right
into chapter 12. In the first eight chapters Paul has set forth the Gospel of
God, that is, the bad news of the sinful state of all mankind (Romans 1-3), the
good news of justification (Romans 3-5), sanctification (Romans 6-8) and
glorification (Romans 8). In chapter 12 he deals with the practical implications
of the gospel (how the truth of the gospel ought to affect our daily living
toward God and toward our neighbor). Meanwhile Paul gives us a helpful
three-chapter aside, beginning with great sorrow and ending with a famous
doxology, so we can (and Paul’s audience at the time could) better understand
where the nation Israel fits into the purpose and plan of God.
This is as difficult a portion of Scripture as most people will ever come across.
It’s not difficult for most to understand; but accepting what Paul says takes
some extra grace in the heart. Also, this is the place to turn if you’re looking
for Biblical answers to the hard theological questions regarding salvation.
There is no place in the Bible that more systematically or comprehensively
addresses soteriological issues than Romans 9-11. Lastly, we’ll be talking
about God’s sovereignty in salvation, and I love to talk about God’s sovereignty.
Talking about God’s sovereignty exalts His grace, and this is a great place to
focus on that. God’s sovereign grace is not the only thing we’ve talked about
in the course of our Romans study. But it does come up quite often. When you
talk about Paul’s Gospel, God’s sovereignty comes up a lot. Here, it just happens
to be the place where we’re picking back up with our study of Romans. So, notice
several points in these verses:
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V1-3 – Paul’s love for his people, the natural Jews. Paul offers a prologue to
a problem. The problem stems from what was said at the end of chapter 8. His
audience is wondering how or why, if nothing can separate “us” from God and His
love, are so many, indeed the majority, of God’s special people – the Jews –
rejecting the Messiah preached by Paul, rejecting the message of Paul’s Gospel.
Why are Paul’s kinsmen in the flesh not embracing Jesus as their Redeemer? And
this is a significant problem. Are God’s promises to “us” failing? This is
essentially the question that so many of the Old Testament prophets wrestled
with. Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and most of the Minor Prophets, wrote
answers to how God allowed certain events to happen in light of the promises
that He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and David. We’ll look at the answers
to this problem, the doctrine of election, in just a minute.
First though, Paul offers his heart. And does so in order to soften us for the
teaching he is about to give on election. And it works. His teaching, like
Christ’s, is hard – not hard to understand, just hard to accept. And so by
revealing his feelings towards the Jewish people, Paul is preparing his audience
for his hard-to-accept teaching on election. Paul shows his heart of love and
mercy and compassion toward the lost, and that’s exactly what a sound
understanding of the doctrine of election should produce.
In v1-5, Paul seems to be responding to a charge that has been brought against
him. The charge is this: “Paul, you don’t care about your people, you have
abandoned and rejected your own heritage by preaching this gospel, by going
to the Gentiles. By saying the same things that you have said about Israel
and about Israel’s spiritual leaders, you have rejected Judaism, you have
rejected Israel, you have turned your back on your own people, you don’t care
about them.” So Paul is saying, “Before I get into this explanation, I want
you understand what I really think about my people. I want you to see a glimpse
of my heart.” Indeed he agonizes over them. He rebuts this charge of having
antipathy for Israel by asserting in the most emphatic way imaginable his love
for Israel – to the point of almost wishing he was accursed or lost for their
salvation, and the word he uses is “anathema.” I say “almost” because Paul
could wish himself accursed. He doesn’t. He knows it’s impossible for him to
be accursed.
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for
his friends.” Paul had a heart of mercy and the attitude that he would lay down
his life for his fellow countrymen, just like Moses (Exodus 32:32), just like
Christ, and we should too have a heart of mercy toward the lost. Jesus said,
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” But we could also
reverse that statement and say, “Blessed are those who have been shown mercy
for they will be merciful.” It ought to be true! If we really understand the
doctrine of election, we will not be judgmental or proud; we will be messengers
of God’s mercy. “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly and to
love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)? Are you merciful?
Do you have a heart of mercy? Are you humble? Why?
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V4-5 – The benefits of being a natural Jew, continued from chapter 3. Paul is
continuing this list that he began back in chapter 3:1-2: “What advantage,
then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much
in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.”
And Paul continues that list here. They have (1) the very Word of God entrusted
to them (from chapter 3) – they were the custodians and the majority writers
(maybe except Luke), (2) the adoption as sons – the Lord, passing by other
nations, had selected them as a people to Himself and had adopted them as His
children (Exodus 4:22; Jeremiah 31:9); note also that this adoption is “national”
and not “individual” as Paul has explained in Romans 8:15,23, (3) the divine
glory – the presence of God between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant
(the mercy seat) (1 Samuel 4:22); God Himself dwelled with the nation of Israel,
(4) the covenants – the official dealings of God with His people (specifically
Abraham and Moses and David); only the covenant with Noah belonged to all the
nations – all other covenants (besides the New Covenant) belonged solely to
Israel, (5) the receiving of the law (only the Jews were given the law at Mt.
Sinai, and God Himself was their Lawgiver – see Deuteronomy 4:8), (6) the
temple worship (commands issued by God Himself regarding how to appropriately
worship Him); the other nations were ignorant regarding true worship of God
(in Spirit and in truth), (7) the promises – the less official dealings of
God with His people (all the Jewish people, not just Abraham); (ie, the
Promised Land) see Isaiah 41:8-10, (8) the patriarchs – it is a blessing to
be descendant from extraordinary men and women (Acts 3:25); God Himself
identified with these patriarchs – claiming “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob,” and finally, (9) the human ancestry of Christ – how amazing it
is to consider that God Incarnate chose to enter His creation through a
particular ancestry, that of His chosen nation, Israel.
What did Israel do with all of these benefits? (1) They disbelieved the word
and stumbled over the message; (2) they dishonored and despised God as their
Father; (3) they placed no value on the presence of God in their midst; (4)
they lost sight of God’s covenant commitments; (5) they broke God’s law; (6)
their worship lost its reality and became an empty ritual; (7) the great
promises were not mixed with faith (Hebrews 3:18-4:2); (8) they did not
follow in the steps of faithful Abraham who believed God (Romans 4:11-12);
and last, (9) they crucified their own Messiah (Matthew 27:22; John 19:15-16;
1 Thessalonians 2:14-15). “From everyone who has been given much, much will
be demanded” (Luke 12:47-48). The Israelites were given much, and much was/is
required of them.
Paul has two points in giving this list of benefits of being a natural Jew:
First, he is reminding his audience that God’s covenant privileges are real
even when they are not embraced. Second, he is at the same time suggesting
that the benefits must never be presumed upon. Paul is saying, “It doesn’t
matter what privileges and advantages you’ve had; if you have not embraced
Christ, you have no part of Him or of the blessing of God.” We should never
discount the significance of the means of grace, even when people neglect,
abuse, or reject them. And we should never presume that we are guaranteed
salvation just because we have the privilege of being a part of a congregation
that loves the Lord and His word and teaches the Bible in the pulpit and the
classroom.
There is one more thing about this list. Some theologians, like John Piper,
teach that these benefits of being a Jew apply to all believers, thus making
us Jews in a sense. (1) We have the Word of God that speaks to us. The Word
doesn’t influence non-believers in the same way. (2) We certainly have been
adopted (individually per Romans 8 and not nationally) as sons through Christ.
Piper would say that believers are the “True Israel”, and thus make it also a
national election of the true church. (3) We have the divine glory to look
forward to – a future glory and not a past glory. (4) We have the New Covenant
in Christ. (5) We are not under the law of God, but we are under the law of
Christ. Indeed the law has accomplished its purpose by leading us to Christ.
(6) We must worship God accordingly – in Spirit and in truth. Christ fulfilled
our temple worship and welcomes us into fellowship. (7) All of God’s promises
to us are “Yes” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). (8) Everything promised to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob belongs to the believer. (9) Jesus was Jewish
according to the flesh, but we are in Him and He is in us through faith.
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V6 – God’s word has not failed, because not all Israel is Israel. Let’s get back
to the problem at hand. Why are the Jews not receiving their King? Have God’s
promises to His people failed? The prophets answered this Old Testament dilemma
by pointing to God’s future activities: He would bring a remnant back to the
Promised Land from the captivities, He would send a Savior. So it was a timing
thing. But Paul’s problem was bigger, because the time had come and gone. The
Israelites, though looking for this promised Savior (and looking for this promised
restoration of control of the land), rejected Him when He appeared. And now Paul’s
audience wants to know how this could have happened without God doing something
about it. It appears as if God’s promise failed! And the key to understanding
Paul’s first answer to this supposed problem is the doctrine of election. (Paul
will give three answers, just about corresponding with each of these three
chapters: God’s sovereignty (election) in chapter 9, Man’s accountability in
chapter 10, God’s plan and eternal decree in chapter 11).
Paul says that God’s promises to Israel have not failed, because not all Israel
is Israel. What does that mean? Paul will say it in an additional way in v7-8
(God’s children are not such simply because they descend physically from Abraham).
And he’s already said it earlier in Romans in another way. Romans 2:28-29 “A man
is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward
and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is
circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.” It doesn’t
matter whether you’re a physical Israelite, unless your heart has been changed.
Paul is saying that the covenant promises of God have always found their
fulfillment in a subset of the people of Israel. They are not fulfilled in
such a way that every physically-born Israelite is counted a child of God.
But there has always been a remnant, a believing group within God’s people.
There is the external community, many of whom simply go through the motion,
and there is within that external community many who truly trust in the living
God, have believed His promises, and enjoy the blessing of His salvation. This
is true of the Church today.
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V7-8 – Natural descendants of Abraham are not necessarily God’s elect; rather the
elect are regarded as the true descendants of Abraham. Paul says that not all of
Abraham’s offspring are children of the promise; rather the children of the
promise are regarded as Abraham’s true offspring. This is nothing new. Paul
writes the same thing in Galatians 4:22-28 and elsewhere. John 8:33-44 records
Jesus’ words saying virtually the same thing. Jesus says to the Jewish leaders,
“You are descendants of Abraham, but your father is the devil.” Now it is
important to note here that there may be promises for all physical descendants
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for all physical Jews. That is not my concern now,
nor was it Paul’s. Paul is talking about the promise of salvation. Remember the
question: “Why aren’t all the Jews receiving Jesus Christ as their Messiah? Why
aren’t they all being saved?” And the answer is that the promise of the Kingdom
of God is not for all Jews, but only for the children of the promise – God’s
elect.
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V9-10 – It’s on God’s terms that the promise will be honored. Paul quotes from
the Old Testament over 60 times in Romans. Here he turns to Genesis to provide
three evidences of the truth of his teaching on election, pointing out first
that God decided how and when to bless Abraham with offspring. Remember the
promise to Abraham was that he would be the father of many nations – and this
promise was made before Abraham displayed faith, indeed while he was an
idol-worshipping Mesopotamian. Yet God determined to make it happen His way –
not through Ishmael – the half-breed firstborn, but secondly through Isaac, not
through Hagar, but through Sarah. And if that evidence wasn’t enough (because
Isaac was pure-bred and Ishmael was not), Paul points thirdly to Rebekah and
Isaac having twins. And it’s true that both twins were actual, physical, pure-bred
descendants of Abraham – even of Isaac. But only one was a child of the promise –
and it wasn’t even the first-born! It was Jacob, not Esau.
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V11-12 – What is God’s purpose in election? That God would be the determiner of
everything, including who is saved – that He might get all the glory for the
salvation of His people. Paul now explains why some receive Christ as Messiah
and others do not. And we might expect him to say, “Well, some people have faith
and others do not.” And Paul loves to talk about faith; in fact, he’ll do just
that toward the end of chapter 9 and into chapter 10, so we’ll study the
importance of an individual’s trust in Christ for salvation. But Paul doesn’t
even mention faith here. He doesn’t say anything about an individual’s choice
to believe. Rather, he points to the sovereign choice of God. We might expect
Paul to say, “not by works but by faith,” and he does say this when he talks
about justification. We saw that in chapter 4 of Romans. But here, when talking
about election to salvation, he says, “not by works but by Him who calls.”
Election is unconditional. Justification is conditional. There is no condition
that causes God to elect a person, not even foreseen faith. But in order to be
justified, we must exhibit faith. Before we can be justified we must believe on
Jesus Christ. But before we can believe on Jesus Christ we must be chosen and
called. God does not choose us because we will believe. He chooses us so that
we will believe.
Why the distinction within Israel, why Isaac and not Ishmael? Why Jacob and not
Esau? The difference, says Paul, is not to be found in foreseen deeds or even
faith; rather it’s to be found in God’s choice. And the difference has a purpose.
The distinction within the visible covenant community is in order to display God’s
purpose and choice for His glory. God chose Jacob in order to teach the mystery
of election that God is sovereign in dispensing His mercy. Even before birth He
predestines those who will receive His saving grace, and Jacob was chosen for
the very purpose of demonstrating that God’s grace is God’s choice. Paul’s answer
emphasizes God: God’s choice, God’s purpose, God’s calling. And it’s not hard to
understand; it’s just hard to accept. And the question is for as well. Why do
some people believe the wonderful message of the Gospel and not others? Paul
tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. “God chose us from the beginning to be
saved … [how] … through belief in the truth.”
Before we move on to v13, let me ask you to release some of the disagreement that
you might be building up over the words of this text combined with what I’ve said.
Let me remind you – it is not what I’m saying as a Calvinist that is making you
mad; it is the Word of God written by Paul. And it’s not just here. It’s from
the words of Christ as well, recorded by John’s pen (John 8,10). Peter understood
it by evidence of his writing to “the elect.” Luke grasped it when he stated that
it is by grace that men believe the Gospel (Acts 18:27). It’s not me making you
feel uncomfortable. It’s the very Word of God. And if you resist this particular
Bible truth, you miss out on a very precious and comforting teaching, because by
emphasizing this, Paul is making clear that God’s grace does not find its origins
in us. God’s grace is not compelled by something in us or by something that we do
or even by the faith that we have, but God’s grace is self-originating. God’s
love falls upon us out of the infinite bounds of His own heart of compassion
and it’s not moved by something that we have done and hence it can not be turned
away because of something that we do. Even before the foundation of the world,
He has set his saving, redemptive love on His elect.
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V13 – Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. Before they were born, before they had
done anything right or wrong, God chose Jacob and not Esau. He discriminated
between them, He gave preferential treatment. When Paul quotes Malachi saying,
“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated,” how should we understand the word “hate”?
Compare Luke 14:26 with Matthew 10:37 (our love for the Lord must be so great
that our love for anyone else becomes as hatred in comparison). Another very
helpful passage is Genesis 29:16-18,30,33. Jacob chose Rachel. He chose to love
her. Leah was hated in the sense that she was not chosen. Thus for God to say,
“I hate Esau,” means “I have not chosen Esau,” and to say, “I love Jacob,” means
“I have chosen Jacob; My promises and blessings will be fulfilled in him and in
his seed after him.” And so the issue here in Romans 9 is this: Who has God
chosen to love savingly (by electing them to salvation) and why? Paul’s main
point is this: Jacobs’s election did not depend on his godliness, his birthright,
or even his foreseen faith. It depended solely on God, Who chose Jacob for His
own purpose, on which Paul will elaborate later in c9.
The question people usually ask when having this text explained to them this way
is one of curiosity and concern that Esau was not loved the same way as Jacob:
“Why was Esau hated; he wasn’t given a fair chance?” But that’s the wrong
question. The question to ask is not, “Why is Esau hated?” The question is,
“Why is Jacob chosen?” And this is our confession as believers that we don’t
deserve God’s favor. We don’t deserve this kind of mercy. We deserve to be
hated like Esau – even before we were born or had done good or evil, because
we’re descendents of Adam – going back to Romans 5 and the imputation of Adam’s
sin to our account. We’re sinful from conception and by nature deserving of the
eternal wrath of God. It’s not, “Why isn’t everybody loved in the same way by
God?” Rather it’s, “Why are we loved with effectual saving love?” Why weren’t
we hated before we were born? Because “God chose us in Him before the creation
of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us
to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure
and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in
the One He loves” (Eph 1:4-6). It’s not about us; it’s all of God.
And again, if you are building up steam thinking that my interpretation of this
text is faulty, thinking that my interpretation would lead to God being unfair,
then you are right in line with Paul’s audience, because Paul will now answer a
question that is probably in your mind.
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V14-15 – Is God unjust? Not at all! He will have mercy and compassion on whomever
He will, and whomever He doesn’t save will get exactly what they deserve. There
is no injustice with God. Paul anticipates an objection: “How can God choose
one person and not another person, without basing His choice on foreseen faith
or works or a choice or something? That’s not fair! That would be unjust!” This
leads to the key question: “Is there unrighteousness with God? Is God unjust?”
God defines righteousness and justice, so of course there is no unrighteousness
with God! Of course God is not unjust!
Consider that if Paul wasn’t teaching this truth about election that I’m trying
to convey, he wouldn’t get the question or argument that God is unfair or unjust.
If Paul wasn’t teaching that God’s unconditional election is what determines who
is saved and who is not, then there would not be anyone accusing him of making
God out to be unfair or unjust. If Paul in v11-13 had said, “Look the reason
Jacob was saved and Esau was not was because Jacob made a decision and Esau
didn’t,” or “Look the reason Jacob was saved and Esau was not was because God
foresaw Jacob’s wise choice of faith and He foresaw Esau’s poor choice of
non-faith,” then nobody would cried out, “That’s not fair.” But the fact that
Paul did not say that, but that rather the difference between them was to be
found solely in the sovereign choosing mercy of God provokes the reaction,
“That’s not fair.” And that’s exactly what Paul expects people to say, which
confirms that he really is teaching the doctrine of election. If this is your
objection, that election isn’t fair, you may be sure that what you are
objecting to is what the Bible actually teaches.
Notice that the question is about God’s justice. Is God being unjust? And in
Paul’s answer, he says nothing about justice. He only speaks about mercy. So
has Paul answered the question? Yes. Why? Because Paul, by referring strictly
to mercy in response to the question about God’s justice, is teaching you this:
salvation is not about fairness; it’s about mercy. Salvation is not about
justice (getting what you deserve); salvation is about mercy. So we either
get justice (what we deserve) or non-justice (mercy). There is no injustice
with God. He has mercy and compassion on whomever He will. He’s God; He’s
righteous.
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V16 – Election doesn’t depend on man’s desire or will or effort or exertion,
but on God. Paul sums up his teaching here, and then he elaborates again in
v17-24. Many non-Christians think salvation depends on man’s efforts, what
man does to earn God’s favor. Paul refutes that right here. Many well-intending
Christians think salvation depends on free-will, the choice of man. If you
choose Christ you will be saved; if you don’t, you won’t. And don’t get me
wrong; it’s true that we must choose Christ. But here Paul refutes the thought
that our choice is rooted in ourselves, in our autonomous wills. The choice
for Christ is not rooted in our wills, in our choices, in our desires; rather,
it’s rooted in God’s unconditional electing grace. If you’re foreknown, then
you’re predestined. If you’re predestined, you’re called. If you’re called,
you’re justified. And if you’re justified, you’re glorified (Romans 8:29-30).
We’re not arguing Calvinism / Arminianism here. We’re talking Biblical /
unbiblical. If you disagree on this, you’re not disagreeing with me; you’re
disagreeing with Paul. And you’re disagreeing with John – the one Jesus loved.
In John 1:11-13, Jesus comes to His own and His own do not receive Him. That’s
the Jews. And then John says, “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed
in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of
natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
How was it that they received Him and believed on His name? They didn’t get it
by their natural descent. They didn’t get it by their free will, by their
choices. They God it from God. Salvation is of God, all of grace, rooted in
mercy.
You might then ask, “How are we supposed to respond to this? Does this mean
we don’t have to do anything?” Paul answers that next time. But for now all
he wants you to see is this: If you’re thinking about God’s fairness in
salvation with regard to some being saved and others not, you’re thinking
about the wrong category. The category is mercy. See, the only thing you
can complain about is that God gives to some people something that they
don’t deserve – eternal life. He gives to others precisely what they deserve.
It can be said that God is merciful, generous, gracious. But it cannot be said
that He is unjust.
17
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[7] 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "[8] 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
Paul continues where he left off, elaborating with illustrations of the doctrine
of election, and explaining that God is not unfair or unjust when it comes to
bestowing mercy (non-justice) on some and giving justice (exactly what is
deserved) to others. V16 is Paul’s summary of this chapter: Election (and
salvation) does not depend on man’s efforts or desires or will, but only and
wholly on God’s mercy – which is given to some and not others – and this is the
biggest objection to the Biblical doctrine of election. If you say that God
chooses some, then that inherently means that He does not choose others. Yet
that is precisely what the Bible teaches. It’s hard to swallow, but it’s crystal
clear, and we’ll see it tonight. Notice several points in these verses:-
V17 – God placed pharaoh in power, so He could display His power in the destruction
of pharaoh, so that the whole earth would know that the Lord is God. Paul offers
a quote from Exodus that shows God’s purpose in hardening pharaoh – to glorify
Himself. Let’s acknowledge for a moment that nothing God does is sinful. Why?
Because God is the One doing it! And because of the purpose He has in all of
His actions. If the motive is a good one, and it’s done by a perfect being,
then it’s just and right and holy and perfect. And we’ll see in a minute that
the potter can do with the clay whatever pleases him. That’s the point of this
entire passage, v17-24, that whatever God does is holy, even if it is hardening
a human heart, even if it is refusing salvific grace, because God is the One
doing it and because He is in the process of accomplishing His purpose to glorify
Himself for all eternity. The salvation of sinners is very important to God, but
it is not all-important to God. God is more concerned about His own glory.
Now Paul makes it clear here that God’s handling of pharaoh was purposeful and
demonstrative. God had a purpose in the Exodus events that was far beyond anything
that Moses and pharaoh and the people involved could perceive. We have a great
advantage looking back on it with the totality of Scripture to help us interpret
those events. God’ purpose was to demonstrate His power and to proclaim His name
in all the earth. So anything God chooses to do with the purpose of demonstrating
His power and declaring His name, even if it includes passing over some, even if
it seems destructive, is good and fair and just.
Now of course it’s also true that God is just in his judgment of Pharaoh, because
Pharaoh was a sinner. He was a sinner who had rebelled against God and had mocked
His name; but isn’t it interesting that Paul doesn’t even bring that up in this
passage. He wants our focus to be on the sovereign choice of God. Those who are
lost have only themselves to blame; those who are saved have only God to thank.
Man gets all the blame (and he deserves it); God gets all the credit (and He
deserves it). 1 Corinthians 1:30 “It is because of [God] that you are in Christ
Jesus.”
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V18 – God can harden or show mercy to anyone in order to glorify Himself. Paul
just lays it down there. He doesn’t apologize for it. That’s just the way it is,
and I’m sure you can think of lots of objections in your mind to it right now
because it’s uncomfortable; but you can’t argue that it’s not what Paul is saying
because Paul is crystal clear. He answers the question, “Is God’s election just
with regard to those who are saved?” by saying, “Don’t consider justice but
consider mercy.” And with regard to those who reject God, Paul says, “Consider
God’s purpose.”
When we see God’s choice as sovereign in salvation we realize that our salvation
is all of grace. It is not based on our inherent worthiness, our deeds, our
backgrounds, our choice, or even our faith. All of those things are instruments
of God’s grace. Salvation is based upon God’s grace alone, and therefore we may
glorify Him completely for salvation and be assured of our salvation. We will
persevere in salvation, because perseverance isn’t based on us; it’s based on
Him. His acceptance of us is not based on something in us or something He foresees
about us; it’s based wholly on Him and His purposes.
-
V19 – Why does God still blame an unbeliever, since He’s the one who hardens that
unbeliever? No one resists the will of God to be saved or to perish. One of the
fundamental differences between those who have been able to accept what the Bible
teaches about election and those who have not comes at this point: those who
accept it have come to understand two things: that God’s sovereignty and man’s
accountability are fully compatible, and God is the Creator and man is merely
a created being. Those who have rejected what the Bible says about election have
almost uniformly come to the conclusion that if God is sovereign, then man
cannot be accountable, that if God chooses then man’s choice is irrelevant
and meaningless. And there’s no place better in Scripture to dwell on this
topic than here. Paul turns to the next objection (which addresses typical
Arminian theology): If God’s choice is the determining factor in who believes
and who rejects the Gospel, then how can God hold a person responsible? If God
chooses, then our choices don’t matter! That’s the objection Paul perceives,
and again, this objection proves that he is indeed teaching the doctrine of
unconditional election.
The objector says to Paul, “You’re ultimately saying that the difference between
Moses and Pharaoh was the choice of God. How can God condemn anybody, since you’ve
just asserted that it all boils down to the choice of God?” The modern day
objector puts it this way: “How can God hold anyone who rejects the Gospel
responsible for rejecting the Gospel, since God Himself denied that person
the gifts of willingness and ability to receive the Gospel?” And again, if
that’s your objection to the Reformed or Calvinist or Biblical doctrine of
election, then that’s proof that you are objecting, not to me or John Calvin,
but to Paul’s teaching, to the teaching of God from His Word. Nobody would make
an objection like the one Paul addresses if Paul was saying, “It all boils down
to man’s choice.” If Paul was saying that, nobody would say to him, “How then
can anyone resist His will to be saved or to perish?”
-
V20-21 – Who are you to demand an answer from God. The pot has no right to
question the potter. The potter can do as He pleases, as He’s always in the
right, because He’s the potter. Once again, the question put another way is
this: How can God condemn if no one can resist His will? Paul offers a couple
answers. First, he says that God is not the One on trial here. Paul is making
sure when he says, “Who are you, O man, to talk back to God,” that we take care
not to transgress the proper boundaries of our humilities in this area. Paul is
not trying to stifle the discussion here. It’s not like an embarrassing question
has been addressed to Paul and he doesn’t have an answer for it so he just comes
back and he presses raw authority. That’s not what’s happening. Rather, he’s
reminding us of two vitally important realities. The first one is that we are
mere creatures and the very fact of our finitude should warn us to be careful
about our deductions and our conclusions and our presuppositions in the realm
of the infinite and sovereign. Who are we to say what the Sovereign One who is
above heaven and earth can and cannot do? Let’s be reminded that we are creatures
and He is Creator. The second one is this: no one has a right to question God’s
mercy. Jesus Christ hung on the cross. Don’t question God’s mercy.
Paul’s second answer to that original question is that all of Scripture shows
God’s prerogatives as Sovereign Creator. And Paul gives a common illustration –
one found in Isaiah 29:16, 45:9, 64:8, and Jeremiah 18:1-6 – the potter and the
clay. The potter does not answer to the clay. The potter does what he wants to
the clay. Paul elaborates with this illustration in the next series of
verses.
-
V22 – What if God decided to glorify Himself by having wrath on some pots, which
He specifically purposed for eternal destruction to show His wrath and power.
Paul gives us a glimpse of the secret purposes of God in v22-23. Notice the
three steps of Paul’s argument. First, although God had every right to immediately
judge the wicked, He didn’t. Paul says that this is exhibit A of the mercy of God.
We should have been justly destroyed already, but we haven’t been. Then the second
part of the argument: Instead, what did God do? He patiently endured the sin of
the reprobate. He “bore with great patience the objects of wrath – prepared for
destruction.” The gate of repentance to the reprobate was and is open. Paul is
drawing your attention to the graciousness in the long suffering of God with
the wicked. Abraham is told that his descendants are going to be in captivity
in Egypt for 430 years, why? “Because the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet
complete.” The Canaanites (Amorites included) were godless pagans, and God
could have sent the children to Israel into the Land of Canaan and wiped them
all out, and it would have been just. But He endured their sin for 430 years,
more than enough time to repent. Think of Judas with Jesus. Jesus knew what
would transpire, yet he patiently walked with Judas until the betrayal actually
occurred.
We’ll see part three of Paul’s argument in v23. But first, let me note that the
text says that these vessels of wrath were prepared for destruction. It doesn’t
say that God prepared them for destruction. In v23, we’ll see that the vessels
of mercy were indeed prepared in advance by God. The doctrine of election is
often balanced by the doctrine of reprobation – that God chooses some to save
and chooses some to send to hell. We must be careful here, because saying it
that way might lead some people to think that God can be blamed for their
eternal destruction. And Scripture certainly doesn’t teach that. If you’re
elect, then you have only God to thank. If you’re reprobate, then you have
only yourself to blame. The saved person thankfully says, “I’m saved because of
God.” The lost person must truthfully say, “I’m condemned because of me.” Those
who are damned will never be able to blame God saying, “I’m damned, because God
did not choose me!” Their damnation is based not upon God’s rejection of them
but upon their rejection of God. God is just in displaying His wrath against
sin and power in judgment on those who are objects of destruction.
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V23 – What if God decided to glorify Himself by showing the vessels of His
mercy (prepared in advance) His power and glory in both destruction and
salvation. Paul continues the glimpse into God’s sovereign purposes with
the third part of his argument: He did this in order to show his mercy to
His chosen ones. Paul is assuring us that when, on the day of wrath and
judgment and glory, on the day that God the Father reveals His Son in all
His glory, that on that day we will look at every deed, including God’s
choosing some and passing over others, and we will say, “Ah, I see now how
that exalts God’s mercy. That is why He did it – for the display of His glory
and mercy to those who have tasted His mercy.” If you ask, “How can God condemn?”
Paul says God’s condemnation serves to exalt His mercy.
People object to v22 by asking, “How can a loving God choose some and pass
over others without compromising His love?” And Paul comes back and says,
“It is the purpose of the secret counsel of God that everything He does
conspires to reveal His glory to those who have tasted His mercy.” This
is one of the fundamental problems many people have with election. They say,
“How can you say that a loving God would choose some and condemn others to
eternal damnation?” And here is Paul’s answer: “Everything that God does,
including that, is part of the design to reveal His glorious mercy.” God’s
purpose in election, God’s purpose in choosing, God’s purpose in foreordaining
His people before the foundation of the world is to make known His glory to the
objects of His mercy, which were prepared in advance. God’s ultimate purpose is
to make Himself fully known in all His glory to His people! Amazing!
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V24 – Even us! God has called “us” to be vessels of mercy. And we will see His
power and glory in the destruction of the wicked and the merciful and gracious
salvation of our souls. Paul gets us back on path, not to dwell on why God
destines some to eternal destruction, but to dwell on the fact that He has
poured out on us His infinite mercy and saving love and unending faithfulness
on us. Paul is helping his audience (and us) to understand that God’s chosen
people are those whom He has called, “not of the Jews only, but also of the
Gentiles.” And in God’s Church, made up of His called ones, His elect, there
is neither Jew nor Gentile, but all are one in Christ.
Colossians 3:5-17 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly
nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is
idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in
these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of
all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language
from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old
self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed
in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew,
circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ
is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly
loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may
have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these
virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the
peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of One Body you were
called to peace. And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly
as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever
you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
So how do we respond to Paul’s teachings on the doctrine of election? Be like
Paul. Have compassion on the lost. Pray that they would be saved. Work hard
to convey the Gospel message to them. Scatter the seed indiscriminately. But
don’t think it unfair or unjust of our righteous God that they haven’t been
chosen for salvation. Nobody going to hell is being treated unfairly. If
anybody is treated unfairly, it’s you, because God graciously gave you mercy,
when you deserved justice. It’s true that they’ll get justice; they’ll get
what they deserve. But you’ll get mercy. So instead dwell on the fact that
God has chosen you to be saved; He did so before creation. He set on you His
intense saving love, and you will receive His infinite mercy. And we will see
the fullness of His glory in the destruction of the wicked – which is what we
were. But we were called out of the darkness and into the light. Praise Him!
25
As he says in Hosea:
"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] 26and,
"It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "[10]
27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality."[11]
29It is just as Isaiah said previously:
"Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah."[12]
Israel's Unbelief
30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[13]
Calvinists love Romans 9:1-24, because it teaches so clearly the doctrine of
unconditional election. But most Calvinists forget about the rest of chapters
9-11. We need to look at this part too, because Paul is not finished. It’s
true that he has given us the keys. But there are many more implications, in
addition to our individual salvation being determined by God’s choice, to this
glorious doctrine than many students of theology are able to convey. These
implications include how the physical nation of Israel meshes with the spiritual
Jews and the Gentile conversion and what all of this means as the end of time
draws near. We’ll begin looking at these implications as we continue to work
through Romans 9-11. Notice several points in these verses:-
V25-26 – Those who are not God’s people will be called His people. Paul jumps
right back into the topic of unconditional election. He says that God’s purpose
to reveal the glory of His mercy against the backdrop of evil is evidenced in
the calling of the Gentiles. God reveals His mercy in the calling of the Gentiles.
Paul quotes from Hosea, and he applies the prophet’s words to God’s calling of the
Gentiles. They were not God’s people and yet, out of mercy, He’s going to make
them His people. He’s doing this through Paul’s ministry. It’s Old Testament proof
that God has chosen the Gentiles, and Paul is appealing to it to illustrate the
mercy of God to the Jews in his audience.
Gentiles had not received the covenant promises. God had not come to the father
of the Gentile nations like He had come to the father of Israel and given this
glorious covenant of grace, and yet God in His mercy has now included these
Gentiles in the promises to Abraham. But the Gentiles were considered to be
wicked, dirty idolaters; they were enemies of the Jews, those considered to
be God’s people; they deserved judgment, and in choosing then to be His children,
God displays His mercy. He displays His mercy by calling Gentiles out of the
world and into His kingdom, into His family, so that they worship Him, love
Him, and serve Him. They deserved immediate judgment, but God chose them in
mercy.
Throughout this passage, Paul has taught us two important truths. First, God’s
judgment is always just. Second, God’s mercy is always more that just. It’s
always a gratuitous display of His infinite love, and Paul has said that to
us over and over, “Whenever you see God judge, don’t ask, ‘How can God be so
mean?’ It’s just justice. Whenever you see God show mercy, think, ‘There is
no deserved or conditioned reason for that; it’s just the pure, unconditional
love, grace, and mercy of God.’”
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V27-29 – God’s remnant will be saved. Paul, in v27-28, gives a second indication
of God’s mercy. First was God’s calling of the Gentiles. Second, according to
Paul, is that through God’s election, a portion of Israel will be saved. God
reveals His mercy by saving a remnant of Israel. Paul himself is part of this
remnant, and he knows it. Though like the Gentiles, none of Israel deserved God’s
mercy, and all of Israel deserved His judgment, God revealed His mercy by
choosing a remnant for Himself.
The point here is that the root of salvation is always in the grace of God, in
the gracious choice of God. The root of condemnation is in ourselves. We don’t
usually look at it that way. We tend to think that God has an obligation to
save, and that if He doesn’t make arrangements to save everybody, it’s not
fair. That’s not how the Bible looks at it. The Bible says, “God’s obligation
is to Himself, and He is just and righteous; thus His obligation is justice and
righteousness, not primarily to mercy.” The surprising thing is that God Himself
provides a way that His justice is delivered and His mercy is visited upon a
multitude that no man can number. God is both just and the One who mercifully
justifies (Romans 3:26).
In v29, Paul says that without God’s electing intervention, the natural result is
always death in judgment. If God doesn’t intervene with grace, the natural result
is always death in judgment. Look at the words: “It is just as Isaiah said
previously: ‘Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have
become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” Paul is declaring a most
uncomfortable truth: God’s mercy is the one thing that stands between us and
judgment, and it’s the one thing that stands between us and self-destruction.
Even the remnant cannot take credit for persevering itself. That credit belongs
wholly to God. If He doesn’t intervene, only death in judgment awaits. This
recognition is why we Calvinists prefer, “Preservation of the Saints” rather
than “Perseverance of the Saints.” It’s all God.
Now, I’m sure that none of us realize how shocking what Paul is saying really is.
His audience is made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers, and he’s saying to
those Jewish believers, “Look, even the remnant of Israel would be like Sodom and
Gomorrah were it not for the grace of God. There is nothing in us, there is
nothing in us that made us to be the remnant. It’s only the grace of God.” That
would be more than offensive to the Jews of Paul’s day, who prided themselves
in their keeping of the law. Paul is saying that apart from the grace of God,
even the remnant of Jews looks like Sodom and Gomorrah.
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V30-31 – The Gentiles obtained righteousness by faith, but the Jews have not
attained it. Paul moves now from his explanation of God’s sovereign grace in
unconditionally and mercifully electing some to salvation to an explanation of
man’s accountability / responsibility in obeying the commands of God. From Romans
9:6-29, Paul emphasizes the sovereignty of God in salvation, especially
considering Israel and the promises made to Israel. Then, in Romans 9:30 – 10:21,
Paul emphasizes man’s duty. For Paul these two things are not contradictory; they
work side by side; they are compatible; they are not in opposition.
There are at least two operations involved in salvation, and they are not
contradictory. First is that God has chosen a person unconditionally (9:11,
21-23) and called that person effectually to Himself (9:8, 24), which Paul
explained clearly using different illustrations to make the point. God is the
decisive actor in this matter of salvation. But the other operation is found
here: a person “attains” or “obtains” righteousness. God’s unconditional election
is not enough to save anybody. Elect sinners are not yet acceptable. We must
attain or obtain righteousness, which is not a very likely achievement; it’s
impossible, and that’s why Christ came into the world. His righteousness was
what we needed and could never get ourselves. Paul will elaborate on this in
Romans 10, especially v4: “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be
righteousness for everyone who believes.” We have already seen another parallel
back in Romans 3:22: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus
Christ to all who believe.”
Why would someone reject salvation? That’s the question that Paul is talking about
in these verses, except it’s even more pointed than that. Paul is asking, “Why
would a religious person reject salvation? Why would God’s covenant people,
schooled in God’s law, taught by God’s prophets, who had read the writings
of the Old Testament, who had recited the Psalms of praise of David, why would
they reject salvation? Why would someone whose focus in life was to be in
fellowship with God, why would someone whose focus in life to be obedient to
God, why would a person like that reject salvation?” That’s a hard question.
It’s a hard question, not only because it is perplexing to the mind, but because
it was a reality. The majority of the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and
Paul was more than brokenhearted over it, as we saw in Romans 9:1-5. So he raises
this issue for us again at the end of the chapter, asking, “Why would anyone
reject salvation, especially a religious person, someone seeking salvation?”
Paul highlights the irony that pagans, that Gentiles, who cared nothing about
righteousness, who were not even striving for salvation, have obtained right
standing with God, whereas the people of God, the Jews, who cared deeply for
righteousness and sought salvation, have not. Why did Israel reject salvation?
Paul gives a two-part answer, beginning in v32.
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V32-33 – The Jews did not pursue righteousness by faith; thus they stumbled.
Paul says that the Jews rejected salvation first because they sought it the
wrong way, by works instead of receiving it through faith, and second because
they rejected the Savior, Christ crucified. It’s an amazing thing that Paul is
saying here, that there is a wrong way to seek fellowship with God. That thought
is antithetical to our generation and culture. Our twenty-first century culture
figures, if a person is seeking God, God is happy with that and will reward that
person. Paul says there is a right way to seek fellowship with God – by faith in
Christ – and there is a wrong way – any other way, but most notably by works of
law. When Paul said in Romans 3:11 that no one seeks God, he meant that no one,
on their own, seeks God in the right way.
Now, people who seek salvation, people who seek right standing with God by works
usually make two additional mistakes. First, they underestimate their own sin.
They do not see themselves as sinners in the way that God sees them as sinners,
in the way that Scripture reveals their sinfulness. They discount their sin and
see themselves as basically good people. They compare themselves with “bad”
people and note that they are not as “bad.” They think their sins are certainly
less displeasing to the Lord than those of “bad” people. They think, “Surely I
have not been so bad as to deserve God’s judgment in condemnation!” Second, they
underestimate the cost of salvation, the cost of grace. They think that by doing
more good things than bad things, they can keep the scales tipped in their favor,
as if more good than bad is all that matters when it comes to salvation. And Paul
says, “That’s impossible, because Christ Himself is the price that the Father has
paid for salvation.” So salvation is the costliest thing in the world, even
though it is freely given, and the one who desires to save himself by works
doesn’t consider those things.
Now, in the second half of v32, Paul says, “They stumbled over the stumbling
stone.” Paul is saying here that Israel could not accept Christ and His cross.
There are always people who are looking for a way into fellowship with God that
goes around the cross. They want a relationship with God, but only apart from
Jesus Christ and His cross. There is no such thing. Jesus Christ is the only
way of salvation. That is not a popular thing to say. Paul is asserting here
that there is a wrong way into fellowship with God, by one’s own works, merits,
or efforts, apart from Jesus Christ, and there is a right way, by faith alone,
in Christ alone. Moses prophecies that this exact scenario would come about in
his great song from Deuteronomy 32:21: “They made Me jealous by what is no god
and angered Me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who
are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
The Jews of Paul’s day were envious and angry that the Gentiles were grafted in.
We’ll elaborate more on the ideas of jealous Jews and grafting as we get into
chapter 10.
Why would religious people reject salvation? Because they trust in there own
goodness and discount their need of God’s grace. That’s why someone would reject
salvation. Remember, the gospel is offensive, foolishness to those who are
perishing. The idea that salvation is by grace alone, that we’re all sinners
in need of Jesus Christ to die for us in order to be saved, is the most offensive
message in the world if you’re a natural man. It offends your pride, because it
says that you’re such a sinner that you need a Savior like that to save.
And then in v33, Paul gives an Old Testament quote predicting that Christ would
both be a stumbling block and the way of salvation—that many would take offense
at Him, but also that those who trust in Him would be saved. In other words,
Jesus would simultaneously be rejected by His people, the reason for their taking
offense, and at the same time, the very heart of salvation of those who believe
in Him. “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that
makes them fall.” There is the negative side; Jesus is going to cause some to
stumble. Here’s the positive side, “and the One who trusts in Him will never be
put to shame.”
The Jews did not believe on Christ for His righteousness as the goal of the law.
They did not see “Christ for righteousness to everyone who believes” as what the
law taught—what the law was aiming at. They missed the biggest point of the law.
The law was saying, in its larger, long-term message: “You must look beyond the
law for a perfect righteousness to be provided by God in due time. You must look
beyond your obedience to the law for a perfect righteousness that God will
provide.”
The question was this: Why do some reject salvation? Because they refuse to
acknowledge their need and they refuse to put their hope in Jesus Christ alone.
Why does a person come to salvation? Because, by the grace and mercy of God,
their eyes are opened by God to see both their sin and their Savior, and so
they trust in Him.
Footnotes
- 9:5 Or Christ, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Christ. God who is over all be forever praised!
- 9:7 Gen. 21:12
- 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14
- 9:12 Gen. 25:23
- 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3
- 9:15 Exodus 33:19
- 9:17 Exodus 9:16
- 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9
- 9:25 Hosea 2:23
- 9:26 Hosea 1:10
- 9:28 Isaiah 10:22,23
- 9:29 Isaiah 1:9
- 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16
Bible text from
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International Bible Society.