What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
- Romans 8:31-32, 35
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8:37-38
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
- Romans 9:1-3
SHARING HIS HEART
“speaking the truth”
without concealment
“not lying”
no deceit or falsehood
“conscience”
knowing with judgment
“bearing witness
in the Spirit”
observing spiritual evidence
Paul’s Heartbreak
HIS PEOPLE HAD REJECTED
JESUS CHRIST
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
- Romans 9:4-5
ISRAEL’S PRIVILEGE
Romans 9:4-5
But it is not as though the word of God has failed.
- Romans 9:6a
GOD’S “HEADS-UP”
Genesis, Exodus,
Hosea, Isaiah, Joel,
and Malachi
“There will be others called my children”
For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
- Romans 9:6-7
Not all Israelites?
Not all children of Abraham?
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
- Romans 9:8
Being a
Child of God
NOT ABOUT LINEAGE
NOT ABOUT NATIONALITY
NOT ABOUT ETHNICITY
BUT IS ABOUT BEING OFFSPRING OF THE PROMISE THAT CAME THROUGH FAITH.
For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”
- Romans 9:9
The promises were to be found:
Through Isaac,
not Ishmael
Through Jacob,
not Esau
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
OVER HIS PLAN
Romans 9:10-13
Why does it say that God hated Esau?
“hated”
miséō
to detest (on a comparative basis); to renounce one choice in favor of another.
In other words, God’s plan took precedent over birth order or other selections we may deem proper.
GOD IS SOVEREIGN.
Are we saying, then, that God was unfair?
- Romans 9:14
Are we saying, then, that God was unfair?
- Romans 9:14
CERTAINLY NOT!
For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
- Romans 9:15-17
PHAROAH AND MOSES HEARD THE SAME INFORMATION.
ONE MOVED IN FAITH, THE OTHER IN PRIDE.
God is not limited by our decisions. He empowers whom He will for His purposes.
So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills.
- Romans 9:18
“harden”
sklérunó
becoming hardened, obstinately stubborn, resisting what
God says is right
It would appear that the hardening comes from
what is already growing
in the heart
ANOTHER WAY TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS:
“WHAT GOD WAS DOING CAUSED THEIR HEARTS TO HARDEN”
OFTEN, WE BLAME GOD BECAUSE WE DISAGREE WITH HIS WILL.
God uses this “hardening” in working His plan
if need be.
“Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?”
- Romans 9:19
DON’T SAY THAT!
Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”
- Romans 9:20
POTTER ILLUSTRATION
Romans 9:21-22
GOD’S FORESIGHT
both Jews and Gentiles are purposely offered the promises
Genesis, Exodus,
Hosea, Isaiah, Joel,
and Malachi
“There will be others called my children”
And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” - Romans 9:27-28
ROMANS 11:1
(Israel’s remnant)
Israel was looking for God’s favor in the wrong way. Some did find it through faith and those are called His children
What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. - Romans 9:30-31
ROMANS 11:11-24
(Gentiles inclusion – Olive Tree)
Gentiles grafted into the promise to make the Israelites jealous so they would return, this time in faith, rather than by their own works.
HORRIBLE NEWS FOR THE JEWS?
Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.
- Romans 9:32
ROMANS 10:5-17
(to Christians at Rome)
NOT ALL IS LOSS!
a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
- Rom 11:25-27
PRIVILEGED?
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANTED OUR PRIVILEGE?