Beauty in the Book: Romans 9
Themes
In this critical chapter of Romans, Paul breaks down how God’s promises to the nation of Israel weren’t voided, but rather extended to all who call on the name of Jesus. We see themes of God’s sovereignty, mercy, and wrath.
Questions
This chapter addresses the following questions:
Do God’s promises to Israel in the Old Testament still “count”?
How can a present-day Christian digest and apply promises found in the Old Testament?
Is it fair for God to choose some, but not others?
Moving Forward
This writing will break down the chapter section-by-section, offering commentary for your reflection. Don’t miss the ending titled Beauty in the Book where it all gets wrapped up in a bow—highlighting how every chapter is woven with uplifting realities of God’s goodness and grace.
Romans 9:1-5
What strikes me initially here is Paul’s Christ-like love for the people of his Jewish heritage. Saying truthfully that he would rather it be his life left to despair than his brothers in the Jewish faith.
He desperately wants all of Israel to see Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. To turn to him in truth and receive him as the One Truth Atonement for their sins.
Paul’s anguish is “unceasing”. He is deeply grieved by those who have chosen to not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. He recounts the faithfulness of God to Israel over the span of history.
Here are things to note about God’s relationship to Israel:
He chose them as his treasured possession. (Deuteronomy 7:6)
He established a covenant with them. (Genesis 26:3)
He gave them the law to guard them and set them apart. (Galatians 3:24, Exodus 19:5)
He dwelt in their temple. (Exodus 29:45)
He maintained his promises to them. (Joshua 21:45)
Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:45 NIV
There has been a special and divine purpose for God’s nation of Israel; and it is through them that the human ancestry of Jesus is traced.
Romans 9:6-9
One might conclude that if God made all of these promises to Israel for their salvation, that if they ended up losing their salvation by not trusting in Jesus, then God had failed to keep his word.
Paul articulates why this is not so. God didn’t fail to keep his word. If anything, he extended his promise to be available to both Jews and Gentiles in Christ!
We have already covered how Abraham was actually the father of faith and not works. And now this section breaks into how it’s actually Abraham’s spiritual children who are saved, not physical offspring. So while Paul speaks regarding the present tense of God’s perfect promise, it’s important to note that his intentions were always the same: to offer these promises to more than just the physical nation of Israel. In Christ, past understandings were flipped on their heads.
Where it seemed God once held a specific people group wrapped up in his arms—committing his guardianship over them—we see that the promise goes beyond the physical descendants, and into Abraham’s spiritual descendents (from whom the actual family line of Israel is not banned).
Any of the actual, physical nation of Israel are welcomed to continue in the promise, found in Christ, along with those who were once outsiders and foreigners.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household… Ephesians 2:19 NIV
It was God’s perfect purpose to reveal his wisdom through the New Testament church, to whom Paul was a minister. It was God’s eternal purpose that the non-Jews would have Christ shared with them, revealing God’s generosity and mercy for ages to come. (Romans 9:23)
For he offers, in Christ, this incomparable treasure: the ability to approach God through faith, in freedom and confidence. With the sacrifices for our sins paid in full.
See what Ephesians 3:8-12 says on this matter:
Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:8-12 NIV
It was God’s intention that the gospel would be preached to the Gentiles. This is the big point Paul is getting at in this section of Romans: it isn’t those who are technically, by-the-bloodline, descendents of Israel who God now counts as his children. Rather, the ancestry of Israel traced down through the Old Testament, to Jesus, and it is now those who place their faith in him who are counted as God’s people.
In the book of Galatians, this concept is described, revealing how God’s promises to Israel’s ancestors were always intended to point toward Jesus.
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16 NIV
God made commitments to Abraham—the man known as the patriarch of the Jewish faith, and these promises were often interpreted by the Jews to be theirs according to their physical bloodline. But, even back then, God’s word was committed not to Abraham’s “seeds” or ancestors, but committed to Abraham’s “seed”—as in, the one person of Jesus Christ.
We see this laid out in verse 4:8 which states that “it’s 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…”
So then, let’s celebrate the beautiful reality that those sweet and special promises made to Abraham way back when, are now applicable to those of us in Christ today.
Now, we are God’s beloved possession. We are held in covenant with him. We have the Spirit living and breathing inside of us, sanctifying us, as God’s law is written on our hearts. Our bodies (and the church) are where he dwells today! And he will always remain faithful, amen?!
Above, we saw God’s faithfulness to Israel spelled out in five specific ways. Now, let’s recount how this faithfulness of God has been expanded, according to the depth of his wisdom.
Romans 9:10-18
We aren’t saved according to our works and that’s something God wanted to be perfectly clear from the get-go. Here, Paul mentions the story of Jacob and Esau, who are twin brothers from way back in Genesis 25.
These two brothers were born and, as we see in the Romans text, God had chosen one of them before either of them had given their first coo or cry.
There is a reference to them in the book of Malachi. This book is one of prophecy, and speaks out regarding Israel’s relationship with the Lord towards the end of the Old Testament. It’s a Scripture that displayed God’s love in a similar way to our Romans passage, as it comes down to God’s choice above all else. He chooses whom to love.
Speaking through the prophet to the nation of Israel, Malachi 1:2-5 says this:
“I have loved you,” says the Lord.
“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’
“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.”
But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’
This feels weighty, and yet it’s a truth that needs confirming: God’s mercy saves us, not our effort or choosing. We, in Christ, are chosen by God, saved by God, and sustained by God.
And while this may sound harsh, it’s good news to the one who is confident in this one thing: their own inability. For the only one who bucks the news that God’s calling and mercy is what it all comes down to, is the one who felt they could have squeaked by on their own strength.
But no, salvation is a gift of grace, to an undeserving people, by a generous God. And just like Jacob was chosen to be loved by God before he was born, so God set his sights on us, in Christ, before the creation of the world. See it below in Ephesians 1:
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship 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… Ephesians 1:4-6 NIV
This choosing is to lead to the praise of his grace.
Our life is intended to proclaim His glory, His power, and His name.
The goodness of his mercy, lavished undeservedly on us.
Romans 9:19-21
Just as we saw up above in the prophecy from the book of Malachi, God has the power to build up and destroy according to his wisdom and purposes.
It reminds me of a passage found in Jeremiah 18:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.” Jeremiah 18:1-8 NIV
God has the power to choose—or not choose. But did you catch that last little bit? His choices may be impacted by our repentance and turning to him.
And while I am not going to go anywhere near the great theological debate of predestination versus free will, I will state some obvious clues we can glean from this Scripture:
God is the ultimate one who chooses who will be the recipient of his mercy. And it’s a good idea for us to repent and turn to him. We could dive into the nuanced mysteries another day, but for today, let’s just rest in the fact that if we are reading this, there is likely a tug on our heart towards him and we can choose to turn from our sins and embrace the living God and our salvation in the person of Jesus Christ. Amen? Whew. Let’s all take a deep breath now.
This is something I really like about Paul’s approach to topics. When people come with deep questions regarding the mysteries of God, he sometimes just shuts them down with a humbling proclamation of “Because God said so.” And benevolently so: it is for the good of our hearts and minds to surrender to a design greater than we could ever comprehend.
We were never meant to be more than clay pots in the hands of God. Trying to take more onto ourselves leaves us burdened beyond what we can bear.
There is one creator of the universe. One potter.
And thankfully, he is more loving and good than we could ever dare to hope.
He is our trustworthy God—the one who is kind in all he does:
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. Psalm 145:17 ESV
He is literally brimming with love and faithfulness, and it’s these attributes that we can fall back on and find rest in when we don’t understand the ways of the potter:
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15 NIV
Romans 9:22-29
There’s a concept used when creating a painting or other piece of artwork. The idea is including “negative space” or unused space in order to amplify the presence of the piece’s subject.
This idea came to mind as I was considering how the Lord’s extravagant mercy is put on display for his chosen ones when lain in contrast with the wrath displayed to, well, everyone else.
Only when juxtaposed with the reality of his wrath, can we truly understand his mercy.
Just as we see in the Hosea reference, we have no right to be called God’s beloved, and yet it’s the very name he bestows upon us. We have no right to be called his people, and yet, furthermore, he calls us his children.
And to be clear: this is the relationship he wants for all people.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 NIV
He wants no person to perish. Because he loves everyone.
Even in the pit of their sin. Even when they full-blown deserve his wrath, he loves them and wants them to turn and be saved.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8 NIV
He sent Jesus to die for us when we were in our worst state.
And when we were in our worst state, God didn’t show up with a plan to condemn us. (Even though we deserved it.) He made a place to rescue us from his wrath.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NIV
So while his wrath is entirely just, and will come to pass, he made a way for it to be entirely satisfied for all who call on the name of Jesus.
They are his chosen ones. And will be called his Beloved forevermore.
Romans 9:30-33
Wrapping it up in a bow, Paul proclaims once again that pursuing righteousness by our own works is not the way God intended it to be accomplished.
From the time of Abraham, through Jacob and Esau, and beyond… God’s mercy and calling deserves all of the credit for any label of “righteousness” we might hold.
If Jesus is a strong and steady cornerstone, then works-based righteousness is a stumbling stone that leads to destruction! The righteousness of God has been established once-and-for-all by faith.
Faith in Jesus, to the praise of his glory.
Beauty in the Book
This portion of Scripture confirms indefinitely that the beauty of salvation was always intended to highlight the decadence of God’s mercy. While it was an understandable transition—seeing that righteousness is bestowed on the basis of faith, not works, and offered to all who believe in Jesus’ name, not just the Jews—Paul makes it clear: we are certainly saved because of God’s mercy alone.
Salvation is a generous gift. And all who have the privilege of stepping into the promises of God, are to receive it and respond with the worship due his name. Not questioning it in arrogance, but receiving it in humility. We do this as we rest in all we know to be true about God’s perfect character: his kindness, mercy, love, and goodness.
It comes down to this: God’s promises to Israel didn’t fall short, but extended beyond what anyone could have dreamt up or imagined. He is the God of “immeasurably more”— with his salvation being made available far and wide to Jews as well as Gentiles, just as he always intended it to be.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV
