Does God Choose Some and Not Others for Salvation? Romans 9 Part 1

Paul is addressing a problem between the jew and Gentile conflict.

The Jews thought because of their ethnicity they were the only group of people that could be saved or they had a leg up with God. The ethnic Jews thought it was unthinkable that God would reject his chosen people Israel and instead allow the gentiles to enter the kingdom of God rather than His own people. How God could prefer over the Jews these “Gentile dogs” and save them and pass over the Jews is unthinking.

What Paul wants to emphasize in Romans 9 is God’s sovereignty in electing and saving whoever He wants regardless of their ethnic background. Weather Jew or Gentil is God’s choice as the who will be saved.

Paul is arguing that it’s not limited to the Jews but is know open to the gentiles or the rest of the world. Instead of narrowing salvation to a few Paul is broadening the scope of salvation.

In the beginning of Romans 9 Paul is in anguish over the Jews who are not believers in Christ. He goes on to say that a Jew is one of the heart and not one who is born ethnically but one who is a believer.

Like the next examples God has the freedom to choose who is saved and who isn’t.

Why use Esau as a example? Because he had the right as the first born to receive the blessing and the right to be the heritage from Abraham. Also look at what happened to these descendants that stood up to the people of God. They got judged and so it is with the Jews who stand up to the Christ and the believers who are Gods chosen people.

We have no right to talk back to God and tell Him he can’t do that. He has to only save Jews.

God has decided to show mercy on whom He wants and its no mystery on whom He does. It’s those who have decided to have faith in Christ.

If God wants to establish covenant with barbarian gentiles who hasn’t kept the Jewish laws then God is free to do so. Not only that but to bring that covenant through the Jewish nation and its people. If that is God’s choice who are we to question God.

Who are we to talk back to God if He decides to harden self righteous Jews and uses them as a instrument to bring about the crucifixion and the in-grafting of the gentiles.

Who are you oh man to talk back to God if He shaped that hardened lump of clay a instrument used to bring about His purposes and plans of redemption of the world. Who are you to talk back to God for His choice to establish covenant in that way.

Who is it that God has chosen to elect? Those who have faith in Christ.

We can see in Romans 9:30-32 that the dichotomy is faith vs works.

God didn’t elect Israel to the neglect of all other nations but to be a blessing to all other nations.