Romans 9:10-18 | Is God Unfair?

SERMON TITLE: Is God Unfair?

SCRIPTURE: Romans 9:10-18 (ESV)

SPEAKER: Josh Hanson

DATE: 10-6-24

TURN MIC ON / WELCOME

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series in the book of Romans this weekend. We returned to Paul’s letter to Christians living in Rome three weeks ago after taking a few years off from the book. We had made it halfway through Romans before our break and our goal is to now spend the majority of our time focused on finishing it. Unlike the last two weeks — we’ll be in some new verses today. After demonstrating to his readers — and us — of his love for his fellow Israelites — a love so deep that — if it were possible to save his fellow countrymen — Paul would have gladly gone to hell on their behalf — and then having reminded us of the undeserved blessings God had bestowed upon the Jewish people and that God’s Word cannot fail — which we looked at last week — Paul continues his explanation of why then so many of his fellow Israelites had rejected Jesus as the promised Messiah — a word that means Savior. For the promised Messiah was a promise to the Jewish people — and yet they — overall — rejected Jesus. They had him killed. They opposed him while he was here on earth. Not all of them — but overall — as a people — they did not receive him as the fulfillment of God’s promise.

So — with that as our introduction — let’s turn to our verses for today. We’ll be in Romans chapter nine — looking at verses ten through eighteen. Romans chapter nine — verses ten through eighteen — but we’ll start a few verses earlier so we all are following Paul’s thought. We’ll start in verse six where — after listing out many of the promises God had made to the Israelites — Paul writes…

Romans 9:6–18 (ESV)

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. 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.” 8 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. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls — 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 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.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

IS GOD UNFAIR?

Is God unfair? That’s the question we’ll be exploring today. We won’t get to our answer until near the end of this sermon but — for now — pause for a moment and think of your answer to our question: Is God unfair? It’s an uncomfortable question, right? Or it should be. If you’re comfortable with the question because you think you’ve figured God out and how he works — my guess is you’ve never grieved with parents due to the death of their baby during birth after a completely healthy pregnancy. Early on in ministry I had two stillborn deaths in the same week — and all I can remember is it didn’t feel very fair to the parents — especially for the couple who previously had multiple miscarriages and were so excited to have finally had a healthy pregnancy go full term. Two sets of parents — in one week — left to grieve while I went home to my three kids.

As hard as those situations are — Paul’s even going to a more unsettling place. Remember — he’s been defending God’s Word — that it cannot fail even when his people reject it. And the question — if you can put yourselves in Paul and his audiences’ shoes — is this: How can so many Jewish people — who are part of God’s chosen nation — reject him? And Paul’s answer — an answer inspired by the Spirit of God — is disturbing.

As Paul continues down the patriarchal history of the Israelites — he first says that ethnicity is not what makes a person a child of God…

Romans 9:6b (ESV)

6 For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,

Not every ethnic Jew was a child of the promise. Though they were given the promises — as a nation — the promise was only for those who were the true children of the promise. For decades — here in the US — to be a US citizen was nearly synonymous with being a Christian. But never in our nation’s history has there ever been the case that to be a US citizen is to be a true follower of Jesus. Not even all who claim to be a Christian are true Christians. Our ethnicity and self-proclaimed identity bear not weight on whether or not someone is actually a child of God. That’s the first blow to our pride.

Paul says not every Israelite was actually a child of the promise — the promise being referred to is God’s promise to Abraham that he would be the father of a people who are the children of God. You see, Abraham had two sons. Ishmael — though the oldest son — was not the child of the promise. Isaac — the younger son — was the child of the promise. But — in this first example — Paul gives no reason why it was Isaac and not Ishmael — or not even both boys — other than quoting from the twenty-first chapter of Genesis when God said to Abraham…

Genesis 21:12b (ESV)

12 “for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

That’s Paul’s defense in this first example — God’s Word simply said Isaac was the child of the promise. We can conjecture all we want about why it was Isaac and not Ishmael — but Paul doesn’t. He just quotes God’s Word.

NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS

But now — in our verses — things get both more detailed and more disturbing at the same time. We’re in verse ten.

Romans 9:10–13 (ESV)

10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad — in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls — 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

And — in verse sixteen — Paul says…

Romans 9:16a (ESV)

‌ So then it depends not on human will or exertion...

Now we come to the second blow to our pride in answering the question: Is God unfair? The second blow to our pride is this: Our works — what a person does — is not what makes a person a child of the promise. What we do — either good or bad — mean nothing as to whether or not someone is a child of God.

Twice in verse eleven Paul makes this clear. “Though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad…not because of works…” — the twins — Jacob and Esau — one is a child of the promise and the other is not. They both have the same father Isaac and — remember — he was the child of the promise though his brother Ishmael wasn’t. But since Paul has ruled out ethnicity already — his readers — like us — may be thinking, “Well, since they both have the same dad — and he’s the original child of the promise — maybe the reason why Jacob ends up being the child of promise and Esau doesn’t is because of something they did — aka — their works.”

You know — maybe Jacob was a moral guy, followed all of God’s commands, never cheated anyone, the kind of guy you’d want your daughter to marry, and so on while Esau was a real creep, cheat, scoundrel, the kind of guy you dread your daughter bringing home. Surely — right — surely the reason why Jacob’s the child of the promise and Esau isn’t is because of their decisions — their choices — their actions.

And Paul says, “No! Being a child of the promise or not has nothing to do with our works.” And this is incredibly unsettling for most people because we live in a works-based culture — and this is nothing new. This works-based culture — where your value is based on what you do — is why our society is so busy, why your so exhausted, why your marriage is miserable, why you hate or love what you do, why we dread aging and idolize youth — because we’re just breathing in and out this lie that “our value is based on what we do, on how we look, on what we accomplish.” And this thinking made it’s way into the evangelical church decades ago — but this has been an enemy of the gospel for centuries.

Think about it — but then question why you so easily believe this, because we all struggle with this: Works-based salvation — at its core — believes that our salvation is earned and/or kept because of what we do. If you do a lot of good things — you’re saved — but if you have a bad day — uh-oh — maybe I’ve lost my salvation? In fact — one would rightly assume — and this is why so many people live under an impossible burden to carry — perfect obedience to God at all times is what works-based salvation requires. And none of us are perfect.

Now — a little church history for you: works-based salvation was declared a heresy way back in the fifth century— the heresy is called Pelagianism after the guy who taught it. And this ugly heretical snake just won’t die. Martin Luther — of the protestant reformation — said this about works-based salvation. He called it “the most damnable and pernicious heresy.” (Ron Rhodes, 1001 Unforgettable Quotes about God, Faith, & the Bible (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2011).

And — when we take into consideration what God’s Word says about us, sin, and salvation — we remember statements like…

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Or we remember…

Galatians 2:16 (ESV)

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Think of what Paul is saying here. Salvation is by grace — through faith — and even the faith we have has been given to us by God. And never forget: Salvation is not a result of works. And — then Paul makes it clear in Galatians — not even doing the works of the law can save you. And if doing God’s law — think of the Ten Commandments — if obedience to the Ten Commandments is not a work that saves us — then what set of rules or measurement — that we make up — do you think can? And that’s all living by works-based salvation really is: making up your own set of rules to live by.

Then we divide ourselves up into tribes who agree with us and our works-based view of salvation. And — now — our group are the good guys — the saved — those on the right side of history or whatever you want to call it. And — unless you convert to my group — you’re the other, you’re the opposition, you’re the enemy.

Say you’re coming over to my house and we’re doing a breakfast for dinner deal. As you’re scooping some scrambled eggs on to your plate, I just happen to mention that a few of the eggs were rotten but — don’t worry — there were some good eggs used as well. That’d be gross and you’d be right to be disgusted with both the eggs and me for serving them to you. But imagine that I get all mad at you for being such a stickler about only accepting good eggs to eat.

If we’re that picky about eggs — why would we think God looks at our works — which are tainted by sin — and think, “What’s a bit of rottenness to these works? I mean, it’s not like he’s all that picky with the eggs he eats or anything.” If our works are what save us — then our works must be perfect — one hundred percent of the time — or they’re unacceptable to God.

Which shows us why the whole dividing people up into good guys and bad guys is both incredibly sad and ironic at the same time. Because — when it comes to good guys and bad guys — Paul’s made it clear that we’re all lumped into the same category: those who oppose God — those who don’t seek him — those who gossip and lie and steal and are greedy or — to sum things up — those who are his enemy. Which means — it should astound us that Isaac was a child of promise — same for Jacob — because neither were perfect men — they were just as imperfect as Ishmael and Esau.

BUT BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY

So — now — we’re getting into some really disturbing territory, right? Because — as we’ve learned — it’s not ethnicity that saves a person and makes them right with God — nor is it what we do. So being born into the right family or nation means nothing — as does all of the ways we like to compare ourselves against each other to make us feel good about how “not as bad as those people” we are — none of any of this means anything in regards to our salvation and being right with God.

“So where are we going to go from here Paul?” We’ll skip his punchline for now — but he continues with…

Romans 9:15–18 (ESV)

15 For he (God) 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.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

What’s so incredibly hard about reading these verses is to not make these words are our own. Here’s what I mean. Remember what Paul’s already told us: Both ethnicity and what we do means nothing in regards to our salvation and being right with God. But…if I was the one saying, “I’ll have mercy on whom I have mercy — I’ll have compassion on whom I have compassion” I can’t help but read these words through some kind of filter usually involving “my kind of people” or “based on what they’ve done.” Meaning — I can’t help but read these words through the two lenses that Paul has said bears no influence on a person being made right with God.

Where — we should read verse fifteen — in this way — and this is God speaking: “I have mercy on whom I have mercy and compassion on whom I have compassion. And — in case you’re hearing me say, ‘Based on the group they’re part of or the things they’ve done’ you are not hearing me correctly. Regardless of a person’s group and regardless of what they have done — on some I bestow my mercy and compassion.”

What a blow to our pride and what a statement about who God is — about what it means that he’s sovereign — in control of all things — what a statement about how dependent his creation — including all of us — are upon him. And all of this stirs up inside of us and reveals this detestable disease we’re all plagued with: Our desire to be our own savior and god.

But being a child of the promise — one who is made right with God — “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Said another way…

Romans 9:16 (NLT)

16 It is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

Then Paul gives another example. We’ve looked at Isaac and Ishmael — we’ve looked at Jacob and Esau — now Paul turns our attention to Pharoah — the great enemy of God and his people when they were slaves in Egypt. In a defense of God’s mercy Paul quotes Moses again. Earlier he quoted from Genesis — now from Exodus. To Pharoah God says…

Exodus 9:16 (ESV)

16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

Some of us are familiar with Pharaoh’s story — others of us may not be. His story ends in his death as the waters of the Red Sea drown him and his army as he chases after God’s people who were rescued by God’s powerful hand. The Israelites were shown mercy — they were rescued — not because they deserved it — and not because of their ethnicity — for — if you know their story — you know this group of Jews will all die in the wilderness because of their unbelief — it will be their children — no them — who experience the fulfillment of God’s promise. But — back to Pharaoh — God’s Word tells us that God raised Pharaoh up — meaning God had orchestrated the events in Pharaoh’s life to lead to this moment so that God’s power would be displayed in the rescue of his people and the judgment of his enemies.

Was Pharaoh a rotten egg? Absolutely! Were the Israelites all good eggs? Absolutely not! They’re rotten eggs too. Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Esau, Pharaoh, the Israelites — none are good. None are righteous. None deserve mercy — for mercy isn’t earned. To which Paul says…

Romans 9:18 (ESV)

18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

IS GOD UNFAIR?

Which leads us back to the question we’re trying to answer today. Here’s how Paul asks it.

Romans 9:14 (ESV)

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part?

Here’s another way of asking the question.

Romans 9:14 (NLT)

14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair?

Or how about this one.

Romans 9:14 (MSG)

14 Is that grounds for complaining that God is unfair?

So what’s your answer?

Let me say something important here: I understand why you might answer the question with something like, “Well it sure seems like God’s unfair.” Especially if you’re not a Christian but — even if you are a follower of Jesus — I understand the tension you’re feeling. It seems so out of our hands, doesn’t it? Out of our control. If what Paul is saying is true — then there’s nothing we can do and this is all up to the mercy of God.

And now we’re getting somewhere. Getting to exactly where Paul is wanting us to get to: God’s mercy. You see, our understanding of the word unfair sets us up to be unsettled and disturbed by all of this. Even our definition the word injustice leads us astray. You see — what Paul is asking is this: In all of this — in choosing Isaac and not Ishmael — in choosing Jacob and not Esau — in choosing the enslaved Israelites and not Pharoah — in all of this — has God acted unrighteously? That’s what Paul is implying with the word injustice or unfair in our English Bibles.

So what does it mean to be unrighteous — and what we have to do is allow being unrighteous be our definition for injustice and unfair — what does it mean to be unrighteous? To be unrighteous is to be sinful — to be unholy — wicked — evil. And what is Paul’s response to his — and our question?

Romans 9:14 (ESV)

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!

Romans 9:14 (NLT)

14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!

Romans 9:14 (MSG)

14 Is that grounds for complaining that God is unfair? Not so fast, please.

Which means our definition of God’s mercy is way to puny. For we all have defined God’s mercy to mean something he owes us — something we can earn — a way we can put God into our debt. Yet — what we’ve learned about God and his mercy today — is that he doesn’t owe it to anyone — it can never be earned — and how foolish it is to think otherwise.

CONCLUSION

Which leaves us with some big unanswered questions and with an assurance that no philosophy of this world can give. What’s the big unanswered questions? Why Isaac? Why Jacob? Why be merciful to the enslaved Israelites if they’re going to die in the wilderness over the next forty years. Why me and not him or her? Why not my child who’s running hard away from you God? Why, why, why?

Yet we can’t forget where Paul’s thought began. With all of the promises God had made to the Israelites — and yet — they rejected and killed Christ — has God’s Word failed? Has his eternal plan of salvation been thwarted? Is God so weak that we can keep his will from being accomplished? Absolutely not!

Why Isaac? Why Jacob? Why the Israelites? Because God had made a promise that his Messiah would come and Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites were mercifully written into Jesus’ story. And — since it was because of God’s mercy — some rotten eggs were made good.

And the same merciful work of God continues on today. Why me? Why you? Because God is merciful. Not because he has to be — but because he chooses to be. And it’s his choice — and — to paraphrase what Paul will say to us soon — who are we — a bunch of rotten eggs — to question the sovereign mercy of the God who does no wrong. Who are we — who are sinfully biased in our giving of mercy — to judge the One who shows no favoritism? Who are we to say that God cannot be merciful to whomever he chooses — or compassionate to whomever he wills — who are we to say that for him to do so is for him to be unfair? Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Father, forgive us for playing judge and jury of you and your mercy. For you are the God who is merciful and gracious, slow to answer, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Ex 34.6) Because you are merciful — you don’t forget the covenant you’ve made with your people. (Ex 4.31) When we repent, your Word tells us that you are “gracious and merciful and that you will not turn away your face from us.” (2 Chron 30.9) When — like David — we cry out to you, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions” — you hear and answer our prayer. (Ps 51.1)

Holy Spirit, we ask you to wash us — to give us new hearts — to renew us — not because of the works we have done or will do — but according to your mercy. (Titus 3:5)

And — Jesus — to you — with so many in the Bible, we cry out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David. Have mercy on us.” (Matt 9.27) And — in response to your mercy — we agree with Paul and say “But I have received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the worst of sinners, you might display your perfect patience as an example to all who will believe in you for eternal life.” (1 Tim 1:16)

And we pray all of this in your name. Amen.

COMMUNION (JOSH WILL MOVE TO TABLE)

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. - 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

With these words our Lord commands all believers to eat this bread and to drink this cup in true faith and in the confident hope of his return in glory. Before we do so, let’s pray this prayer of confession together.

Congregational confession: Holy God, merciful and forgiving, who in Jesus Christ welcomes sinners and eats with them, we confess that we have often acted stubbornly, going our own way; we have often shown an ill temper and how little we understand your ways; we have used your resources to indulge ourselves, and failed to conduct ourselves as members of your royal family. We have sinned against heaven and before you. Forgive us, we pray, and roll away the disgrace of our past sins. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Hear and receive the good news: In this supper God declares to us that our sins have been completely forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself finished on the cross once for all. Come, therefore, all of you who are truly sorry for your sins, who believe in the Lord Jesus as your Savior, have confessed his name, and desire to live in obedience to him. Come eagerly and joyfully, with the assurance of faith. For Christ — our risen Lord — invites you as guests to fellowship with him — and each other — at his table.

INSTRUCTIONS

At this time, I’d like to invite forward those who are going to be serving us. And — while they make their way forward — know that as the bread and cup are passed down your rows, you’re to take the bread on your own — but save the cup — which we’ll drink together. Also — in the trays with the bread — there’s a gluten free option in the center of the tray. Eat the bread on your own — but save the cup — which we’ll drink together.

COMMUNION PASSED OUT

The blood of Christ, shed for you.

PRAYER (TRANSITION FOR WORSHIP TEAM)

Father, we give you thanks for your Son, Jesus Christ, for his willing obedience and suffering during his life on earth, and especially for his giving up of his body and blood on the cross. Give us assurance that our sins are forgiven through his blood and may your perfect love drive out all fear. Fill our minds with your peace and turn our eyes to Heaven, where Christ is at your right hand interceding for us. Give us the strength and faith we need to offer ourselves in service to Christ and may no trouble or sorrow distract us from this loving service. And unite us with each other through your Spirit so we continue in the living hope of our Savior's return which is sure to come. Hear us now through our Lord Jesus, who taught us to pray, saying these words — which are on the screens if you need them…

Congregation: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13 ESV)

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

May God’s mercy towards you be the foundation upon which the hope of your salvation lies. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.