The Mystery of God in Romans 9
Introduction
Paradoxical in nature, this simple sentence is the clearest evidence for election. Paul will illustrate the truth in this paradox in two ways: first, by showing that the gospel (here we use the term broadly in the sense of God’s announcement and promise of salvation’s blessings) has never been based on heritage, lineage, or pedigree (9:6–9); and second, by showing that the gospel has never been based on merit (9:10–13).
This is the same purpose that Paul referred to earlier when referring to “those … who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). In accordance with Deuteronomy 29:29—“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law”—not all has been revealed about the purposes of God.
At first, it would seem that both the boys—Jacob and Esau—would be chosen by God since they were both the sons of Isaac through whom salvation promises were flowing. Not so. Before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad. Rebekah was told that the older will serve the younger (see Gen. 25:23). And why was Jacob chosen over Esau? So that God’s purpose in election might stand.
Neither is it unjust for God to choose some in the nation of Israel to receive his promised blessings and others not to receive them. As God spoke to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy” (Exod. 33:19). Moses was the only one to see God’s glory on a personal basis. Was it unjust for God to choose Moses? No, it was an evidence of mercy and compassion according to his purpose for Moses, for Israel, and for the whole world.
God does not choose (elect) on the basis of any condition or cause in a human being. He chooses on the basis of his purpose. And because his choice results in not giving the chosen what they deserve, his choice is merciful. As F. F. Bruce points out, “If [God] were compelled to be merciful by some cause outside himself, not only would his mercy be so much the less mercy, but he himself would be so much the less God” (Bruce, p. 178).
shall send—Greek, “sends,” or “is sending”; the “delusion” is already beginning. God judicially sends hardness of heart on those who have rejected the truth, and gives them up in righteous judgment to Satan’s delusions (Is 6:9, 10; Is 6:9, 10, Ro 1:24–26, 28). They first cast off the love of the truth, then God gives them up to Satan’s delusions, then they settle down into “believing the lie”: an awful climax (1 Ki 22:22, 23; Ez 14:9; Job 12:16; 1 Ki 22:22, 23, Mt 24:5, 11; 1 Ti 4:1).
strong delusion—Greek, “the powerful working of error,” answering to the energizing “working of Satan” (2 Th 2:9); the same expression as is applied to the Holy Ghost’s operation in believers: “powerful” or “effectual (energizing) working” (Eph 1:19).
believe a lie—rather, “the lie” which Antichrist tells them, appealing to his miracles as proofs of it … (2 Th 2:9).
But there is a flip-side to mercy—the hardening of the heart. This is another often misunderstood aspect of God’s purpose in election. Fortunately, Paul provides both a picture and an example of how a heart is hardened. The picture is in 2 Thessalonians 2:2–11, where Paul is explaining the future role of the man of lawlessness who is destined to appear on the world stage. The man of lawlessness is innately evil, proclaiming himself to be God. That is his character, his essence. But, Paul says, something is “holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” His power, in fact, “is already at work” but is being restrained. When that restraint is lifted, Paul says, the lawless man’s power will be fully manifested “in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil.” The full manifestation of his evil will be evident when God’s restraint is removed.
God did not make the lawless man evil. Rather, he is mercifully restraining his evil for a time. But when the restraining grace of God is revealed, the full force of his evil will be manifested. His heart will be totally hardened at that point.
This teaching of Paul about the man of lawlessness is consistent with another lawless man that he uses as an example of the flip-side of mercy. If mercy (election) is not giving people what they deserve, then the hardening of the heart is simply allowing what they deserve to run its full course. The hardening of the heart is, in that sense, pure justice. Pharaoh is Paul’s example in Romans 9. Exodus tells us that in some cases Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exod. 7:13, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:34–35), and in other cases God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exod. 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17).
In reality, God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was much like the future man of lawlessness—simply stepping aside and letting evil and arrogance run its course. As Leon Morris has pointed out, “Neither [in Pharaoh’s case] nor anywhere else is God said to harden anyone who had not first hardened himself” (cited by Stott, p. 269). This same action on God’s part is pictured by Paul in Romans 1 as “giving them over.” Those who persisted in exchanging the glory of God for idols were ultimately given over to their sexual impurity, shameful lusts, and depraved minds “to do what ought not to be done” (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28).
Paul’s conclusion to mercy as the basis for election is simple: God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens (i.e., does not have mercy on by leaving in their sinful state) whom he wants to harden. It is still the choice that bothers us; why would God choose some to show mercy and not choose others? Warren Wiersbe reminds us that God’s holiness demands justice, but his love manifests mercy: “God is holy and must punish sin; but God is loving and desires to save sinners. If everybody is saved, it would deny His holiness; but if everybody is lost, it would deny His love. The solution to the problem is God’s sovereign election” (Wiersbe, p. 104).