God’s purpose of election

Introduction

Open your Bible to Romans 9 this morning and we will be in verse 9 - 18. Romans 9:9-18.

Why are we in Romans 9 this morning? We are here to answer a question from 1 Peter 1:1-2. Peter writes, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Pe 1:1–2, ESV) Today we are going to be looking at one word from 1 Peter 1:1, the word ἐκλεκτοῖς (ek-lek-tois) elect. What does the word elect mean biblically? What is Peter saying about the people that he is writing? What does it mean to be elect? That is what we will be looking at in Romans 9.

I am going to give you the answer up front and then seek to show you how to see it in the text. What does it mean to be elect? To be elect means that God has chosen/elected people from eternity past, not based on there actions but according to his own purposes, for mercy and salvation.

Lets Read Romans 9:9-18

Romans 9:9–18 ESV

For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 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— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 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.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

May God Bless the Reading of His Holy and Infallible Word

Lets Pray

Context

Before we get into verse 9 a every important hermeneutic (hermeneutics is the study of interpreting correctly)[1] is context. In order to understand correctly, interpret correctly, the words of the Apostle Paul we have to keep them in the context he intended. In chapter 9 of Romans Paul is adding issue that would be raised by his conclusion in Chapter 8.

Paul concluded in chapter 8 saying, nothing “will be able to separate us [the US are the predestined from verse 29] from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:39, ESV)

An astute reader might ask Paul,

Wait, Isreal was the elect of God, but according to what you laid out in the first part of this letter, all of them that do not believe are separated from God’s Love.

Sum Up

Paul says nothing can separate God people from God’s love

The reader responds that Paul seems to have missed something because the people of Israel in mass are missing out of God’s love in Jesus.

More Context

This is why Paul start chapter 9 by listing all the blessing God had given the physical nation of Isreal. The people Paul calls, “my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Ro 9:3, ESV) in verse 3.

The immediate context for us to day comes in verse 8 where Paul says, “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.” (Ro 9:8, ESV)

Sum Up

So Paul replies here that the objection his reader might have is because they don’t really understand who God’s people are. They are not the flesh, those descended from Abraham genetically, but those of the Promise.

Transition

So, Now that we have context we can look at verses 9-13.

Body

If it were genetics Esau would have been part of the Israel (1)

Text

Romans 9:9–13 ESV

For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 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— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Exposition

Verse 9 “For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Exposition

Abraham already had a son named Ishmael

The promise was in Isaac

Transition

Paul Knows his readers will think genetically

They will say, ah I get it Ishmael was excluded because he didn’t come from Sarah.

That’s why Paul adds Jacob and Esau

Verse 10 "Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac”

Exposition

Two brothers, twins, both genetically from Abraham and Sarah.

One Chosen for election and the other passed over.

Transition

Why was Jacob chosen and Esau passed over? God’s purpose of election. Take a look at verse 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”

Exposition

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad

in order that God’s purpose of election might continue

Sum Up.

Application

There are many that don’t like this doctrine and try to get around it in man ways.

This is allegory

Esau is the nation of Edom

Jacob represent Israel

We will address this a bit more in verse 14-17.

God knew Esau would sell is birth right so that why…

But the Apostle Paul said, “not because of works but because of him who calls.” (Ro 9:11, ESV)

This attempt to get around the doctrine of elect dose not stand up in the light of the text.

The reason so many don’t like this doctrine and try to get around it is Idol worship.

The Idol of anatomy

The first sin

Transition

This idol is not new, Paul starts out verse 14 responding to the statement that if God is choosing some people to save and some people for damnation the God is not being just. Paul addresses this 3 time in this chapter in different ways. Take a look at verse 14-17.

God’s Justice is Perfect (2)

Text

Romans 9:14–17 ESV

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 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.”

Exposition

Verse 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.”

Exposition

God is speaking to Moses about the people of Israel in Ex. 33:19.

Some God will have mercy on and some he wont.

Transition

In case that not enough, Paul gives another example in verse 17.

“Pharaoh” - “that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Exposition

“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.” (Ro 9:17, ESV)

I have raised you up

Again the person individually is used as the example.

We know the story in Exodus, Pharaoh’s advisors were telling him, let the people go or we will all be ruined and he would not let them go.

This is a good place to about how God hardens and shows mercy.

All men deserve God wrath.

If God were only just, all would go to hell.

God is merciful so he saves those he chooses.

God saves the Elect by actively changing their hearts. See Eze 36, John 6, John 10, John 17, Acts 13:48, Eph 1 and 2 and Romans 8 - 11 and many other passage.

God hardens the none elect by letting them keep their heart of stone.

Pharaoh is the perfect example of this.

Two Hebrew words translated harden.

In Exodus 9:34 means to strengthen (יֶּחֱזַק֙)

In Exodus 10:1 the word means to make heavy or waited.

God lets Pharaoh worship his on heart. he passes over Pharaoh.

For his Glory.

This is what we mean when we confess Soli Deio Gloria.

Everything is for God’s Glory

God is the King and he decides who is in his kingdom and who is not and he does so for his one GOOD let me say that again GOOD reasons.

To quote John Calvin’s institutes “In distinguishing the heirs of the Kingdom from the illegitimate and foreigners, we have no doubt that God’s election alone rules as of free right.”[2]

Transition

God is saying I will save those I will save and destroy those who I will destroy and if we are to agree with the scriptures we must say, Amen. And broadcast the truth that God has the freedom to save for his own eternal glory. There is no uncertainty in verse 18. Take a look at verse 18.

Whom Ever He Wills (3)

Text

Romans 9:18 ESV

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

Exposition

whomever

Exposition

whomever

Personal, each person

Application

Not a nation or a group of people.

God elect are know each to him personally.

They cannot be taken out of his hand.

Transition

Why cant they be taken out of his hand?

It is his will that keep them there.

he will,

Exposition

It is his will for the purposes of his own glory

What is conditioned on his will? Mercy for some and hardening for others.

Application

The Bible is not unclear or hard to understand when speaking of God’s sovereignty in save who is will for his own good pleasure and this mean we should not be afraid to proclaim the truth of God electing his people to salvation and eternal life, while passing-over other reprobates for eternal damnation.

Conclusion

So as we conclude to day, To quote the 1689, you thought I forgot, “The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election; so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.” [2]

This word Ek-lek-tos the elect that Peter is writing to comes with a deep biblical meaning. Who is Peter writing to? The elect, those that God has chosen/elected from all people from eternity past, not based on their actions but according to his own purposes, for mercy and salvation.

Benediction

Go with the blessing of God.

2 Corinthians 13:11–14 ESV

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All God’s People say, Amen.

References

[1] George, Theodore. “Hermeneutics.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University, December 9, 2020. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hermeneutics/.

[2] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion & 2, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles, vol. 1, The Library of Christian Classics (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 1337–1341.

[3] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 2480.

Bibliography

George, Theodore. “Hermeneutics.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University, December 9, 2020. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hermeneutics/.

Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion & 2. Edited by John T. McNeill. Translated by Ford Lewis Battles. Vol. 1. The Library of Christian Classics. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.