ROMANS, CHAPTER 9
[Verses 1-16]
(11-23-11)
Review:
Romans 8:31, 33-35, 38-39) [NIV] What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
33) [NIV] Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34) [NIV] Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
QUESTION: Who can condemn us?
ANSWER: Jesus won’t! He died to save us! God, the Father, won’t! Jesus sits at His right hand constantly pleading our cause. Satan can’t! He doesn’t have the authority.
35) [NIV] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
QUESTION: What is Paul showing us here?
ANSWER: Note:
- God is for us, not against us (vs. 31).
- God has already given us His greatest treasure: His Son (vs. 32).
- God will therefore utilize any, and all of His infinite treasures/abilities to finish the job of our glorification (vs. 32).
- God has already justified us; consequently, He no longer entertains any accusations against us (vs. 33).
- God won’t condemn us because Jesus paid for our sins (vs. 34).
QUESTION: What is the conclusion to the above points?
ANSWER: Nothing can separate us from the God Who loves us!
38) [NIV] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39) [NIV] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
QUESTION: What do I need to know?
ANSWER: God loves me and nothing can ever change that!
NOTE: Let me remind you one more time:
- God has never loved you more that He does right now.
- God will never love you more than He does right now.
In conclusion, God will not love you when you are glorified in Heaven, when you have been clothed in perfection, any more than He loves you right now!
On To This Week’s Lesson:
Romans 9:1-16) [NIV] I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit –
2) [NIV] I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3) [NIV] For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
Concerning “I could wish,”
“Idiomatic imperfect, ‘I was on the point of wishing’” [Robertson].
QUESTION: What was the Apostle in anguish about?
ANSWER: He was in anguish because most of the people of Israel had rejected Christ.
NOTE: It appears that, in the Greek, the Apostle is not saying that he would go to Hell for them if they could only be saved. It appears to me that he’s just saying that he was almost at that point.
3B) [NIV] for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
4) [NIV] the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
5) [NIV] Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
QUESTION: What is Paul pointing out in the above verses?
ANSWER: He is pointing out that Israel is the select people of God.
Exodus 4:22) [KJV] And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn:
Deuteronomy 14:1A) [KJV] Ye [are] the children of the LORD your God:
Hosea 11:1) [KJV] When Israel [was] a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
NOTE: God looks at Israel as His children; they witnessed the Divine glory; they received the covenants; they received the Law; they received the temple worship; they received the promises; the patriarchs were Israelites; and Jesus was a Jew. Paul is showing how special the Jews are to God.
6) [NIV] It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
7) [NIV] Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
8) [NIV] In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
9) [NIV] For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
QUESTION: What is Paul teaching here?
ANSWER: He’s teaching that there’s a difference between natural Israel and Spiritual Israel.
Galatians 4:24-26) [KJV] Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25) [KJV] For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26) [KJV] But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
QUESTION: Who is Spiritual Israel?
ANSWER: They are the descendents of Isaac through the Promise. They are all who believe in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles.
10) [NIV] Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.
11) [NIV] Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad-in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:
12) [NIV] not by works but by him who calls-she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
13) [NIV] Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Luke 14:26) [KJV] If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
QUESTION: What is Paul teaching here?
ANSWER: God chose Jacob to inherit the promises given to Abraham, even though Esau was the firstborn. This shows us that God decides who should do what in His kingdom.
QUESTION: Did God hate Esau?
ANSWER: No! He didn’t hate Esau any more than he wants you to hate your father, mother, wife, etc. It’s talking about “in comparison to.” My love and devotion to God must be so strong that it overshadows my love for others. God’s love for Jacob overshadowed His love for Esau. In this regard it’s referring to the fact that He blessed Jacob with the promises, not Esau.
QUESTION: What “election” needed to stand?
ANSWER: This “election” being referred to was “not by works but by him who calls.” God decides who He chooses to do His bidding.
14) [NIV] What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
15) [NIV] 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) [NIV] It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
QUESTION: Is this a fair/just way for God to do things?
ANSWER: Absolutely! He’s not talking about eternal salvation; he’s talking about God choosing who he will use to accomplish His will in this life.
QUESTION: If I desire to become the next Billy Graham, can I make it happen?
ANSWER: No! God will decide how He wants to use me in this life.