In the first five verses of this chapter, Paul acknowledges that he and his brother Israelites had been given great promises from God, but he expressed great sorrow over the fact that most Jews had rejected their Messiah. Gentiles rejoiced over their adoption as sons but some questioned whether they could trust God. It appeared to them that God had changed His mind about the Israelites, and they wondered if He would change His mind about them too. They expected that Israel would recognize Jesus as their Messiah and would welcome Him gladly. However, since most Jews rejected Jesus, these Gentiles thought that maybe Jesus really wasn’t the Messiah. When they looked at the way God had dwelt with the Jews, it seemed that He was against them, not for His chosen people. Also, because of Paul’s harsh criticism of Israel, many thought that he had begun to hate the Jews. But in verses two and three, Paul refutes this criticism and while expressing great love for his brother Israelites; he was even willing to give up his own salvation that they might be saved.

Verses one through five are an introduction to the remaining discourse on Israel which ends with a great doxology in Chapter 11:36. Beginning in verse six, Paul addresses a series of questions that will enable him to thoroughly explain the concept of election to the readers of this epistle. These are:

1. Has God’s Word Failed? (vv. 6-13)

2. Is God unjust? (vv. 14-18)

3. Why does God still find fault? (vv. 19-29)

4. How do we reconcile unbelief? (vv. 30-33)

While many people avoid discussing election, it is a theme that is directly or indirectly mentioned thousands of times in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Beginning in Genesis 1, we see that God elected to create the world in a very specific way, and in Revelation 22, Jesus said He is the alpha and the omega and He will judge creation in the way he chooses. Election, in a broad sense, refers to the truth that God chooses to do everything He desires to do in whatever way He sees fit. We may struggle with election, but election is what makes God, God. God is the controller and disposer of all creatures (Daniel 4:35). He is the most high ruler of heaven and earth (Isaiah 37:16). God directs all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). As our maker, He can make us any way He chooses (Romans 9:21). And God directs our every step (Proverbs 16:9). In essence, God elects all actions according to His sovereign will.

Election really is not difficult to understand; Paul wrote this letter to a church, not to a seminary. It is good that we struggle with election, because it helps us to know who God is, His character, how He deals with His creation, and how we are to worship Him. Election is primarily a study of God’s mercy. Romans 9:16 says, “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” In verse 15, God said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." Luke 9:35 refers to Christ as the Chosen One (Elect One), 1 Timothy 5:21 refers to the elect angels, and Galatians 3:6 refers to Abraham, chosen because he believed God’s promises. The Jews had lost an understanding of Abraham’s justification (Genesis 15:6) and we, too, are tempted to think that our justification is somehow related to our merit. In Romans 3:10-12, Paul, quoting Psalm 14:1-3, is emphatic that no one is righteous. Many seek religion, but no one seeks righteousness.  No one merits salvation; it is by grace through faith, and even faith is a gift from a merciful God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We should never apologize for believing in the doctrine of election, for the Scriptural evidence is overwhelming. (See Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:12-13, 1 Peter 1:2 for example.)

Let us now address the first of the four questions.

Has God’s Word Failed? (vv. 6-13)

If not every Israelite received Jesus as Messiah, doesn’t that mean that God’s promises to Israel had failed. This section of Scripture, Romans 9:6 through Romans 11:33, is a cogent argument that not all the descendants of Israel (Jacob) are Israelites, so the promise was not made to every descendant of Jacob. Likewise, not all who claim to be Christian are Christian. God’s electing power produces righteousness, not religion, for righteousness is God’s plan for His elect. God’s elect will be recognized by their righteous fruit because God is creating His character in them. We will see that election is not based on birth or behavior or birthright; it is based solely on God’s prerogative. 

1. God’s Election is not by Birth (vv. 6-10)

We might be tempted to think that since God is God, we don’t need to give thought to election. However, Paul begins to prove that God’s Word is true, that God’s character is sure and just, and He is completely consistent in all the ways that He said He would deal with His people. We should always be confident when standing on the truth of Scripture, and never be afraid of putting God’s Word to the test. God’s Word will always stand. We should study God’s Word diligently so that we can give a defense for things which might offend others. One of Paul’s strongest arguments for election is found in verse eleven where he states that before Jacob and Esau were born, before they had done anything either good or bad, God chose Jacob to be the patriarch through whom Messiah would come. (See Genesis 25:23)

• Ethnic Israel (v. 6)

The Jews claimed Abraham as their father, but they also acknowledged that not all descendants of Abraham were sons of the promise. Ishmael, Abraham’s son, was born of the will of man, but Isaac was born of the will of God; Isaac is the son who inherited the promises. The nation of Israel came into existence through Isaac, yet not all sons of Isaac are the Israel of God, only the line through Jacob. Later in the life of the nation of Israel, after going into captivity because of their idolatry, God returned a remnant to Jerusalem. God’s electing, saving grace was narrowed from all people of the world to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, and then to a remnant.

• Spiritual Israel (vv. 7-10)

The promises that God gave to the nation of Israel do not apply to all of Jewish blood; they apply specifically to the nation of Israel, the Israel of promise. John said, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:11-13) Through Isaac the nation was born and to this Nation promises were given. But only Isaac’s son, Jacob, became the Israel of promise; Esau was rejected. Only through the line of Jacob were Israelites counted as God’s offspring. At the heart of election is being able to accept God’s divine will. Through the process of election, we see that God never intended to save all descendants of Abraham. He called out Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be the patriarchs of the nation of Israel but remember that not all Israel is Israel.

• Not all the church is the church.

Why would God call out His elect? To display His power and to prove that His Word continues to be true. When God calls, man is set aside, and He alone is glorified, and He alone deserves all worship. Regarding election, Paul argues in Rom 9:16, “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” God deals with the church today in this same manner. In Romans 9:23-24 Paul says that God calls, or elects, for glory both Jews and Gentiles. This is the church, the true church, the invisible church, consisting of true believers of all ages. Just like not all Israel is Israel, not all the church is the church. Many who sit in church each Sunday are not a part of God’s church.

Who is the church? They are the called-out ones, called out from the evil world’s system and into the fold of God. Prior to being called, all are part of the world’s system, ruled by Satan, the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Jesus said in John 15:19, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” 

Romans 10:13-14 explains how God calls people into His kingdom: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.14 But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” This is known as the General Call to salvation, but this call is only effectual for the elect. Those receiving an effectual call understand their sin, understand God’s righteousness, understand who Christ is, trust in Him, and repent of their sin. God saves individual people and then He sets them into the church. 

Joining a church or attending a church does not make you a Christian. Joining a fellowship with other Christians does make a church. Often when testimonies are given, the person may claim that they grew up in a Christian home and have always been a Christian, yet, for a Christian there had to have been a specific moment when they realized that they were lost and then turned to Jesus in faith and repentance. Knowing the Bible, memorizing verses, serving in ministries, being convicted of sin, and being baptized doesn’t make anyone a Christian. All local churches consist of believers and non-believers, and yet, God’s kingdom goes forward. Being a Christian requires being born again by the Spirit of God.

If you are a believer and God’s Spirit testifies with your spirit that you are a child of God, and you know the love of God in a supernatural way, you need to understand that God has elected you. This proves the power of God and shows that His Word has not failed. Before being called by God in mercy, Abraham was a pagan moon-worshipper. We praise God for His mercy and grace toward us. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved.” No one deserves such favor, but we praise God that He has been merciful to us. If all of this is foreign to you, or if you think that God should base His judgment on your good works, repent and turn to faith in the merciful Christ, savior of sinners.  He will not turn away anyone who comes to Him in faith.

Selah:

1. Can the elect know that they are elect? How?

2. Can the non-elect know that they are not elect? How?

3. How would you respond to someone who says, “If God chooses who will be saved, why should I witness? Their salvation does not depend on me.”