Last week…

• The emphasis as we’ve seen is on God’s initiative, His sovereignty in determining those within the broader group of Israel who would actually become His own true people.[1]
• We are moving from God’s sovereignty in Romans 9 to human responsibility in Romans 10.

 
Romans 9:30-33
ISRAEL’S PRESENT STATE
30 What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness—namely the righteousness that comes from faith.

• “The Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness” – they hadn’t received the Law and did not even try to line their behavior up with the Law.
• The Gentiles received and were made righteous simply because of their belief.
• They didn’t have to do anything but believe.
• This is the same way Abraham was “credited” righteousness in Genesis 15.

31 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law.

• Romans 3:20 - For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the Law.[2]

32 Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

• “Faith” is not a “work”
• Jesus Christ is the stumbling stone.
• So why was the Law even given? As a snare?
• No! It was given for people to realize they can’t attain the Law in their own strength.
• They need a Savior who it will do it for them.
• The Savior’s blood was poured out as a sacrifice for our sinful nature.
• He becomes the Lord of Life when we rest and allow Him to be the “boss” of our life.
• No one will deny that there are many mysteries connected with divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
• Nowhere does God ask us to choose between these two truths, because they both come from God and are a part of God’s plan.
• They do not compete; they cooperate.
• The fact that we cannot fully understand how they work together does not deny the fact that they do.[3]

33 As it is written,
Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over
and a rock to trip over,
and the one who believes on him will not be put to shame.

• Quoting Isaiah 8 & 28.
• The Jews have been running a race where Christ is the finish line.
• But they have been looking at the Law that was pointing them to the finish line.
• They are so focused on the Law/the track that they never realized they already crossed the finish line.
• They are still running the race.
• That “stumbling block” is the “cornerstone” which is Jesus.
• What God provided as a foundational stone became a stumbling stone.
• We need to remember this truth during seasons when it “seems” as though God has forsaken us.  Yes, those seasons will come.
• They will bear tremendous fruit in the end, however, allowing us to view life from God’s perspective to an ever-increasing degree.[4]

 
RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH ALONE
Romans 10
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation.

• They didn’t have a need for salvation because they had the Law and could manage it on their own.

2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

• The knowledge is based upon “knowing about God” vs “knowing God”
• Since their Babylonian captivity, they had given up on idolatry.
• They had the temple.
• They even doubled down on the Law with their own laws (Mishna).
• It’s not much different today.

3 Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.

• The Jews thought that the Gentiles had to come up to Israel’s level to be saved; when actually the Jews had to go down to the level of the Gentiles to be saved.
• “For there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:22–23).[5]

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes, 5 since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. (Leviticus 18:5)

• This is the product or outward living.
• It’s backwards from what God intended.

6 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” (Deuteronomy 30:12-14) that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.

• Paul is using OT passages to say, you can’t physically bring salvation from heaven or below.
• Christ has already done that.

8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.

• Paul is more concerned about the inward.
• What is in your heart.

This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

• We’ve been taught that we actually have to something similar to this phrase to receive salvation.
• It is our belief alone that saves us and the byproduct is that “Jesus is Lord” comes out of your mouth.

10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

• Outward confession stems from a profound inward conviction.[6]

11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, (Isaiah 28:16) 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him.

• John 3:16 – For God so love the world…

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:32)[7]
 
Law of Righteousness                     Faith Righteousness
Only for the Jew                                  For “whosoever”
Based on works                                  Comes by faith alone
Self-righteousness                              God’s righteousness
Cannot save                                        Brings salvation
Obey the Lord                                     Call on the Lord
Leads to pride                                     Glorifies God[8]
 
[1] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 3:19–20). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 546). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 545). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Mounce, R. H. (1995). Romans (Vol. 27, p. 209). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 9:30–10:13). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 548). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Last week we talked about God’s love, God’s sovereignty and even God’s foreknowledge.
This is how it works.

• I am elected.
• Luke Dunnuck is not elected.
• Jim David is one of the chosen.
• Wanda Pontious is not one of the chosen.
• Michelle is predestined.
• I am not predestined.

 

• I am elected to have only one son.
• Luke Dunnuck is not elected to have only one son.
• Jim David is one of the chosen to be on the setup/tear down team.
• Wanda Pontious is not one of the chosen to be on the setup/tear down team.
• Michelle is predestined to do my laundry this week.
• I am not predestined to do my laundry this week.

 

• God did not choose (elect) Israel for the purpose of securing the salvation of any Jew.
• He chose (elected) Israel as His wife to bring the Messiah into the world so she, in turn, could take the news of His coming to the Gentiles—an opportunity she has thus far basically neglected.
• Israel has received an abundance of blessings from her Husband, but her rebellion has caused countless Jews to die void of salvation.
• God bestows salvation to Israelites in the same way He bestows salvation to Gentiles— through making them part of His family once they repent and exercise faith while depraved (a truth Paul’s Jewish opponents vehemently opposed). [1]

 
Romans 9:14-33
GOD’S SELECTION IS JUST
14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!

• Paul is answering the questions of his critics.
• The theology of the unbelieving Jews contained two lethal flaws:
• (1) They viewed themselves as having been chosen to salvation prior to physical birth—that their eternal destiny was secured by a choice Jehovah made before they were born.
• (2) They considered the works of the Law as eventually validating their righteous standing before God.
• In their minds, once the Law was obeyed according to Jehovah’s standard, they would be ushered into heaven—their righteous behavior and acceptance into heaven confirming God’s previous choice of them to salvation.
• The Law, however, requires perfection (Matthew 5:48; James 2:10).
• Therefore, Paul taught that no person can achieve access into God’s presence through the deeds of the Law (Romans 3:20; 5:20).[2]

15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

• Their perception of Paul’s teaching is that God elected and predestined Jacob (the individual) to salvation over Esau (the individual), granting neither party a choice in the matter.
• Genesis 25:23 refutes such thinking, for it confirms that Paul addresses “nations” rather than individuals in Romans 9:10-13.[3]
• Genesis 25:23 - And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb; two peoples will come from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.[4]

• We tend to put the discussion of salvation to be focused on ourselves rather than the provider of salvation.
• Who is saved and who is not saved?
• When God is focusing on the lineage of the Messiah to come.
• God chose the Messiah (Jesus) to come through the Jews and not the Gentiles.
• This verse is not about salvation but whether or not God was going to choose to live among the Jews who were disobedient in creating the fatted calf.
• Yet, some theologians want to make it about salvation.

16 So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason so that I may display my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in the whole earth.

• God had “mercy” upon the nation of Israel when Moses unwisely requested that He (God) dwell in the midst of the people.
• God displayed great “mercy” in resisting, for had He entered the camp in the manner that Moses desired the nation would have been consumed (Exodus 33:5).
• Instead, God’s glory entered the camp on Moses’ face and the nation was preserved. [5]

18 So then, he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

• When God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to further His purposes for Israel and Egypt, to manifest His power more fully, and specifically to complete His judgment upon the gods of Egypt, He was, in fact, only helping Pharaoh to do what that tyrant wanted to do.
• When He sent Moses to Egypt, God declared, “I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go…” (Exodus 3:19).
• This was Pharaoh’s disposition before a word was said about God’s hardening of his heart.[6]
• Chazaq - Hoz-ock - (ḥāzaq) be(come) strong, strengthen, prevail, harden, be courageous, be sore (meaning be severe).
• “Hardens” points to God providing Pharaoh the strength to stand (while Pharaoh exercised his own free will) as He (God) brought destruction upon Egypt.
• It does not point to God giving Pharaoh over to his sin, nor to God creating fresh evil in Pharaoh’s heart.[7]
• The Scriptures clearly teach that God does not tempt nor cause anyone to sin: 
• …for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. (James 1:13)

19 You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does he still find fault? For who resists his will?”

• Answering more questions from his critics.

20 On the contrary, who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor? 22 And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory--24 on us, the ones he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

• A God who must cause all things to accomplish His goal (through removing man’s free will) is inferior to a God Who fulfills His purpose while granting man the freedom of choice.
• If a Jew chooses (while depraved) to repent and believe, God makes him a vessel “of mercy.”
• If a Jew chooses blatant rebellion, he remains one of the “vessels of wrath.”
• In no way has God predetermined a single Jew’s destiny from eternity past.
• Yet, the “vessels of wrath” within physical Israel (each possessing a free will) are used of God to bring about His desired end as they prepare themselves “for destruction” (v.22).
• We can conclude, therefore, that God’s ultimate purpose for the world cannot be altered by the free will of man.
• Yet, God’s “purpose” for man can be “rejected” by man (Luke 7:30).
• Losing sight of this truth makes Romans 9 extremely contradictory, reducing God’s sovereignty in the process.
• Paul’s Jewish critic misrepresented Paul’s teaching because it refuted the critic’s belief that God elected Israel to salvation—that Jews are saved due to a choice God made prior to their being born.
• However, the theme of Romans 9 is that Israel was not chosen to be saved but was chosen to bear the Messiah and take the good news of His coming to the Gentiles—a calling she has only partially fulfilled.
• He taught that God was greatly using the Jewish nation to accomplish His strategy without predetermining the salvation of a single person who made up the nation.[8]

25 As it also says in Hosea,
I will call Not my People, My People,
and she who is Unloved, Beloved.
26 And it will be in the place where they were told,
you are not my people,
there they will be called sons of the living God.

• Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel who had rejected God.
• An event which occurred in 722 BC when Assyria took the northern kingdom into captivity (read Jeremiah 3:6-8 and 2Kings 17:6).  [9]
• Isaiah ministered to the southern kingdom who continued to believe in God and the Messiah to come.
• Later, the southern kingdom would become disobedient and exiled by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
• This would be during Jeremiah’s ministry.

27 But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel,
Though the number of Israelites
is like the sand of the sea,
only the remnant will be saved;
28 since the Lord will execute his sentence
completely and decisively on the earth.
29 And just as Isaiah predicted:
If the Lord of Hosts had not left us offspring,
we would have become like Sodom,
and we would have been made like Gomorrah.[10]

• Paul quotes Isa 1:9 in recognition of God’s grace.
• Israel’s idolatry required judgment, but God did not annihilate them as He did Sodom and Gomorrah[11]
• Some believe that a remnant of Jews were saved in God’s judgment of the Jews in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
• Some believe that a remnant of Jews will be saved after the tribulation in future.
• But the fact remains that at some point, be it a Jew or a Gentile, there comes a time when your free will comes into play and you are able to choose or reject God.
• As for us today, our salvation comes from believing that Jesus is the Son of God; the Messiah that was anticipated since Genesis 3:15.
• We have to see the bigger picture and how we are a part of God’s purpose and plan.

We can get caught up in the facts of the plan and totally forget the overall purpose is that God provided a way for us to be forever included in fellowship with Him, His Son, Jesus and the Spirit.

[1] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[2] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[3] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ge 25:23). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[6] Dave Hunt, in What Love is This?, page 333
[7] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[8] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[9] Bob Warren. (n.d.). Romans 9.
[10] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 9:14–29). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ro 9:29). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Read Romans 9:1-13
Romans 9:1-13 - 1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit--2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. 5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever., Amen.
 
GOD’S GRACIOUS ELECTION OF ISRAEL
6 Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants., On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac., 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. 9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son., 10 And not only that, but Rebekah conceived children through one man, our father Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand--12 not from works but from the one who calls—she was told, The older will serve the younger., 13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.[1]

• “Yah… I don’t know… thanks for coming!”

 
I’ve never publicly taught Romans 9-16… or Revelation.

• I have taught Daniel 7-12 here at Leavener.
• There is a reason for this.
• For years, there have been multiple interpretations of the Scripture in many passages.
• It is a lot easier to interpret Scripture that is in the past of history and Scripture itself because we have history and Scripture to proof text it.
• But what do you do with Scripture that deals with prophecy that occurs after the Scripture itself was written?
• This is the issue… this is what has been debated and discussed for hundreds of years.
• In this very room we have people that have different interpretations of the Scripture concerning prophetic issues.
• Have all the prophecies already been fulfilled? If not, what prophecies are yet to be fulfilled?
• Is knowing and understanding these passages of Scripture vital to my own spiritual life? Some will say “Yes” and some will say “No”.
• It is similar to anti-vaxers, to pro-vaxers and those in between. What information are you listening to?
• But let me go back to the issue… it causes division because of opinions, knowledge, lack of knowledge, commitment to the understanding or lack of commitment to the understanding.
• Will the evil one use the Word of God to cause division in the Church?
• This is why we have denominations… and even those denominations become divided.
• Are you kidding me? There have been great wars among the god-fearing believers for years!
• So now we come to the part of the text that stirs up many questions… pre-destination, foreknowledge, prophecies fulfilled, prophecies yet to be fulfilled, who is included in the covenants then and now? Have the covenants been fulfilled?, etc.
• In this very room we have highly educated and knowledgeable students of God’s Word… even greater than today’s speaker.

Deuteronomy 29:29 - “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever,…

• Two facts can be extracted from this verse:  (1) God possesses “secret things” that belong to Him alone (2) God has “revealed” certain “things” to man.[2]
• “Mystery” points to truth that God is in the process of revealing
• Any theological position that elevates God’s sovereignty above His love defames His character in the end—for God is “love” (1John 4:8, 16).
• Yes, He is sovereign; but His sovereignty never, under any circumstance, violates His love.[3]
• In this room, we have people who barely know who Jesus is… much less Paul, Romans and all those terms we just tossed out in the previous statement.
• So somewhere in the middle we have to present a difficult passage of Scripture to a wide variety of listeners.
• I will not go into great depths here but do a flyover and hopefully create opportunities for discussion outside of this gathering and further study by each of you.

 
Romans 9
1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit--2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

• Paul, a Jew, passionately loved the Jews.
• Consequently, he could identify with the Old Testament writing prophets along with John the Baptist.
• These individuals risked their lives for the sake of the truth, yet few Jews listened to their counsel.
• Sorrow filled their hearts, a scenario that Paul’s “unceasing grief” understood well. [4]

3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.

• The audience is the Church at Rome but inside of the letter, Paul is rebutting the Jewish unbelievers; more directly his fellow Pharisees.
• So at some points he is talking to believers of Jesus and at other points he telling them about his discussions with non-believers of Jesus as the Messiah.
• Paul continues answering the questions he received from the unbelieving Jews in Romans 3:1-8—proving, in the process, that a person’s salvation is independent of lineage or good works but totally dependent on whether he has exercised faith in Christ.
• Paul would allow himself to be “accursed” (set apart for destruction) should it mean that his “kinsmen according to the flesh” would find Christ.
• Yes, he was willing to go to Hell and the Lake of Fire in exchange for the salvation of the rebellious Jews.[5]

4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises.

• Jehovah has blessed the Jewish nation beyond measure.
• First, they are “Israelites” in that they are physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel”—all his descendants belonging to physical Israel).
• “The adoption as sons” of Romans 9:4 does not communicate that all Jews are part of God’s “spiritual” family.
• The physical nation of Israel was adopted as the national son of God, not the spiritual son of God.
• To become a spiritual son of God requires repentance and faith while depraved, which only a small percentage of Jews have exercised.
• Therefore, the wife of Jehovah is Israel, whom He married at Mount Sinai.
• The bride of Christ, on the other hand, is the church—made up of Jews and Gentiles alike with no racial distinction, the church having been birthed in Acts 2.
• Israel also received “the covenants and the giving of the Law” (Romans 9:4), one conditional covenant and four unconditional covenants:
• In the case of an unconditional covenant, the one initiating the covenant is responsible to fulfill the conditions prescribed in the covenant regardless of the recipients’ response.
• 1. The conditional Covenant of Law, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
• 2. The unconditional Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-14; 22:15-18; 26:2-5; 28:13-15)
• 3. The unconditional Palestinian Covenant (The Land Covenant) (Deuteronomy 30:1-10)
• 4. The unconditional Davidic Covenant (2Samuel 7:16; 1Chronicles 17:10-14)
• 5. The unconditional New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) [6]

5 The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever., Amen.

• Paul sets out sort of a problem that he’s dealing with in the chapters. Israel has been given all kinds of great privileges by God, but still finds itself not saved as a whole.[7]
• This discussion helps prove the fact that salvation is not based on lineage or good works but faith in Christ alone.
• Simply, this is the discrepancy between the promises and privileges God has given Israel and Israel’s reality.
• God chose Israel to be His people. He blessed them, gave them wonderful things, and yet, at the present time, as Paul looks at the situation in the early church, he finds very few Jews who are coming to Christ.[8]
• Free will - Adam possessed the freedom to accept or reject God’s love—to obey or disobey.
• His descendants have had the same privilege, for God’s character prevents Him from forcing His love on the unwilling.
• Hence, the cross was a necessity.[9]
• Genesis 3:15 - I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.[10]
• Jesus would bruise Satan’s “head” (remove Satan’s authority) through allowing Satan to bruise His “heel” (through submitting to crucifixion), for Satan had gained dominion over the earth through Adam’s sin.
• People perish only because they reject God’s plan (or purpose).
• This reality is sovereignty at its best, for the God of the Scriptures, Who can accomplish His goals with man possessing the freedom of choice, is much greater than a “god” who must program man’s every move to accomplish the same.[11]

 

• In these three chapters, Paul basically addresses how the remnant of believers within the physical nation of Israel relates to both national Israel and the church (which began in Acts 2). [12]

GOD’S GRACIOUS ELECTION OF ISRAEL
6 Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

• Paul is saying there are two Israels, in a sense.
• Not all who belong to Israel are Israel.
• There is what we might call a physical Israel, as opposed to a spiritual Israel.
• Abraham had two sons. Only one of them inherited.
• Isaac only had two sons, but only one of those—Jacob, not Esau—inherited.
• And so on down through history of Israel there has, in other words, been a selection process going on within physical Israel.
• Jews misunderstood God’s purpose for the nation.
• They were not chosen to be saved, as they incorrectly assumed.
• They were chosen to the very special office of bearing the Father’s Son and taking the news of His coming to the Gentiles.
• Israel was not chosen to be saved, but to function and serve in an extraordinary office.
• She was chosen as “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5-6) for the purpose of taking the Law and message of the coming Messiah to the Gentile nations.
• Jews alone received the Ten Commandments (read Exodus 20), truth they were to take to the nations.
• The Jews also received the revelation of the coming Messiah through passages such as Isaiah 9:6-7.
• Instead of spreading this magnificent news, they “blasphemed” God’s “name” through disobedience (Isaiah 52:5; Romans 2:17-24a).
• Because God’s limitless foreknowledge allowed Him to foresee Israel’s negative response to His truth, He spoke through the prophet Isaiah (in 700 BC) of how Jesus would be a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:5-6) and the Gentiles’ “hope” (Romans 15:8-12).
• Thus, after His crucifixion and resurrection, the gospel was taken to the Gentile nations through Jesus’ Jewish followers (Acts 10:1-48; Romans 11:13).[13]

7 Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac., 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. 9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. 10 And not only that, but Rebekah conceived children through one man, our father Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand--12 not from works but from the one who calls—she was told, The older will serve the younger.

• The blessings promised to Abraham, which come to full fruition through the Messiah, Jesus Christ, were passed down through Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5), Abraham’s son through Sarah (Genesis 21:1-7)—not through Ishmael, Abraham’s son through Hagar (Genesis 16:1-16; 21:8-21).
• The blessings of Abraham (associated with the coming Messiah) were also passed down through Jacob, Isaac’s son through Rebekah—not Esau, Jacob’s twin brother (Genesis 28:1-15).
• Note that none of these passages teach that God detested or despised either Ishmael or Esau.
• In fact, God greatly blessed Ishmael according to Genesis 17:20.
• God chose Isaac (over Ishmael) and Jacob (over Esau) for the purpose of bringing the “seed” of Genesis 3:15, Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16), into the world.
• Thus, God chose to bless the world through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—a choice that in no way affected the eternal destiny of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, or Esau.
• In each case, their eternal abode was based on whether they accepted or rejected the “seed” of Genesis 3:15, Who is Christ (Galatians 3:16).
• This truth is foundational for the proper interpretation of Romans 9-11. [14]

13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.[15]

• Did God really hate Esau (Romans 9:13), never granting him opportunity to be saved?
• Was Pharaoh’s heart hardened by God (Romans 9:17-18) to prevent him from believing?
• Did God prepare “vessels of wrath” (Romans 9:22) on which to display His wrath, never granting these individuals the freedom to exercise faith in Christ?
• Those persons who answer these questions in the affirmative choose to elevate God’s sovereignty above His love.
• In fact, according to their view, God must cause all things if He is to maintain His rightful position as the sovereign Ruler of the universe.
• If so, all events are a direct result of God’s will, making the “war” between Satan and God a sham—actually no war at all, should God be the cause of Satan’s every move.
• The war between Satan and man would also be bogus, for man’s response to Satan’s schemes (either good or bad) would not only be a result of God’s doing, but also God’s will.  For God to hold man responsible for sin He has caused and willed would prove Him doubly unjust.
• Should God will and cause all things, He would will and cause everything that occurs— all sickness, misfortune, calamity, and hardship.  He would also be the source of evil.  Where man spends eternity would also be God’s choice—never man’s.[16]

 
Genesis 27:41 - Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau determined in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” [17]

• Hate – Miseo (mi-say-o) – Greek word that ranges in meaning from disfavor to detest.
• Some will define hate here as “love less”
• NLT translated it as “rejected”

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 9:1–13). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[3] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[4] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[5] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[6] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[7] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[9] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[10] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ge 3:15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[12] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[13] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[14] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[15] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 9:1–13). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[16] Bob Warren. (2014). Romans 9.
[17] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ge 27:41). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

I got my message from Mary Towe at 5:30 AM this morning and I said, “This almost feels normal!”
 
I just want to dump several thoughts on you this morning that comes from months of sitting and listening.
Let me start off with “Freedom” since it is the 4th of July.
 
Do we really understand “Freedom”?

• How many times did Jesus die?
• He forgave sins past, present and future.
• We live in a forgiven state of mind.
• This gives us the freedom to do whatever we want.
• This isn’t my Truth, this is from the Bible.
• Paul expressed it so much that he had to answer the question that came up then… and even today.
• Romans 6:1 - 1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?
• The idea that we would sin so God could disperse even more grace is still “me-centered”.
• “Well how can I create more opportunity for God to make Himself even greater?”
• I only wish that is what we were thinking when we choose to sin. “I’m going to sin so I can make God look good!”
• The real issue is that we still have a me-centered flesh (not a sinful nature) that says I have an unlimited amount of grace in my account.
• Yes… you sure do! You can do that.
• You can make it all about you…
• You can make the Bible say whatever you want it to say for your own agenda.
• You are free indeed.
• Your idea of freedom is your own.
• No… I get that you are free… free to do whatever you want…
• But your thinking about freedom is incorrect.
• Look what Paul says…
• 2 Absolutely not![1]
• Not freedom to feed my fleshly (selfish) desires, but freedom to let God’s desires to be my desires.
• Man… if you can get there… where all you can think about is what God desires for me and of me…
• It is a whole new place of living.

 

• Not freedom to be passive, but freedom to see His power working through me.
• The responsibility is His, not mine.

 

• If you're defining it as “perfect performance with perfect results,” the answer is no.
• If you're defining it as “perfect method, trusting Christ as my life,” the answer is yes.

 

• Oh, dear friend, God's grace is sufficient for your situation.
• He wants to carry the burden of living for you.
• We work at resting while we rest at working.
• I am resting in Him in His victory. The Bible states these truths in:

 
Romans 6:2-14 - How can we who died to sin still live in it?

• Just as it is important for every Christian to know who he is in Christ; it is also important for him to know who he was prior to salvation if he is to understand ‘walking according to the flesh.’

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

• Something in you (us) died.
• Your sinful nature.
• You only have one nature.
• You still have a flesh… but you have a new heart and the mind of Christ.
• That means your old selfish behavior patterns will battle against your new mind of Christ which is others focused.
• It moves your thinking from being about yourself to Christ (who came to serve and love others).
• Think about our world right now… what mind set do they have? It is all about ME! My agenda. What can I get?

 
4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self, was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin.

• Things have changed!
• He changed you… your whole nature!

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

• We spend our whole lives in the flesh learning how to overcome the flesh and live out of new heart and new nature.
• That is the beauty of this community. We are learning how to do this together.
• Even though we were made perfect in our identity… doesn’t mean live our life perfectly… we still make bad choices (selfish).
• So Paul reminds us of our true identity…

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.[2]

• Paul is literally saying walk in who you have been made to be… alive in Christ.
• People ask, “What does it mean to be alive in Christ?”
• 1) You have to know Him
• 2) Then you will hear Him… he might even call your name.
• 3) Then you begin to trust Him
• The flesh demands a sign, hard evidence, instead of believing God.
• It wants to use the sign as the object of its faith rather than the Word that God has spoken.
• The difference between walking by sight rather than faith.
• 4) Then you need to hang on!
• You will find “abundant life” through allowing Him to express Himself through your talents, your abilities, your gifts, and your personality to do His will.

 
Freedom… oh you are free indeed.
You just have to choose your freedom in yourself or your freedom in Christ.
 
Let me talk to you a little more about feelings/emotions.

• God is never going to bring your feeler totally into subjection so long as you remain in your earthsuit.
• God's plan is for us to believe Him and choose to submit ourselves to His loving care and authority regardless of how we “feel”.
• He has deliberately designed it to vacillate so as to crowd you toward walking by faith, not by feel, if you would experience the “peace that passes [human] understanding.”

 
Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.[3]
 
John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.[4]
 
1 Thessalonians 5:23 - Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.[5]
 
Peace is not a feeling, but a knowing—knowing that the Father has everything under control.

• That you are in Christ, seated in heaven, resting; and that He is in you now, living.

 
Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever., Amen.[6]

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 6:1–2). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 6:2–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Php 4:7). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Jn 14:27). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (1 Th 5:23). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Heb 13:20–21). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.