READING ROMANS, CHAPTER 9

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

 INTRODUCING ROMANS, CHAPTER 9

In Romans 9. we can sense that Paul is very disappointed in the fact that the Jews have rejected Christ. He reiterates that God will keep his promises to the nation of Israel, but not to all physically born into the nation. He had already proven in his teachings that justification and salvation can only be gained through Christ and not by the works of the Law of Moses. God will make himself known to all, whomever he desires, whether Jew or Gentile.

1)Paul's Anguish Over Israel (Verses 1-5), DESTINY

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— ² 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 sake of my people, those of my own race, ⁴ the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs is the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. ⁵ Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!^[a] Amen.

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Why was Paul upset over Israel's reaction to Christ? (V1-5)

2)God's Sovereign Choice, Part 1, (Verses 6-17), JEANNIE

⁶ It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. ⁷ 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.”^[b] 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. ⁹ For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”¹⁰ Not only that but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. ¹¹ Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^[d] 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 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.”¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ¹⁷ For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Who are God's children? (V8)

2. What did God tell Rebekah? (V12)

3. Why did God raise up Pharaoh? (V17)

3)God's Sovereign Choice, Part 2, (Verses 18-29), MAMA

¹⁸ Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. ¹⁹ One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? ²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? ²³ What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”²⁶ and, “In the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’” ²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. ²⁸ For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.” ²⁹ It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. What was Paul's answer to us questioning God? (V20-21)

2. What did Isaiah say concerning Israel? (V27)

4)Israel's Unbelief, (Verses 30-33), DESTINY

³⁰ What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. ³² Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^[m]

SECTION QUESTIONS:

1. How did the Gentiles attain righteousness? (V30)

2. Why didn't the Jews attain righteousness? (V32)

3. What does verse 33 mean?

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CONFESSIONS:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the ministry of the apostle Paul, the magnificent treatise of Romans, and the clear exposition of every aspect of our great salvation. Thank You that salvation is not by works of the Law, nor is it dependent on race, parentage, nationality, education, or anything else, but by faith in Christ Jesus - Israel's Messiah and God's only begotten Son who died on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sin and rose victorious from the grave, so that we too may rise to life immortal. Help me to have a heart of compassion for the lost and give me opportunities to share the good news of the gospel with others. In Jesus' name, I pray, AMEN. (Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/9:2)

Heavenly Father, what an amazing plan of redemption, praise Your holy name. Thank You for Your people, Israel, and for Your plans for the Church. I pray that during my time on earth, I may be a true witness of Your Word until You come to take me to be with Yourself. I pray for the nation of Israel, that You would prepare the hearts of unbelieving Jews who continue to be blinded to the truth that Jesus Christ is Israel's Messiah. I pray that Your plans and purposes for mankind would continue to unfold, and I will rejoice with all the angels in heaven when Your chosen people finally cry out to the Lord for salvation. In Jesus' name, I pray, AMEN. (Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/9:5)

Heavenly Father, what a comfort to know that nothing will influence Your purpose and plan of redemption, just as there was nothing to influence Your sovereign choice of Jacob over Esau. Thank You that my salvation is not determined by my character, conduct, natural descent, or human merit, but was determined by You, to be a gift of Your grace to all who believe in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that I may live a life that honors Your name. In Jesus' name, I pray, AMEN. (Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/9:11)

Heavenly Father, I do not always understand Your ways but I praise and thank You that You have shown mercy to me and that by grace through faith in Christ I have been made a new creation in Him and given life eternal - thank You in His precious name, AMEN. (Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/9:15)