Romans IX (The Election of God)

Verses 11-13
(Bible)

Paul has now given the two examples from the Old Testament to make his statement earlier true, that they are not all of Israel who are of Israel (v.6b). "He now begins to...show the cause of this difference, which [Paul] teaches us is nowhere else to be found except in the election of God"(Calvin).

There are some who may contend that this passage of scripture, especially that of verse 11 does not have to do with salvation but with "service." This of course has no contextual or scriptural support, only an assumption based off of nothing more than the mere fact that election is a very offensive doctrine to most, it was to me at first. We are talking about God selecting those to whom He would bestow His saving graces upon, that man has no ability within himself to bring himself to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

But it is plain to see from these verses, that those whom God declares as "children of promise," such as that of Isaac and Jacob and every other saint from Adam to now, are those whom God will save. "Not of works but of Him who calls."

I. "For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil."

Why was on chosen and not the other? They are both born at the same time, they are twins, born of the Patriarch Isaac. Neither had done a thing yet, but even before their birth it was stated, "The older shall serve the younger." If anything it would seem if salvation were based on works and not on the grace and election of God, it would seem to be that Esau should have been the chosen. After all, he was the first born, the rightful recepient of the blessing from Isaac (had not Jacob tricked his father), in fact looking at Jacob and Esau comparatively it would seem that Jacob was more evil than Esau. Yet God chose Jacob...why?

II. "That the purpose of God according to election might stand."

What purpose? The "according to election" purpose (which is actually the more literal translation of the phrase). The purpose of God is partly defined by election. More definatively what was the entire purpose of God in creation, in regeneration, salvation, and even election?

For His glory. Election is the beginning of salvation, and all salvation is from God, from first to last. Even the faith we have is from God, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"(Ephesians 2:8-9). If man were to boast about a single bit of His salvation that would be to take away from the glory that is to go to God alone.

So it is said...

III. "Not of works but of Him who calls."

Paul has destroyed the argument that man has any hope in bringing himself to a saving knowledge of God apart from God. These Israelites, that Paul speaks about, were the "fleshly children" they were in a sense "Ishmael's" and "Esau's." As Piper has said, "The church is full of Ishmael Christianity and Esau Christianity and have never been born of God"(Piper). Many in the church are more of a Pharisaical type of Christianity, too many think that it is by their works, by their faith that they have built up in themself, or they fall back on the fact that they have been baptized or have confessed at one time in their life, or have gone to church for years. The fact is this means nothing, if you have not been born of God.

IV. "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

I figure I should touch on this, since it has to do with the election of God. For those who think that what is being spoken of in the former verses, is that of service. God says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Obviously looking throughout the history of Israel we see that Jacob's people (Israelites) were blessed with all the blessing of God, and that Esau's people (Edomites) were cast out from this grace of God. What Paul is getting at by mentioning this, is that what God had for Jacob, He did not have for Esau.

Many have taken the word "hated," and said that a more literal translation is "loved less." But keeping it in the context of the passage it is taken from (Malachi 1:2-5), "hated" is a pretty good translation of it, since if you read that passage you can discern for yourself what God meant when He said that about Esau's people.

The Israelites ask God in that Malachi passage, "In what way have You loved us?" and God says to them, "Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?" This is the love of God, that while none of us deserved his mercy, He bestowed it upon "many" by His good pleasure, and for His glory. Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother? Are we not all as depraved as anyone else? Couldn't God have chosen someone else instead of us to make a "child of promise?" But He didn't, He chose you. And yet many will complain that this makes God's love nothing.

Citation:
*Piper Sermons on Romans
*Calvin Commentaries on Romans