God's Purpose- Romans 9:6-13

Yesterday we read through and began to understand a little of the first 5 verses of Romans chapter 9. In that section, Paul discussed and showed that the Jewish people, in spite of all their privileges from years gone by, were still a lost people and needed to find faith in Jesus as the only way to salvation. Paul will continue the same thought process in the set of verses today but will take it in an important theological direction.

Romans 9:6-13

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.” ⁸ 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 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 had one and the same father, 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.”  ¹³ Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

The first thought that Paul wants us to understand is the fact that the people of promise under Abraham, are not a people of promise because they had Abraham has their ancestor. They are people of the promise because God loved them and they had the same faith in God that Abraham had. Paul wants us to understand that salvation is not through our relationships, family or again privileges on this earth but our salvation is through our relationship with God, just like Abraham and Issac. Paul continues this same thought process but shifts the focus back to God and His love. Paul shows that Jacob and Esau were the same before they were born. Before both of those men were born from their mom, Rebekah, they were in the same situation. Just because they were the grandsons of Abraham did not make a difference, it was up to God and His love to make the difference. Paul shows what happened, because God has a plan, elected and called Jacob and because He chose Jacob, He loved him. This last part of verse 13 can get a little tricky to understand. What Paul is showing us is the fact that before both men were born they were both in trouble. Remember, put this verse in context with the entire letter up to this point. Both Jacob and Esau were in trouble before they were born because they were both sinful and sin leads to death. God hates sin, God, in His holy righteous wrath hates sin and the sinner. We can never miss this point. Both Jacob and Esau were in trouble with their sin even before they could do anything. But Paul shows us that God in His great love chose Jacob and that is why Paul says and quotes from Malachi 1 in the fact that God loved Jacob and chose him for the relationship and ultimately salvation. Wow

Again, I find 3 important application truths and questions we need to ask ourselves every day.
#1- As Paul states in verse 11, God has a purpose and because of that purpose God has a plan and in that plan was Jacob, whom He loved. That means God has a purpose and plan for me, today, to do for Him because He loves me and I love Him. Because of my relationship and faith in God I must discover and desire to work out the plan and purpose of God for my life today. So, do we try and discover the purpose and plan that God has given us to do today or are we always doing what we want each day?

#2-My salvation is dictated by the love of God, not a right or privilege of being me. This tells me that I must take seriously my salvation and love the God who loved me enough, in spite of my daily sin, to save me. How many times do I thank God each day for His love and in that love, saving me in spite of my sin?

#3-My salvation is decided by God and not something I can or could do. This is a hard application for many to understand. Simply put, God chose me for His love, counted Jesus death in place of my sin, and chose me to then love Him and have faith in Him for His salvation. Salvation started with God, was planned by God, given by God, and determined by God, and has come into my life by God. Everything about my relationship with God comes from Him. I could never do any good to help my salvation. Just like because of the purpose of God, I could never do any wrong to stop the salvation of God in my life because God chose to love and save me, just like Jacob. So the last question than is, how many times do we daily try to earn our salvation from God by doing good?