THE PAST ELECTION OF A CHOSEN PEOPLE:
INTERPRETATION OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN CHOICE

Paul anticipates arguments against the teaching of election and answers them in Romans 9:19-33. We may not be able to fully understand this doctrine, but we must attempt to interpret it in light of what the Holy Spirit teaches us. The Apostle interprets the doctrine of election as revealing God’s glorious power, His generous patience and His gracious provision. This much is plainly presented.


Election points to GOD’S GLORIOUS POWER.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? (Rom.9:19-21)

God has absolute power as a potter has with the clay. We are formed of the same common clay—depraved dust that we are in our natural state. If God were only just, then He would form us all to be chamber pots. That is, we are all fit for destruction due to our sinfulness. Yet, He is not only just, but merciful, and so He forms the undeserving into beautiful vases to display His glory—from the same dirt! Yet, we must not press an illustration beyond the single point intended. Humans are sentient beings, made in the image of God, though admittedly that image is marred by sin. So God doesn’t just randomly make a vessel for honor and throw a bunch of others aside indiscriminately—breaking them without concern—as vessels for dishonor. God has the right to do as He pleases, but He always pleases to do what is right.

Election points to GOD’S GENEROUS PATIENCE.

22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?(Rom.9:22-24)

God is so patient. He even pleads persistently with those that He knows will reject Him. God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet.3:9). He knows those that will come to Him. He knows those who will reject Him and it grieves Him. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, yet it is evident that the Lord loved Him, and gave the treacherous disciple an opportunity to do the right thing. He chose perdition. There are those who choose their will rather than God’s will.

Election points to GOD’S GRACIOUS PROVISION.

25 As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”
29 And as Isaiah said before: “Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.”
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.
33 As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Rom.9:25-33)

God has provided grace for salvation to all who place their faith in Christ. Those who hear the Gospel and respond to its power by turning from sin to Christ are the elect. In Paul’s ministry, many Gentiles were responding and a remnant of Jews.

25 As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”
29 And as Isaiah said before: “Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (v.25-29).

That is still true today. Very few physical descendants of Abraham become part of the true Israel through the faith of Abraham—and the righteousness that comes from that faith.

Why is it that so many Gentiles were embracing the Gospel? It was God’s grace that amazed them! The Gentiles weren’t looking for God but God sought them, “What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith,” (v.30). Israel thought God owed them and thus missed the way of faith, “but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.” (v.31). Why would the Jews be amazed by grace, when they felt entitled to salvation because of their own goodness? In fact, they stumbled on Christ, “Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ ” (v.32-33). He wasn’t the kind of Messiah they were looking for and they were scandalized by the cross.

What about you? Have you understood that you cannot be saved apart from God’s gracious provision on the cross? Have you in utter desperation called upon Christ as the only way of salvation? If not—do it now!