Romans 9:1-33

GOD'S PLAN FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL, PART I: THEY ARE THE CHOSEN NATION BUT HAVE STUMBLED!

Romans 9:1-33

As taught by Dave Lindstrom

I. Paul confirms the nation of Israel’s special place in God’s purposes and grieves over it’s lack of response to Christ (vs 1-5).

A. Chapters 9 through 11 are written to explain to believers what has happened, what is happening and what will happen to Israel.

B. A logical question for a believer who has been assured of God’s reliability concerning his/her eternal security(Rom 8:28-39) is: What is going on with God’s chosen people Israel?

C. Paul’s continual sorrow and pain over the nation of Israel is so great that he would give up his own salvation for theirs (vs 1-3).

D. In the past, God’s plan through the nation of Israel has resulted in many blessings (vs 4,5) including: 1. The adoption (Jews being children of God, Deut. 14:1; Ex. 4:22) 2. The glory (the times when God revealed His presence, Ex. 24:17) 3. The covenants (i.e. the Abrahamic, Gen. 12, 15; the Davidic, 2 Sam. 7; the New, Jer. 31) 4. The receiving of the Law, Ex. 20; Deut. 5) 5. The temple worship (Exodus and Leviticus) 6. The promises (given in the covenants and other prophecies) 7. The patriarchs (i.e. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) 8. The human ancestry of Christ (Messiah, Matt. 1; Luke 3) 9. The spiritual ancestry of Christ is God and, therefore, Christ is God over all, blessed forever! (Col. 1:15-20, 2:9).



Thought: What is the difference between religion and relationship when it comes to God? Which have you had this week?



II. Even though many in the nation of Israel have rejected Christ, God’s word and purpose have not failed(vs 6-13).

A. Everybody born as national Israelites are not children of God (vs 6-9).

1. The promises of God were not given to all of Abraham’s seeds (descendents) but to one specific seed, Isaac, who was according to the promise (vs 6-9; Gen. 21:12).

2. Paul clearly states that the promised seed ultimately speaks of Christ(Gal. 3:16).

B. God’s purpose has stood and continues to stand because of his election (ekloga-selection, choice) (vs 10-13).

1. God’s election is not based on a person’s or nation’s moral goodness, works, or birth order. God’s choice happens way before these(vs 10-12; Eph. 1:4).

2. The idea of hating and loving as used in verse 13 is not based on God’s temperament but is based on God’s election (choice).

a. This is a Hebrew idiom (figure of speech) where the opposite is used to express a lesser degree(Gen. 29:30; Luke 14:26).

b. God did provide for Esau(Gen. 27:29; chapter 36; Deut. 23:7) and blessed him and his family in certain ways(Gen. 33:4-17).



Thought: Why should it comfort and encourage believers to know that God’s word and purpose cannot fail?



III. God’s election is based on his freedom, His mercy, His purposes, our sinfulness, and the mystery of God (vs 14-18).

A. God is not unjust but he is mercifully accomplishing His purposes in and through the lives of sinful humanity (vs 14-18).

1. He chose to show mercy to Moses and Israel by revealing His glory, His law and Himself (vs 14, 15; Ex. 33:18-34:10). However, God holds Moses and Israel responsible and desires repentance for restored fellowship (Ex. 32:30-35).

2. He chose to harden the heart of Pharaoh in order to display His power and proclaim His name (vs 16-18). However, Pharaoh is held accountable for his actions and unbelief (Ex. 5:2) and rebellion and progressively hardens his own heart (Ex. 8:32) while God seems to give him over (like in Rom. 1:18-32) to his own sinful ways (Ex. 10:1).

B. Our creator has the right to plan and form His creation according to His choosing, like a potter and His clay (vs 19-29).

1. God creates Moses, Pharaoh, and every kind of life in between to display His power and glorify His name (vs 22-24).

a. The objects of his wrath seem to be those in Romans 1:18-32 who refuse to believe in God or His salvation. Therefore, God is patient with them desiring their repentance (vs 22; Rom. 2:3, 4; 2 Pet. 3:9). They have prepared themselves and continue preparing themselves (katartismena- perfect tense) for destruction.

b. The objects of his mercy have been prepared beforehand (proatoimasen- aorist tense) for glory (vs 23; Eph. 2:6-10).

2. Paul uses Old Testament scriptures to show that God’s plan showed a time where Gentile believers would increase and Jewish believers would decrease (vs 24-29; Ho. 2:23, 1:10; Isa. 10:22,23, 1:9).

3. Paul’s Israel and present day Israel have only a remnant of true children of God because they have stumbled. They are pursuing their righteousness by works rather than by faith in Jesus Christ (vs 30-33; Isa. 8:14, 28:16).

Romans 8:28-39

FOREKNOWLEDGE, PREDESTINATION, AND THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

Romans 8:28-39

As taught by Dave Lindstrom



I. A believer’s present life of sanctification (growing in holiness, being set apart to God) is a cooperative effort between our new nature and the Holy Spirit (vs 28).


A. We learned in verse 22 through 26 that we presently live in “weakness” because of the struggle with our remnant flesh and our physical limitations.

B. We learned in verse 27 that the Holy Spirit prays for us in precise, unspoken ways according to God’s will which strengthens us.

C. The “all things” are the sufferings of this present world which all believers now go through (vs 28; Rom. 8:17,18,23; 5:3-5).

D. The “ones loving”(agaposin- present, active, participle) God are obedient believers who are serving God in the Holy Spirit rather than following their flesh (vs 28; Rom. 6:6-13,16,17,20-23; 7:4-6,25; 8:1-5,13,14; John 15:8-17).

1. These “God-loving ones” have been called (invited) according to the purpose (plan, design, will) of God (vs 28; Rom. 1:6,7).

2. These “God-loving ones’” present weaknesses and sufferings work together under the Holy Spirit’s leading (Rom. 8:13,14) for good (something upright and intrinsically valuable such as fruit unto holiness and God (Rom. 6:22, 7:4; John 15:8; Eph. 2:10), and fulfilling God’s plan of conforming His created ones into Christ’s image)(vs 29; Eph. 4:23,24).



Thought: How have you seen the Holy Spirit weave your sufferings for good?



II. A believer’s present sanctification is being provided on a moment by moment basis by God, and a believer’s ultimate conformity with Christ (glorification) is eternally secure (vs 29-39).



A. In God’s plan and purpose, we have already been foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified (vs 29,30).

1. Foreknow (proegno) simply means “to know beforehand” (vs 29; I Pet. 1:2).

2. Predestined (proorisen) means to mark out a boundary beforehand or to foreordain (vs 29,30) in this case to adoption and ultimate conformity to Christ(also Eph. 1:4,5).

3. Called (invited), justified (declared righteous, past-salvation) and glorified (future-salvation associated with our new bodies and ultimate conformity to Christ) add to the certainty of our salvation.



B. There are three main ways to try to make the Biblical doctrines of foreknowledge and predestination fit together with human responsibility and free will in regards to salvation.

1. Calvanism: God has a free will but humans do not. God’s foreknowledge and predestinations are based only on his unconditional choice which is governed by his attributes of love, mercy and goodness. (John 6:44; Eph. 1:4,5; I Pet. 1:2; Rom. 9:10-25 are support verses.)

2. Arminianism: God has a free will and humans have free enough wills. In this view, God knew in advance those that would eventually believe and then predestined and chose them for salvation. Therefore, God’s choice was conditionally based on the result of who would believe, (Rom. 10:13; I Tim. 2:3,4; 4:10; 2 Pet. 3:9; Eph. 1:4,5; I Pet. 1:2 are support verses.)

3. Some aspects of both views bound up in the mystery of God. (Deut. 29:29; Psalm 19; Acts 14:15-17; 17:26-28; Rom. 1:19,20 are support verses.)



C. A believer’s salvation is eternally secure. Nothing can separate a believer from the love of God (vs 31-39).

1. God has given us Christ and everything we will need for our continued growth in sanctification (vs 31,32).

2. God has set up the perimeters of our salvation, declared us righteous and through Christ’s Spirit cares for us (vs 33,34).

3. A believer can never be separated from the love of Christ or the love of God in Christ (vs 35-39).

a. Presently a believer has everything needed to conquer or win a most glorious victory in spite of the severe suffering in this world (vs 35-37).

b. Presently and in the future a believer cannot be separated by any unknown bodily existence or spiritual force (vs 38-39).



Thought: Do you have doubts of your salvation? Why?