Romans 9:6-33
BOUND BY THE LORD'S PURPOSES
Intro: The first part of verse 6 carries our minds back to
what Paul said in verse 1-5. There, we are reminded
that the Jews had been the recipients of many divine
gifts. Verses 4 and 5 contain quite an impressive list of
blessings which they had been given. However, just the
fact that they had been given these great spiritual gifts
and manifestations, did not guarantee them that they
would be saved. That having been said, let us
remember that the Word of the Lord will be fulfilled,
even to its smallest detail, Isa. 55:11; Matt. 5:18. That
which God has predestined and foreordained will come
to pass. Whether it is in the arena of prophecy or in the
arena of salvation!
Paul wants his Jewish readers to understand that
salvation is a divine experience. That is, it always
begins and ends with God. He is origination,
continuation and culmination of our faith, Heb. 12:2. It
is all God all the way! In these verses, Paul seeks to
explain the matter of God's divine sovereignty in this
matter of salvation. He wants us to know, beyond all
doubt, that God is in absolute control of the salvation of
men's souls. Paul tells us that we are all Bound By
The Lord's Purpose. Let's investigate these verses
together this evening.
I. V. 6b-13 DIVINE SELECTION
(Ill. In these verses Paul teaches us that the matter
of who is chosen by God is a decision that begins
and ends with God Himself!)
A. V. 6b-10 A Word About Position - Paul's point
here is that just being part of the nation of Israel
does not mean that one is saved. In other
words, it's not about family. Just because a
person was a descendant of Abraham did not
make that person right with God. Consider the
difference between Ishmael and Isaac. Bother
were sons of Abraham, but only one was chosen
by God to carry forth His divine purposes. For all
intents and purposes family relationship is
worthless in this matter of salvation.
(Ill. This needs to be remembered by folks in our
day as well. Just because you descended from
a strong Christian heritage does not guarantee
you a home in Heaven when you die. You must
be born again, by faith, for yourself or you will
not be saved. You simply cannot ride into
Heaven on another's coattail!)
B. V. 11a A Word About Performance - This verse
tells us that God made His choice between
Ishmael and Isaac before either boy had been
born! God, in His divine wisdom, decided which
son would be blessed and which son would not
be. Here we learn the truth that it is not about
works. In other words, fruit means nothing! All
of the works that men can do will never buy them
a place in Heaven. Salvation comes about not
by works, but by the mercy of God.
(Ill. We might as well be reminded this evening
that our good works and self-righteousness will
never produce salvation for our souls. This is
made abundantly clear when you consider that
the best man can produce us wretched and
putrid in the site of Almighty God, Isa. 64:6.
Again, Paul nails this down for us in Eph. 2:1-9.
There we are told how the lost man is and how
he is saved. It is purely a work of grace. God
does it all, man does nothing!)
C. V. 11b-13 A Word About Purpose - These
verses tell us the truth that salvation is not based
in our family or in our fruits, but it is based
solely in the will of the Father! While family and
fruits are worth nothing in the arena of getting
you saved, the purpose of the Father means
everything!
Here, reference is made to God's choice in
the sons of Isaac. Esau, the firstborn was
rejected by God, while Jacob the second born
was preferred by God. This choice was made by
God the Father before these boys were born into
the world. Why was this distinction made
between these boys who were yet unborn? The
answer to that question lies solely with God
Himself! However, as the lives of Ishmael, Esau
and their descendants were lived out on the
pages of the Bible and of history, God's wisdom
in His choice was proven correct. Bother of
these men, along with their descendants walked
in open hatred of God, His people and His Law.
God's purpose was proven right by their
performance.
(Ill. Many are bothered by the words of Malachi
1:1-3, quoted in verse 13 by Paul . What does
it mean that God "hated" Esau? When one
reads the account of Jacob and Esau in
Genesis, there is no indication of divine hatred.
I believe that God's hatred is upon the idolatrous
descendants of Esau who hated and opposed
the people of Israel. While His love is focused
on the descendants of Jacob, who followed the
Lord and worshiped Him.)
(Ill. What does this mean for us? Simply this:
Just as God's plan and purpose was the reason
Isaac and Jacob were chosen, while Ishmael
and Esau were rejected, there is no other
explanation for our salvation. We are saved
because God chose us in Christ before the
foundation of the world, Eph. 1:4-12; Rom.
8:28-30.)
I. Divine Selection
II. V. 14-29 DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY
(Ill. When you truly grasp all the implications of what
Paul is saying you begin to realize that we have
stepped off into deep waters. In fact, this matter of
salvation being based in nothing but the selection of
God bothers many people. Paul anticipated a
strong reaction from his readers, so he heads them
off at the pass in verse 14. They might as the
question, "Isn't God unfair to chose some and
reject others before they are born?" This is the
reaction of people like ourselves who have been
raised with the notion that "all men are created
equal" However, that is man's word, not God's!
Paul's answer is a strong one: "God forbid!" "May
it never be!" God is always just and fair in His
dealings with fallen man. Paul uses two more
illustrations from Israel's history to prove his point.)
A. V. 15-18 God's Right - Paul first draws our
attention back to Exodus 33. When Moses
came down from Mt. Sinai with he Law, the
Israelites had given themselves over to idolatry.
Moses called for those who were on the Lord's
side to join him. The Levites did so. These
faithful men were commanded to slay the rebels
and they killed 3,000 men that day. Rightly, all
the wicked Israelites should have been killed, but
God, in His sovereignty only allowed 3,000 to die
as a warning to the rest. Justice demanded that
all be killed, but grace saved some anyway.
Then, we are called to look at the case of
Pharaoh. A man who thought he ruled Egypt. A
man who thought he himself was a god.
Pharaoh was reminded by God that he had been
placed on the throne of Egypt so that God might
use him to demonstrate the power of God over
humanity and earthly rulers and kingdoms. It
was merely a display of divine sovereign choice
that delivered Israel and doomed Pharaoh!
(Ill. Can you see the truth that Paul is trying to
help us understand? It is made clear in verses
16 and 18. These verses tell us that it isn't
about personal position, personal performance,
or about one's pursuit of God, it is all about
divine choice! Then someone will say, "But
what if a person wants to be saved? Does
that mean that they cannot be saved unless
they have been chosen by God?" The answer
to that question is easy! If a person wants to be
saved, they can be saved! But, they will not
want to be saved until they are first chosen and
called by God! This was made crystal clear by
the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry, John
6:37-44! God's purpose is everything!
Again, some will cry "Unfair! What about
man's free will?" Verse 16 tells us that it has
nothing to do with man's will, but God's alone!
You see, man cannot believe because man will
not believe! His will is bound in sin, wholly and
totally! Some will charge that this makes God
guilty of condemning some while saving others.
In all fairness to God, man is born into this world
condemned, John 3:18; 3:36. Can we face the
fact this evening that we are sinners? Can we
understand that we are sinners by birth and
sinners by choice? It is not God that condemns
man, sin condemns men! Men don't go to Hell
because they are sent by God, they go to Hell
because they are sinners! That having been
said, someone who demands that God act fairly
toward all men is a fool! If we got fair and just
treatment, we would all be in Hell tonight!
Salvation is not about God being fair, salvation is
about God extending grace on whom He will!
Salvation is not based in justice! Salvation is
purely the work of grace! That is, "the
unmerited and undeserved love of God for
lost sinners."
I'll say it again for the record, every person
who wants to be saved can be saved! Those
who don't want to be saved cannot be. If there
is a desire in a man's heart to come to God he
can. That is grace! If a person is happy in his
sins and wants no part of God or His salvation,
then God is perfectly just to allow that person to
continue to live his life as he wants to! That is
fair enough!)
B. V. 19-24 God's Reason - Now Paul anticipates
another objection that might be made by his
readers. If salvation is the sole work of God, then
what right does He have to condemn those who
are not saved? Again, I will remind you that if
sinners got only justice, all sinners would be in
Hell. However, if God chooses to demonstrate
divine, sovereign grace in the lives of some, who
are we to question His authority or right to do
so? Just as a potter has power over his clay to
make of what he wills, so the Lord has power
over His creation. He will do with it as it pleases
Him. God does not have to answer to man!
He owes us nothing but damnation! He
doesn't have to tie this matter up in crisp
statements so that you and I will understand ever
little nuance of it! God does as He pleases and
He does not ask our opinion in the matter!
If He chooses to call some to salvation and to
leave others in their rebellion, that is His
prerogative! It needs to be noted here that God
does not create people to damn them! In fact,
verse 22 takes the burden off the shoulders of
God and places it squarely on the shoulders of
man. The phrase "fitted to destruction" is in a
tense that suggests the vessels themselves
choose to be made up for destruction. Because
sinners refuse to repent of their sins and turn to
the Lord for salvation, it is their choice if they
perish! Here's a thought that will blow your
mind, God gets just as much glory from
displaying His wrath, v. 22, as He does by
demonstrating His grace, v. 23.
Does this seem like a contradiction to you? If
so, then let it be said that you and I will never be
able to grasp all the aspects of God's grace and
sovereignty. These are hard truths! They grate
against our minds and our standards of fairness
and our faulty understanding of the free will of
man. Yet, they are truth and they must be
accepted as truth. They are not given to make
us angry or to cause us problems spiritually.
They are given to make those who are saved
thankful that we have been chosen by the
Father. They are also given to inspire us to take
the word of God to a lost and dying world. Now,
I will repeat what I have already said, anyone
who wants to be saved can be saved! That truth
alone should be wrought to satisfy us in the
matter. If God chooses to leave man to the path
he has chosen then God is giving that man just
what he wants. Let us learn the truth tonight that
God is Lord of all, including salvation!
My friends, as long as natural man looks into
the things of God there will always be a tension
between God's sovereign will and His
requirement of faith for salvation. The best
solution we can reach is to accept the Word of
God on face value and let Him do the calling, the
convicting and the saving.
C. V. 25-29 God's Remnant - Here Paul quotes
Hosea and Isaiah to remind us that were it not
for the pure, simple grace of God, there would
be none saved! Again, I must remind you that all
men who are born into the family of Adam and
lost sinners, headed to Hell by their own choice.
It is the grace of God that intervenes and calls
men to salvation. Were it not for His grace, we
would all feel the fires of Hell. Whether a person
is a Jew or a Gentile, the only hope of salvation
that person has is the grace of God! Can we
accept that truth this evening?
I. Divine Selection
II. Divine Sovereignty
III. V. 30-33 DIVINE SALVATION
A. V. 30-31 Righteousness - These verses tell us
that righteousness is given to those who believe
the Gospel message, 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 4:3-5.
How is it possible that Gentiles who knew not
God received His salvation while Jews who knew
His Word missed Him and His salvation? Divine
sovereignty! God spoke to hearts as He chose.
When the Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached
to the Gentiles, they were convicted of their sins
and turned to Christ by faith. The Jews, who
saw themselves as righteous already, did not
repent of their sins and turn to Jesus. However,
all those who come to Jesus by faith in the
Gospel message are declared perfectly
righteous by God. That is righteousness: faith in
the complete work of Jesus.
B. V. 32-33a Reason - Why did the Jew miss out?
Because he wanted to please God by his own
righteous works. No man will ever be saved until
he comes to the place where he clings to nothing
he has or can do, but he merely casts himself at
the feet of God and cries out to God by faith in
the finished work of Jesus Christ. Salvation can
only come to those who respond to the call of
God by faith!
The Jews failed to see how Jesus, a crucified
man, could be their Savior. They saw
themselves as better than Him and they
"stumbled" over the cross. However, those who
understand that they are sinners and that Jesus
died for their sins and do not stumble over, but
fall down before the cross can and will be saved.
C. V. 33b Reward - Believers are promised that
those who come to faith in Jesus will never be
ashamed! That is, when we arrive in heaven
and stand before the Lord, we will not be turned
away and sent to Hell. Because we have been
called by God and we have reacted by faith in
the message of God, we are saved and nothing
will ever alter that fact. We will not be
disappointed!
Conc: I realize that I have done a very poor job of
articulating the truths in this chapter. In fact, some of
you will probably leave here will many questions
regarding this matter of salvation, the sovereignty of
God and the will of man. I wish I had all the answers!
But I don't! No one who wears a robe of flesh does.
These are deep truths. Truths concerning which there
is much debate and controversy. However, I believe
them as they are stated. I can accept the fact that God
is sovereign over salvation. I can accept that fact that
all of life is left to His divine choices. I can accept that
and I can praise Him that I am numbered among the
chosen this evening. Are you? Remember, while this
is confusing and hard to grasp, the bottom line is this "if
you want to be saved, you can be!"
