THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND HIS CHOICE
Romans 9:6‑13
Romans nine is the hardest chapter in the Bible for modern man to accept. What he hears in this chapter does not coincide with what he holds to be true. Just a casual reading of the chapter will make clear our difficulty.

As we approach this chapter we must keep before us the purpose of the Apostle. The Apostle is responding to an objection raised to his Gospel. Some Jewish people were demanding an explanation of the rejection of the Gospel by the Jews. If the Gospel Paul was declaring, justification by faith in the finished work of Christ alone, is accepted as being true, then the great multitudes of the nation of Israel must be considered lost. Some were contending that this was a basic flaw in the message of Paul. What explanation could be given for God rejecting Israel and making a new nation out of the Gentiles of the world?

In responding to this objection the Apostle sets before us three things. First, beginning with our text, he declares that the rejection of Israel can be explained by the sovereign choice of God. Israel has been rejected and Gentiles are being saved because that is the way God determined that it would be. This is where we will be studying today.

Second, Israel has been rejected because Israel rejected God's Christ when He came. Here the Apostle gives emphasis to human responsibility. He never stresses God's sovereignty to the exclusion of human responsibility, but neither does he emphasize human responsibility at the expense of divine sovereignty. Though it is paradoxical, he puts the two side by side in the same context.

Third, in the closing passages of these three chapters, he declares that the rejection of Israel is not final. He predicts that there will be another day in which Israel as a nation shall accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah.

Concerning Paul's presentation of the doctrine of divine sovereignty, Martin Luther made a very valid observation. He wrote, "There is a proper limit, time, and age for every doctrine." He warned of giving this doctrine to newborn babies. Your study of God's Word should not begin with Romans 9‑11, but first rather you should occupy your heart with the Gospel set forth in the first eight chapters of the Epistle. If you cannot fully accept all that I will declare today, let me urge you not to utterly reject it. Do not prejudice your mind against these truths. There may well come the day in your spiritual pilgrimage in which you find them to be like sweet wine to your taste.

Our Apostle begins by indicating to us that the rejection of Israel does not suggest that the Word of God has failed. Israel is not lost because God did not keep one of His promises to Israel. Indeed, it is the contention of the Apostle that God never did promise to save all of the physical descendants of Abraham. In setting forth this truth, the Apostle focuses our attention upon God's sovereignty as it is seen in His choice.

In doing this, we are confronted with two familiar illustrations of the choice of God, and from them we can draw some very important principles.

THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN CHOICE FROM THE PAST
From the very earliest history of the nation of Israel we have two very clear illustrations of God's sovereignty being made manifest in His choice. Actually the Apostle could have begun with the call of Abraham himself. The only explanation you can ever find for God choosing Abraham is God's sovereign grace. But the Apostle begins instead with the two sons of Abraham. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." Just being a physical member of the nation of Israel does not make one a child of Abraham spiritually. "Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children.''

Abraham's first son was born to Hagar, the Egyptian handmaiden of Sarah. He was given the name Ishmael. Though his birth created problems in the family, the son was truly beloved to Abraham. Abraham even sought the face of God on behalf of Ishmael. He wanted this son to be the heir according to promise. It was all to no avail.

God's promise would stand. "In Isaac thy seed shall be called." God would not accept Ishmael into this place. "That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise. At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son." God's sovereign choice was the son of Sarah. It was God's unchangeable purpose that through Isaac He would bring the Messiah and Savior into the world. The matter stood in this way on the basis of the divine choice. However, someone might rightly contend that Isaac was a better man than Ishmael and he would probably be right. He might contend that the choice was made on the basis of what God foreknew about the boys. It might also be contended that the basis of the choice can be found in the mothers. So that we would know that this was not the basis of the choice, the Apostle presents the second illustration.

Isaac fathered two sons. They were born to the same mother, and at almost the same time. They were twins. Yet God made a choice between the two before they were ever born. He made his choice known to Rebecca their mother while they were still in her womb. "And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.''

The Apostle explains the significance of the choice like this, "For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." Obviously God did not choose them because they were good or evil. Their choice was not based on their works. The only explanation for the choice must be found in God alone.

Years later, Malachi the prophet would write, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Someone came to the great Spurgeon with a question about this statement. They protested, "I just cannot accept part of that statement." The great preacher asked, "Which part?" They answered, "The last part! How could God hate Esau?” Spurgeon responded, “That is not the part of the statement that bothers me. The part that bothers me is how could He ever love Jacob? I have no difficulty understanding how He could hate Esau.” The word hate should probably be understood in the sense of "love less". In His dealing with the two nations that descended from the two brothers, Malachi is reminding us that obviously God has bestowed a greater favor, more mercy and love upon Israel. Why? Simply because He chose to! Jacob did not deserve His love any more than did Esau. The sovereign God made a choice!

THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD'S CHOICE
Certain basic things are revealed to us through these two Biblical illustrations. It would be wrong for us to try to deduct these principles from any experience of our lives, but since God has pointed to these two Old Testament experiences with the finger of inspiration, we are on safe ground.

First, God did not choose all of the physical descendants of Abraham. This was the mistaken idea that was prompting the Jews to object to the Gospel of Paul. They believed that being a physical descendant of Abraham automatically made one a member of the family of God. Actually the only descendants of Abraham that were ever saved were those that God chose for Himself, and this became obvious as they manifested their faith in God. For you to begin to assume that you are a Christian because your forefathers before you were Christian is a faulty assumption. The only basis you can have for being a part of the people of God is your personal faith in Christ.

Second, God did not choose on the basis of character. "For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil." That there was to be a difference in the character of the brothers is obvious. Esau was sensual, but Jacob was more stubborn and selfish. If the choice was based on character, neither of them would have been selected. If our salvation was made to depend upon character, none of us would ever be saved. A man in Christ can never point to a man outside of Christ and say, "I am a Christian because I am a man of higher and better character.''

Third, God did not choose on the basis of works. He makes this clear, "Not of works, but of him that calleth." No works had been done, good or bad, when the choice was made. Jacob could never say, "I am in the privileged line because God saw my good works. I earned this privilege." Instead of explaining God's choice by works, you must explain human works by the divine choice.
The same is true of you. My brother, you were not chosen by God for eternal life on the basis of your works.

Fourth, God chose in a way consistent with His own nature. If you will know why God chose Isaac and not Ishmael, you must find the answer in God. If you would know why God chose Jacob and not Esau, you must find the clue in the character of God.

When we talk about the sovereignty of God, it will help if you keep in mind that we are talking about the sovereignty of God. God is love, and wisdom, and righteousness. Man is under no threat when such a being makes the sovereign choice. What you will have is sovereign mercy and grace. Before such a one you bow in worship and adoration.

This is a truth to humble man. If the choice is God's, then man must give all praise and honor to God. The only explanation that can be found for God choosing you is that He did it to bring glory to His own name. Give Him all of the praise that is due to His name.