God’s Purpose in Election 3
“(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;)” —Romans 9:11
Let’s briefly review what we have seen in Part One and Part Two. We’ll begin in Romans 9:6,
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
In v6, Paul puts forth his first theodicy. After such an exhilarating doxology at the end of the preceding chapter, Paul anticipates the question, “If the gospel of justification by grace through faith is true, and salvation has come to the Gentiles, then why are so many Jews lost? Has God’s Word fallen, failed, or made ineffective?” The apostle begins to explain this in the very same verse, telling us that God’s promises never included all the Jews. He continue to explain in Romans 9:7,
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
In v7 we have seen that God’s promise of spiritual “seed” was not to all the descendents (seed) of Abraham. Abraham had eight sons; yet, it was only through Isaac that the promise would come. Further, we saw that the fulfillment of this promise must come through God’s divine intervention, as Paul explains in Romans 9:8-9,
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 creates His own children, just as He did in His promise to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son, Isaac (Romans 9:9). Desire wasn’t enough. Sheer belief wasn’t enough, because Romans 4:19 says that Abraham and Sarah were physically incapable of having children. John, in the prologue to his gospel account says it another way in John 1:12-13,
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This idea of God creating His own spiritual children rather gives an interesting perspective to the preaching of John the Baptist recorded in Matthew 3:9,
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
By God’s sovereign election, not only does He create His spiritual children, He also chooses them, as the apostle explains in Romans 9:10-11,
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (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;)
Because it is not founded on anything other than God’s sovereign choice, His eternal purpose stands (v11); it has not failed, fallen, or made ineffective (v6).
Does God’s sovereign choice in election remove man’s accountability and responsibility to a holy and just God? Of course not; but we’re getting waaaaay ahead of ourselves. If you hang in there, we’ll get to Romans 10, if the Lord will.
See also:
God’s Purpose in Election 1
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