City Life Starter

I. Text: Romans 9:6-13

⁶ But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ⁷ nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

¹⁰ And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”¹³ As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

II. Study Questions

1. What is Paul explanation of the statement “they are not all Israel who are of Israel.”

2. According to God’s divine plan, what constitutes Israel?

If you have not already, I would like to encourage you to watch Romans 9 commentary by Pastor Chris, Randy and myself.

⁶ But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ⁷ nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

In these verses, Paul continues with his argument that is based on the previous thought, why Israel has failed to received Jesus as the Messiah.  What is important for Paul to convey to his readers is that though Israel has rejected Jesus as the Messiah, it does not make God’s Word invalid or to question His sovereignty.  There remains God’s sovereign plan through those whom He called by adding “they are not all Israel who are of Israel.”  For Paul, he is making a clear distinction between groups: 1. The Israel from being a descendent (ethnic), and 2. Remnant Israel who received the gospel.  Paul makes a defense, through the history of Israel, by arguing that throughout their history God chose certain individuals to fulfill the plan of salvation (Abraham, Issac and Jacob).  They were considered children of promise while others were not (i.e. Ishmael and Esau).  According to God’s divine plan, what constitutes as Israel is not only by biological means but moreover through supernatural endowment.

¹⁰ And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Paul continues with God’s election, that choosing God’s elect does not only come through genetic descent but through God’s sovereign will.  Jews believed they were the chosen elect and recipients of His promises by their physical descent.  Paul challenges his Jewish brothers by saying God’s election of Issac and Jacob proves that God’s way is different than the traditional way of thinking, that the older son was expected to continue the lineage, not the younger.  According to Martin Luther, “Hence, it follows irrefutably: one does not become son of God and an heir of the promise by descent (alone) but by the gracious election of God.”

JY