Romans 9:13-28 – God’s Sovereign Grace

Romans 9:13-28 — God’s Sovereign Grace

[13] As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

[14] What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! [15] For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” [16] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. [17] For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” [18] So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

[19] You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” [20] But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? [22] What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, [23] in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—[24] even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? [25] As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’

and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’

[26] “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’

there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

[27] And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, [28] for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”

What’s The Point?

You may be rightly confused by some of the verses in this passage. “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated,” and, “He hardens whomever he wills,” are both hard ideas to grasp. Romans 9 is not an easy chapter , but that does not mean we should skip over it. Often, the best way to understand passages like this is to address the issues head-on.

First, context. Paul, in chapter 8, has just given one of the greatest ever descriptions of life in Christ. Chapter 9 begins with a lament of the fact that the Jewish people, Paul’s brothers and sisters, are not understanding the Gospel. Paul is so burdened by this he actually says he would give up his own salvation  for the sake of his Israelite brothers (v. 3). We must read the hard teaching of Romans 9 in light of the glorious grace of Romans 8.

Paul uses rhetorical questions to anticipate objections and make his points. The first question we come to is, “Is there injustice on God’s part?” And Paul answers it clearly, “By no means!” (v. 14). We know from Scripture and the earlier part of our study that God is just; by his very nature he cannot be or act unjustly. So, we must affirm that God is right and just, even when we read hard truths about him choosing someone and not choosing someone else.

This idea brings us to another word we can use to describe God, which is sovereign. Sovereign means that God has complete control and authority; he is the supreme ruler. Whatever he wants to happen will happen; whatever he wills shall come to pass. People love the idea of God’s sovereignty when it has to do with blessing, but God’s sovereignty is often attacked when things aren’t working out so well.

God, in his sovereign will, chose to use Pharaoh to show his power (v. 17). He chose Jacob over Esau (even though Jacob was deceptive and kind of a jerk). From our perspective, this doctrine isn’t always pretty. All of us have thought something like, “Why would God do that?” But the reality is we are in no position to ask that question. This is what Paul points out in vv. 20-21. Can we, the clay, turn to the potter, God, and question his motives? Can we, God’s creation, sit him in a chair and interrogate him? Of course not!

In reality, God does not owe us an answer. He, as the Sovereign Creator, has every right to do anything he wants. But Paul gives us a glimpse into God’s mind in vv. 22-23. What if God has been patient with us and our sin for thousands of years? What if he endured our hatred, murder, slander, envy, and lust for millennia so that he could make known to us his mercy? What if he stored up his wrath so that he could pour it out on the Son rather than on us sinners?

You see, we are so quick to say, “How can God be good when bad things happen?” We so flippantly think that if we were God we would end suffering. We say to ourselves, “I wouldn’t have done it that way.” And that is exactly right—we wouldn’t have done what God did! We wouldn’t have sent our son to die in the place of wretched sinners. We wouldn’t have been patient with people who offended us over and over for thousands of years. But God did! He did it because he is sovereign and just and gracious and kind. And the correct response to what he has done is not questioning or doubting; the correct response is worship.

Scripture Memorization

Psalm 115:3

“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

Prayer

Father God, I confess that you are holy and righteous and just. Help me to see you as you truly are, not how I want you to be. Help me to worship you rightly as the supreme authority over my life and over all life. Your grace in my life is undeserved, but still you have blessed me abundantly. Remind me that I am frail and you are mighty; I am small and you are grand; I think I know best but you know absolutely everything. Keep me humble by keeping me close by your side. Thank you for being better than anything or anyone I could have ever imagined. Amen.

Reflection

1. Have you ever had the thought, “Why did God do it that way?” This isn’t a bad question, but remember God’s ways are higher than our ways.
2. Read Jeremiah 18:1-11. Jeremiah uses a similar potter and clay metaphor to explain God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Think about yourself as the clay. How do you respond to the shaping of the potter?
3. It is easy to focus on the words “Esau I hated,” and “He hardens whomever he wills.” If we focus on this we lose site of the fact that God loves sinners. Don’t blame God for evil and not thank him for grace. Spend some time reflecting on the grace of God in your life.

Discussion Questions

1. What are some hard questions you have about God’s justice and sovereignty?
2. In your own words, explain God’s sovereignty and find Scripture to support your explanation.
3. Read again the words from Hosea in vv. 25-26. This was written in the Old Testament but clearly applies to New Testament believers. Share how God’s grace came to you even though you did not deserve it.

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If you have any questions feel free to reach out: harry@swoutfitters.com. All of the Scripture referenced in this study is from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.