Predestination Puzzle

" ...it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants." (Romans 9:8)

Part 2b

Romans 9

Promise???

Abraham, will be the father of MANY nations

Gentiles are predestined to be included in the Gospel invitation

Romans 8: 28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

For though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

(Rom. 9:11-13)

The KEY to understanding Predestination

Jews Gentiles

Note:Before Paul mentions

Pharaoh,

Jacob/Esau,

Potter/Clay,

he starts talking about his countrymen...Jews

Predestined collective plan

In Christ- New Calling, New way to act, New purpose

Romans 9:3-4

Romans 8 Commentary

Romans 8:29-30 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

It is also true that Christians are collectively "chosen" people.

"Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?" (vs33)

Today, we the church are God's chosen people, just as we see all of Israel as God's chosen people in the Old Testament.

"For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,"

God looked at all of His children down the timeline of human history and promised us in advance that He would work all things together for our growth.

Paul is talking about what all believers are corporately predestined for.

One day the church (collectively) will be:

Predestined calling/Mission/Purpose:

If Paul had wanted to communicate individual selection in this passage, he certainly could have done so very clearly. The straightforward reading here is that the Heavenly calling (purpose) and predestined conformity (growth)of the Romans was communicated as encouragement to them in the midst of their trouble and hardship. (vs35)

Glorified

Justified

Collectively- have been called

Growth/conform to the image of His Son/

fruit bearers

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

(Romans 9:17-18)

You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? (Romans 9:19-21)

Conclusion: Predestination

Does Hell equate to Common use?

Reminder: God is God and you are NOT!

What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. (Rom. 9:22-24)

Review

“I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’

And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’

There they shall be called sons of the living God.”

(Romans 9:25-26)

I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them....some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; .... they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

(Romans 11:13-18,23)

For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

(Romans 11:32)

"But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)."

Note:

Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.'"

Righteousness

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:46-48)

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. (Romans 9:30-31)

For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.

Jews

Part 2C

Romans 10 and 11

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The importance of HEARING and BELIEVING to be saved.

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:6-14)

Gentiles

Eph.2:14 "God made the two groups one..."

Eph. 2:16 "to reconcile both of them..."

Eph. 3:16 "we both have access to the Father"

Moses/Law

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. (Romans 9:14-16)

Eph. 1:4-5 "For he chose us...

He predestined us..."

Eph. 1:12 - " we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ...

Eph. 1:13 - "And you also (Ya'll) were included"

Eph. 2:1"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins."

Before the foundation of the world, God planned to include/call the Gentiles to be part of the body of Christ and into the beautiful story of the gospel of grace, so that WHOEVER calls on the name of the Lord WILL be saved.

Didn't God harden Pharaoh's heart?

Eph. 3:6 "through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel"

What does "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated" mean?

Part 2a

(Romans 8)

Predestined purpose and growth for the

church collectively

What is the potter and the clay analogy about?

• The Romans are being persecuted
• Paul is trying to comfort them
• No matter what happens, God has a predestined plan for you to grow and will finish the work he began in you.

Question for today:

If Romans does not teach individual selection, what is it teaching us?

"What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did

not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is,

a righteousness that is by faith"

Romans 9:30

Predestination Puzzle