Romans 9:1-16 (English Standard Version)

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Romans 9

God’s Sovereign Choice

1^(A) I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For^(B) I could wish that I myself were^(C) accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,^[a] my kinsmen^(D) according to the flesh. 4They are^(E) Israelites, and to them belong^(F) the adoption,^(G) the glory,^(H) the covenants,^(I) the giving of the law,^(J) the worship, and^(K) the promises. 5To them belong^(L) the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ^(M) who is God over all,^(N) blessed forever. Amen.

6But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7and not all are children of Abraham^(O) because they are his offspring, but^(P) "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." 8This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but^(Q) the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9For this is what the promise said:^(R) "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son." 10And not only so, but^(S) also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of^(T) him who calls— 12she was told,^(U) "The older will serve the younger." 13As it is written,^(V) "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

14What shall we say then?^(W) Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15For he says to Moses,^(X) "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion,^[b] but on God, who has mercy.

Both God's sovereignty and His justice ring true here. It's hard when you see difficult circumstances in life and you wonder what God is doing. This passage reminds me though that just as God is in control of our salvation, he's really in control of everything. Nothing will thwart his purposes. Nothing will stop him from doing what he has purposed to do. That brings great comfort. I can rest in that. I know my obligation is to live inside the bounds of God's Word and as long as I can do that, I can rest easy about everything else becuase I know its in God's control and I know I'm being obedient to his Word.