Romans 9:1–13 raises a piercing question: is the gospel of Romans 1–8 simply too good to be true, and has God’s word failed when His own covenant people reject their Messiah? In this episode, we walk with Paul as he grieves over unbelieving Israel, honors their extraordinary privileges, and then begins to show that God’s promises have not collapsed—because from the beginning, He has always worked through His own gracious choice, not through human pedigree, effort, or worthiness.
In this week’s episode, we explore:
- How Paul can move from the exultant assurance of Romans 8 to “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” over his fellow Israelites in Romans 9:1–3
- What Israel’s unique privileges really were—adoption, glory, covenants, Law, worship, promises, patriarchs, and even Christ’s human lineage—and why those advantages did not guarantee salvation
- The central question of the chapter: if many Jews have rejected the Messiah, has God’s word failed, and can we still trust His promises?
- Paul’s shocking claim that “not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,” and what that means for our ideas of spiritual heritage and entitlement
- Why salvation is never based on natural advantages—family background, spiritual history, religious exposure, or national identity
- How the stories of Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau illustrate that God’s saving work rests on His promise and call, not on our performance or even our future choices
- What “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” does and does not mean—and how it points to God giving undeserved mercy rather than withholding kindness from those who never wanted Him
- Why original sin and our “broken choosers” make God’s electing grace astonishing good news rather than a cold abstraction
- Practical implications: humility instead of presumption, gratitude instead of entitlement, and confidence that our hope ultimately rests on God’s faithfulness, not our stability
By the end of the episode, listeners will see that Romans 9 does not undercut the good news of Romans 8; it undergirds it. You’ll be invited to face hard questions about God’s sovereignty without charging Him with injustice, to let go of spiritual privilege as a safety net, and to rest in the miracle of grace—that God freely chooses, pursues, and keeps people who could never have earned their way in.
Romans 9-11 must be read as a unit that builds to a wonderful climax. It contains some of the most difficult material in the Bible.
The first eight chapters of Romans make a powerful case that the news from heaven is the best possible news. Our problem was worse than we thought, and yet God acted graciously to save us through faith in Christ. The news of the gospel is so gloriously good that it defies description.
But is this news too good to be true? How do we know that we can rely on these marvelous promises of God?
To answer the question, “Is the good news of Romans 1-8 true?” Paul reminds us in Romans 9 that God made promises to Abraham and to the nation Israel. Paul asks: “Has the word of God failed for Israel?”
Romans 9-11 contain a complex argument that answers both philosophical and historical arguments that arise from the experience of the Israelites, yet when read read as a unit it builds to a wonderful climax.
This is some of the most difficult material in the Bible. It is going to challenge us both spiritually and intellectually. It will assault our pride. Yet the hard questions must be answered. It is not enough to just proclaim the good news without replying to the doubts, “Can I be sure it really works? Has God’s word never failed?”
Next: 15 Romans 9:14-33 God’s Sovereign Choice
Previous: 13 Romans 8:26-39 Confidence in Christ
Series: Romans: Justification by Faith
Study: Romans Resources
Season 2, Episode 14
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