God's Promise of Election Fulfilled (Part 1)

Paul was crushed for his lost brethren, the Israelites. He longed to see them come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He sought their salvation by prayer and petition as well as sharing the Gospel with them. He was so crushed that he even made the bold statement that he would give up his very own salvation, and be cut off from Christ for the sake of their salvation. Yet in all of this he never wavered in his faith towards God. We have seen in the beginning of Romans 9 how Paul longed for them. Yet the first half of verse six speaks volumes. Here is what the apostle says: But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: "About this time next year I will return and Sarah shall have a son." And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though 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 his call-- she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." Romans 9:6-13

The word of God had not failed, and Paul still had much faith in the Lord even though his brethren by natural descent were cut off. His brokenness for them, and longing for their salvation pushed him to seek the Lord for understanding of why things were the way they were. Paul could have gotten upset and walked away from the Lord claiming that God’s promises were no good. Yet he did not, instead he turned to the scriptures to search out the answer, and relied upon God to illuminate them so that he might understand. Paul’s understanding became clear as he sought the Lord. It was the children of faith, the children of the promise who acquired the promise by faith that would be heirs. Physical descent meant naught, only faith in the promise.

Abraham had two sons, the child of the flesh Ishmael, and the child of the promise Isaac. Through Isaac God’s people were named, not through any act of physical descent, but through God’s sovereign choice and fulfilling of his promise. Again Isaac’s children saw the promise pass through Jacob (Israel). Before they were even born and had done neither good nor evil God gave the promise, and the child of the promise who believed the promise was an heir to God’s glorious riches. God’s word and promises never failed, they were always fulfilled, and they were fulfilled not by the flesh but by faith in the character of God. This is why Paul had strong faith, because even though he wanted his brethren saved, and even though he did not immediately understand why they weren’t, he did not give up on God, rather he sought the Lord to give him understanding. He did this because he knew that God could be trusted to fulfill His word.

Glorious Father,
Your word has never failed. Even though I do not understand always the way that you choose to make things work, I know that your word is good and your promises endure forever. Lord may I, like Paul, never lose sight of your faithfulness. May I always know in my heart that you will fulfill every good word you have spoken. In Christ's name, Amen.