Romans 9:31 - Faith, not Obedience but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Truth to Learn God does not reward obedience, he rewards faith. Behind the Words The word “pursuing” is diōkō, the same root word as was translated pursue in the...
Romans 9:30 – Not Attained by Pursuing
Romans 9:30 - Not Attained by Pursuing What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; Truth to Learn Righteousness comes as a result of faith, not works. Behind the Words “Pursue” is from the Greek verb diōkō,...
Romans 9:29 – General God the Merciful
Romans 9:29 - General God the Merciful And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah." Truth to Learn The leader of Heaven’s army chooses to save only a few....
Romans 9:28 – God’s Determined Actions
Romans 9:28 - God's Determined Actions For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth." Truth to Learn God has already determined what He is going to do with regard to mankind. Behind the Words “Will...
Romans 9:27 – His Choice, Then and Now
Romans 9:27 - His Choice, Then and Now Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved. Truth to Learn God chooses who will be saved from spiritual death just as He chooses...
Romans 9:26 – Everywhere His Children
Romans 9:26- Everywhere His Children "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” there they shall be called sons of the living God." Truth to Learn God chooses people from around the world to be His children. Behind...
Romans 9:25 – His Beloved Children
Romans 9:25 - His Beloved Children As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved." Truth to Learn God chooses people, not nations, and all of His chosen ones are His beloved children. Behind the...
Romans 9:24 – Jews and Gentiles
Romans 9:24 - Jews and Gentiles even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Truth to Learn God chose us, Jews and Gentiles alike, to be His holy children so that He will receive praise and glory. Behind the Words “Called” is from...
Romans 9:23 – Undeserved Glory
Romans 9:23 - Undeserved Glory and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, Truth to Learn God chose some to know the glory of heaven for eternity. Behind the Words “Riches” is from the Greek...
Romans 9:22 – Unfair Grace
Romans 9:22 - Unfair Grace What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, Truth to Learn God endures the sinfulness of sinners so that His wrath and power will be seen and understood....
Romans 9:21 – The Master Potter
Romans 9:21 - The Master Potter Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? Truth to Learn God made us, we did not make Him. He has the right to make us and use us...
Romans 9:20 – It Is Fair!
Romans 9:20 - It Is Fair! But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" Truth to Learn We have no right to tell God who should be saved and who...
Romans 9:19 – No Fault Sovereignty
Romans 9:19 - No Fault Sovereignty You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" Truth to Learn It is completely fair for God to do as He decides. Behind the Words The Greek verb translated “find fault” is memphomai, meaning...
Romans 9:18 – God and God Alone
Romans 9:18 - God and God Alone Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. Truth to Learn God makes the decisions regarding whom He shows mercy to. Behind the Words The word “mercy” is from eleeō, which we looked at in verse fifteen....
Romans 9:17 – A Hardened Heart
Romans 9:17 - A Hardened Heart For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." Truth to Learn God chooses to do what He...
Romans 9:16 – All His Doing
Romans 9:16 - All His Doing So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. Truth to Learn God deserves all the praise and glory for our salvation. Behind the Words The word translated “wills” is a form of...
Romans 9:15 – Sovereign Over All
Romans 9:15 - Sovereign Over All For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." Truth to Learn God’s compassion and mercy are based on His choice, not ours. He is sovereign over...
Romans 9:14 – The Righteous Choice
Romans 9:14 - The Righteous Choice What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! Truth to Learn God’s choosing of some to be saved is totally right. Behind the Words Paul asks the question, “Is there unrighteousness with God?” However, the Greek text says “not unrighteousness...
Romans 9:13 – Love and Hate
Romans 9:13 - Love and Hate As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Truth to Learn God chooses whom He loves and whom He hates. Behind the Words The word translated “loved” is from the verb agapaō, which refers to a self-sacrificing love. “Hated”...
Romans 9:12 – God’s Choice, God’s Reason
Romans 9:12 - God's Choice, God's Reason it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." Truth to Learn God’s choice is not dictated by human characteristics. Behind the Words The word translated “older” is meidzōn, which is the comparative form of megas, meaning “great” or “large.” Meidzōn...
Romans 9:11 – God Says Election
Romans 9:11 - God Says Election (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), Truth to Learn The important thing is God’s choice, not our works....
Romans 9:10 – Sovereign Above All
Romans 9:10 - Sovereign Above All And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac Truth to Learn God is absolutely sovereign. His choices are His alone. Behind the Words The expression “by one man” is translated from ek enos koitēn....
Romans 9:9 – The Promise Keeper
Romans 9:9 - The Promise Keeper For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." Truth to Learn God always keeps His promises to us. Behind the Words “At this time” is translated from kata ton kairon touton. The word...
Romans 9:8 – Believe the Promise
Romans 9:8 - Believe the Promise That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. Truth to Learn Works of the flesh are ineffective in God’s record book. Behind the Words...
Romans 9:7 – Isaac, God’s Choice
Romans 9:7 - Isaac, God's Choice nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "in Isaac your seed shall be called." Truth to Learn God chose Isaac as the promised seed of Abraham. Behind the Words The word “children” is translated from the Greek word...
Romans 9:6 – No Family Ties
Romans 9:6 - No Family Ties But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, Truth to Learn Lineage or church membership cannot save you! Behind the Words The word translated “has taken no effect” is...
Romans 9:5 – God Over All
Romans 9:5 - God Over All of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. Truth to Learn Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, Creator of heaven and earth. Behind the Words The word translated “fathers”...
Romans 9:4 – New Old Truths
Romans 9:4 - New Old Truths who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; Truth to Learn We can learn a lot about our faith from the Old Testament. Behind the Words The word...
Romans 9:3 – Faith, not Flesh
Romans 9:3 - Faith, not Flesh For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, Truth to Learn We need to pray for the unsaved and witness to them for God’s sake, not our own. Behind the Words Some...
Romans 9:2 – Continual Heartache
Romans 9:2 - Continual Heartache that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. Truth to Learn Paul had deep seated and continual emotional pain because of his unbelieving brothers in the flesh (Jews). Behind the Words The word translated “sorrow” is lupē, which means “sadness, grief, heaviness,...
Romans 9:1 – Oath of Certainty
Romans 9:1 - Oath of Certainty I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, Truth to Learn Paul’s concern for the welfare of the unsaved Jews is demonstrated by his passionate proclamation. Behind the Words The Greek word...