Is God Unjust? - Romans 9

The book of Romans is filled with theology. Most commentators believe that chapter 8 is the high point of the book and now in chapter 9 Paul seems to interrupt the flow to sort of shift gears and look harder at the nation Israel. But we cannot fall into the trap of thinking that since we are not Israel that this portion of scripture isn’t of extreme value to us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” In Paul’s explanation of God’s dealings of both the past and future of Israel, are great truths for us as well.

In chapter 9 Paul presents three questions; “Is there injustice on God’s part? (Romans 9:14), “Why does he still find fault?” (Romans 9:19), and “What shall we say, then?” (Romans 9:30). Embedded in Paul’s response to these questions we can find four wonderful attributes of God.

Paul begins with an expression of deep sorrow over the failings of God’s chosen people. Listen to what Paul states about his people, the nation of Israel.

Romans 9:4
“They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.”

As the Biblical narrative moves from the dispensation of the Law into the dispensation of grace as given by God through the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, Paul’s people rejected Him. In this it might have appeared to some that God’s promise to the patriarch Abraham has failed. Remember God has chosen Israel, Israel did not choose God. The sovereignty of God and the doctrine of election is a salient principle of Romans, so in all this it looked to some that God’s very Word has failed and the promise is broken. Paul answers this charge.

Romans 9:6
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel…

Paul makes two points about this situation in verses 6-13. The first point he makes is that God did not make his choice based on the natural seed of Abraham but on the spiritual seed. The second point is that election is not based on human merit. Romans 9:11 states that, “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 him who calls.”

If that all seems confusing remember that the doctrine of election is a mystery and something our human minds are just not capable of totally grasping. But the good news of this is that God’s elective purposes are not dependent on human effort for human effort always falls short of God’s glory. We can take comfort in knowing that God is faithful even when we are not.

Next comes the million-dollar question that many demand an answer to when it comes to election. Is there injustice on God’s part? Again I remind you that the answer to this question is difficult and divides many Christians. But to ignore the clear teachings of scripture because in your human understanding God’s choice of some over others seems unfair, is truthfully bad theology.

When God makes the choice to elect, be it a nation as in His sovereign choice of Israel or in individuals as in the works of salvation, He is not being unfair, He is dispensing grace. As previously stated by Paul in Romans 3:23 “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All of us deserve to be immediately cast into hell, yet God has sovereignly chosen to save some of us. This is not unfair to those who are not the elect, they have chosen to reject God and His way despite the fact that God has revealed Himself to them as previously taught by Paul. We deserve condemnation not mercy.

The doctrine of election is hard to understand. I am not going to spend any more time here trying to convince those of you who reject it. This doctrine is all over scripture and Paul teaches it in the Book of Romans. I just suggest that all of us stay committed to reading the entire counsel of God’s Word and seek the Holy Spirit’s teaching as you do so. The simple truth is that God does the work. He gives plenty of opportunity for the unsaved to repent and through the story given in Exodus 6 of Moses and Pharaoh we can see this fact.

To question two, if God chooses us then why does He still find fault? As soon as Paul offers the question he fires back with a tough response by asking some questions of his own.

Romans 9:20-23
But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?  What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.

Personally I don’t question God. I was saved through the Book of Job and my quick summation of that book is that in the end the answer to all questions is that God is God. I have no right to challenge His authority or His just and holy nature. The truth is that God gives us every chance to follow His Word. He has made it clear how life should be lived yet, we continue to reject His counsel and then when our lives are a mess we wonder where He was. God is long suffering and patient with us. We demand free will until it’s all spinning out of control and then we wonder why God doesn’t snap His fingers and take over and make it all perfect. God is just. He is righteous. God is faithful. But maybe the best part of God is that He is full of grace.

The final question today is “What shall we say?” The answer is simple; nothing. We should fall on our knees in humility and confess our sins and appeal to the grace of God. In the Biblical story of Israel we see a history of disobedience. Yet God had always kept a remnant and in the end the nation Israel will be saved. But until they and we stop trying to stake claim to our salvation and earn our salvation through works and adherence to the law all of us will sink in despair.

What shall we say? That the name of Jesus is the name above all names and our only hope is in Him. You don’t have to understand the doctrine of election. Stop trying to reconcile divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Charles Spurgeon’s response to that was question was to say, “I never try to reconcile friends.”

The lesson of chapter 9 is this. Israel’s rejection of the Lord Jesus changes nothing about God. He is faithful, righteous, just, and full of grace. If you understand nothing else then start there.