Romans 9 ~ even us, whom He also called

Romans 9

1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.

6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."[b] 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[c]

10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[d] 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[e]

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[f]

16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

25 As he says in Hosea:
"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people;
and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"[i] 26 and,
"It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "[j]

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality."[k]

29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
"Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah."[l]

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."

33As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[m]


a. Romans 9:5 Or Christ, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Christ. God who is over all be forever praised!
b. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
c. Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?
d. Romans 9:12 Gen. 25:23
e. Romans 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3
f. Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19
g. Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16
h. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9
i. Romans 9:25 Hosea 2:23
j. Romans 9:26 Hosea 1:10
k. Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22,23
l. Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9
m. Romans 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16

Romans 9 - (English Standard Version)

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Sometimes it is human stubbornness to have it our way - not to listen to wisdom. The Potter has called the clay to His plan. 80 percent of Americans declare themselves to be Christians, with 50 percent changing denominations to help them to be closer in relationship to Jesus Christ. 

When Paul wrote this chapter, in the first translation, you can easily see he was educated at the feet of Gamaliel. Paul knew what he was writing about, he knew the Old Testament well. Paul was living his life as a rising part of the Temple administration. Paul well understood Moses' call to a new life. Paul saw, intimately, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The law of righteousness called him. This fulfillment calling him, calling us, to a way of life - the plan - Love.

Father God, hang on to us as we do Your Plan. Hold us close in the shelter of Your mighty Grace. Let Your Mercy and Your Guidance, carry us in the details of our lives. Knowing the details of our lives, even car repair, requires Prayer for assistance, for the mechanic, for safely. Help our thoughts become prayers. Realizing how amazing You, our Father God, would want us to talk to You. God planned for us and loved us before He created us. Keep holding us dearly, Father God. Build in our lives each day, adventure to expect Your Promises. Help us build bridges to allow greater paths of Love. Call upward what is good in this generation. Strengthen and establish Great Works of Yours.

Father God, let us rejoice in seeing the Ways and Wonders You provide. No trumpets sound, and still Mighty Acts abound. The Gulf of Mexico is amazingly clean from the massive BP oil spill... Who is as Mighty and Loving to Creation than Our God??? Jesus Christ the Lord!

And remembering Elijah being kept alive by the widow sharing all she had. Generosity is an attribute of God. His warehouses never are empty. Rejoice with me, the example of Exxon = our wealthiest corporation - their employees can look forward to secure employment, not odd layoffs, profit sharing and retirement benefits. Let us pray their example shines forth. Praying the blessing of work with rewards for all.

Praying for God to help our nation, our states, our towns and our Churches, our organizations to encourage all of our God given potentials to think, say, act in ways to make life more of a Joy to Him. Jesus, You taught us to pray bring more Heaven to earth, let us all be more aware of doing this each day. Amen!

1 John 4:8

God is Love.

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