In Romans 9, the apostle Paul addresses a crucial question: If God is a saving and justifying God, why have His covenantal people, the nation of Israel, largely rejected Jesus as the Messiah? That’s what Paul answers in Romans 9—and he sets out to explain that they haven’t believed in Jesus because of a divine, sovereign election.

In Romans 9, the apostle Paul sets out to explain why the nation of Israel had largely rejected the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though they are the people of God through the line or seed of Abraham, many of them had not embraced Jesus Christ for salvation but rather rejected Him.

The doctrine of divine election is often misunderstood and caricatured, so much so that its true teaching is often obscured or disregarded. If we aren’t careful, we can allow inaccurate and inadequate explanations of this doctrine to cloud our understanding to the point that we outright reject it altogether.

To build his case for the doctrine of divine election, the apostle Paul goes to the Old Testament for evidence and support. To begin, he demonstrates that God’s plan of redemption, including justification by faith alone, wouldn’t be through Abraham’s son with Hagar, Ishmael, but would be through Abraham’s firstborn with Sarah, Isaac.

Many people think the doctrine of divine election works this way: because God is all-knowing and knows who will and who won’t believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, God elects those whom He knows will believe. But is that what the apostle Paul teaches in Romans 9? Pastor Tom argues from Romans 9 that divine election isn’t like that at all, and he uses the Old Testament to make his point clear: divine election is a sovereign work of the Almighty God.

Is the doctrine of divine election based on the good works of any man or woman? According to the apostle Paul in Romans 9, election isn’t based on works, merit, or efforts but on the sovereign grace of God. Put this way, Paul teaches that election isn’t God’s response to His knowledge or understanding of what any person has done or will do in the future, nor is He coerced by man’s actions or will.

Those who profess to be part of the Christian faith agree that it was God's decision to provide salvation to lost and rebellious sinners. Scripture makes it clear that God has initiated such a plan of salvation. And Scripture is equally clear: not all people believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. 

The doctrine of election, which teaches that God has elected some—not all—people to salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, does not contradict the fact that God loves all people and desires for them to be saved. In fact, Scripture makes it clear that God desires that all sinners repent, turn from their sins, and trust in Christ for salvation. Both the Old and New Testaments speak of God in this way. 

As Paul writes Romans chapter 9 and explains divine election, he understands that the truths he’s trying to convey are difficult to understand and grasp—and that they, at first glance, don’t seem fair. So Paul himself brings up logical objections in order to provide a series of answers to help his teaching on election make sense to his readers—and us today.