Romans - Part 5: ELECTIONSample

The Glory of God’s Mercy

Palomar Observatory in Southern California has three huge telescopes that make it possible to look deep into the universe to observe the beauty and order of galaxies of stars and planets. Here, Paul is metaphorically gazing through a telescope to bring into focus the greatness of God’s eternal plan, His sovereignty, His faithfulness to His promises, and the glory of His mercy to sinners.

In these later verses of Chapter 11 Paul is summarizing the point he has been making since Chapter 9; God has not finally rejected the children of the Patriarchs even though they have rejected their Savior. In fact, the three chapters mentioned are really a lesson on God’s sovereignty in working out His great plan: calling the elect to Himself. He designs and controls all of history to display His ability to keep His covenant plan and save those who are His. Paul has made the point throughout this letter that those Gentiles who come to God in Christ are the children of Abraham, adopted, grafted in. Now Paul is saying the natural children, branches broken off, may still come by faith and be restored.

The natural children of Abraham have become enemies of God in rejecting their Messiah, Jesus. God chose Abraham and God chose to make Abraham’s descendants a nation for Himself. That decision is irrevocable, but it is different from the decision to bring some to faith and turn others away. Paul is making it very clear that all, Jew and Gentile, must come to God the same way: through faith in Jesus. And who will come to faith? The elect, those God has given the gift of faith.

God moves all of history according to His unfathomable ways for His own glory. And He does it all within the context of the covenants He made with men. In guiding the course of nations God has purposed both obedience and disobedience to fully display His might and His mercy. God has not forgotten Abraham’s children; He still loves them for Abraham’s sake. In spite of the disobedience and hardening of men’s hearts, God will accomplish His purpose, salvation, also in His people Israel. In other words, God will not go back on His covenant promises. He has orchestrated history to display His faithfulness to His promises.

-Jinet Troost