If you are looking for an answer to "why" God elects some and not others then study Romans 9:11. In our study last Sunday night we talked about the theme of Romans 9 and the crisis that Paul develops in this argument. Yes, the word of God stands because God in His sovereign grace elects some and not others. You can imagine how that argument hit those in Paul's audience and it is still landing with tremendous force on those who hear it today in the church. Here is Romans 9:11 - for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls. (Side note - please be sure to review notes part 1 in order to keep this verse in its proper context.)
Let's look at a breakdown of this verse:
1. God's purpose according to His choice would stand
2. Not because of works
3. But because of Him who calls
First of all we need to see what kind of purpose that Paul is speaking about here in Romans 9:11. So we will do a little Scripture breakdown. The Greek reads, and I must say this will sound very strange to our ears - "the according to election purpose." And that can be paraphrased without tampering with meaning by saying "the electing purpose of God."
So the first thing that we learn about this purpose of God whatever that is, is that the purpose is an electing purpose. If you remember the chart I drew on the board it may help to keep this teaching in sequence. I drew a big arch over the pyramid of:
- Heirs of the world
- Righteousness of God by faith
- Sovereign Grace
(By the way I am trying to download this but the program I have been using is not working properly at this time. But be on the lookout for the chart in another post.)
So underneath the arch which I have labeled as God's purpose you have the word "electing."
Now just get out your Bible concordance and start to look up in Paul's epistles where and how many times the word purpose is used. I think you will come up with 6 times and here is a summary of the breakdown.
- 2 times it occurs in Romans
- 2 times it occurs in 2 Timothy
- 2 times it occurs in Ephesians
So let's go to the closest place where the word purpose occurs and it happens to be in Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
It sounds to me like this is a purpose, whatever this purpose is that governs calling. So here we have the second word to write under God's pupose:
1. Electing
2. Calling
We are just looking to find out what this word purpose is referring to in Romans 9:11 and this is the method we are using to determine what this particular word means. Hey folks there is nothing in the box, or up my sleeve because this isn't magic it's just the work we need to do as we study God's word.
Now go to 2 Timothy 1:9 - who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.
Here are three more things that now we can right out beside the label - God's purpose.
We learn from this verse in 2 Timothy that God's purpose is eternal, in Christ and gracious.
Just go through the implications of each of these words as it relates to God's purpose though at this time we still haven't determined what that particular purpose is for Romans 9:11.
Let me illustrate as best I can in this blog what we have so far:
God's purpose - it is an eternal purpose, it is a purpose in Christ, it is a gracious purpose
and under this we have the following:
1. Electing
2. Calling
Ok we are ready to move to our next verse in order to study what the word purpose means.
Please turn to Ephesians 1:11 - also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
Well now we have the third word to write under the label of God's purpose because whatever purpose is according to Ephesians 1:11 it is a predestining purpose. Now we are ready to summarize before we come to our main conclusion of what the word purpose means in Romans 9:11.
God's purpose is eternal, in Christ and gracious and it is over His electing, predestining and calling. (Sidenote - it is really over everything as you read through the Scriptures.)
Now in order to determine that purpose simply read the next verse:
Ephesians 1:12 - to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
Do you see it? Have you got it? Here it is! - Here it is! - Here it is!
God's purpose that is eternal, God's purpose that is in Christ, God's purpose that is based soley on His grace which elects, predestines and calls is in order to allow those He brings to Himself to display and reflect His glory!
Are you having a glory fit yet? And folks this is only the first part of the three sections of this one verse in Romans 9:11. Oh how I agree with the apostle Paul who wrote in Romans 11:33 - Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
OK that is enough for now but do you see the "why" in God's purpose for electing some and not others. It is because this is what brings glory to God!
Stay tuned for more on Romans 9:11 tomorrow as we cover part 3.