God Preserves a Remnant, Romans 9 Part 2 – Lite (16 min)

Imagine having inside information about planned future events. Depending on the information, you could be motivated to continue to work towards something in great hope; or, you could prepare by doing what needs to be done to best navigate a situation for a better outcome. In the remaining 6 verses of Romans 9, Paul had the inside information from Christ and Scripture gave hope concerning those he had lamented about. I see this as encouragement for all people because God always has a plan to save a remnant. Even if we don’t see it now, we can hope because all is not lost!

If you are interested in reviewing the first part of this chapter study, please see the outline below and click here to read the detailed notes: Dare to Understand Romans 9 – Part 1 (Lite Version)

Ok, grab your Bibles, and let’s dig in continuing in the last six verses.  

God Will Preserve a Remnant by His Mercy (Romans 9:27-29)

Sometimes people make conclusions about people, events, and things based on a temporal perspective. 

For the greater majority of people, a life span currently does not exceed 120 years. So from a limited perspective of the past, present, and logical probable future, we create theories and teachings that aren’t necessarily correct. When we consider science, we must admit that as humanity continues to learn, we disprove or uncover new “facts”.  

This is true with the church at large. In the centuries following Christ’s resurrection, there were reputable church fathers who greatly influenced how the church interpreted Scripture; and, I wonder whether their teachings would have changed if they had lived after Israel became a nation again. The Lord continues to raise leaders as under-shepherds of Christ’s flock and calls every believer to be salt and light, sharing the reason for our faith. That said, there were only 12 appointed directly by Jesus as an authoritative New Testament group sent out to preach the gospel. While other Apostles were added by Christ such as Paul and Christ’s half-brother James (Galatians 1:12, 15-19; 1Corinthians 15:5-8), there were only 8 known authors who had both the authority and inspiration to write Scripture, and the canon is closed with Christ’s impartation to John in Revelation.

As it is written:

• “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16)
• “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19-21)

Everything that I have read and studied in context states that God has reserved for Himself a remnant from all nations in every era! The covenants of God remain. Not that I want to get ahead of my studies, but the cross-references for this chapter included Romans 11 which makes it clear that Israel’s rejection of the Messiah was not all-encompassing nor final. God keeps His promises and elects a people for himself from every era and nation. In fact, according to Scripture, His election was from eternity past.  

Have you noticed that Paul quoted from the Old Testament Scripture to help readers understand the doctrine of God’s sovereign election? He used the authority of Scripture (quoted in verses 6, 9, 13, 17, 25, & 33) and his authority as an Apostle to make this clear to us. In Romans 9:27-29, it becomes clear that God will ensure the children of Israel will be numerous as promised to Abraham; and, both Isaiah and Paul confirm that God will righteously deal swiftly with the unrepentant and He will save a remnant; the rest will be cut off like Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24, 28). It is written:

• “Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth.” And as Isaiah said before: “Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (Romans 9:27-29)

The following are the references Paul quoted:  verse 27 refers to Isaiah 10:20-23; verse 28 refers to Isaiah 30:12-14 which includes the words “He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel”; verse 29 refers to Isaiah 1:9 and Isaiah 6:13)

I have used the words of Christ to confirm my understanding.   

• “Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. “But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. “But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” (Matthew 11:20-26)

Jesus announced the gospel to all; Jews first and then everyone else.  Then He took His Jewish disciples aside (a remnant of the crowd) and explained all the parables He told. It is written:

• “He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. “And in them, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;” (Matthew 13:11-16)

Jesus also said:

• “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

All Who Believe in Jesus Through Faith will Not Be Disappointed (Romans 9:30 -33)

If you haven’t already, please read Romans 9:30-32 now. In this passage, Paul closed the narrative about Israel’s past and moved to their current state. He contrasted how many Gentiles have received the imputed righteousness of God through faith and how the current generations of the children of Israel have not.  He also provided the prophetic reason for it in verse 33.

The only reason the children of Israel still exist after being persecuted and disbursed again is that God intervenes in the affairs of humanity. This is the case for all nations and individuals.   As far as Israel, God’s covenant with them assures a remnant will always exist.  

If God did not show grace and mercy, all people would be continuously subjected to the evils of fallen man, the horrific desires of the devil, and ultimately destined to a fiery eternity.

If anyone is in the Kingdom of God, it is only because they have responded to God’s initiative of grace.

In Romans 9:30: observe that God imputes righteousness based on faith in Him and what He has promised (i.e. Jesus the Messiah) which is a contrast from the works of ceremonial rituals and laws (this is true in every era because saving faith in God leads to obedience; for examples that predate the children of Israel, consider Abel in Hebrews 11:4, Noah in Hebrews 11: 7, and Abraham in Hebrews 11: 8).  These laws and ceremonies were types or act as a tutor to bring us to Christ.

When Christ was teaching from Isaiah 61: 1 and 2 in a synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath, He said:

• … “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. “But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; “but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,” (Luke 4:24-28)

The people were angry because, in both of those instances, the esteemed Old Testament prophets under the law by God’s power provided merciful care and grace to Gentiles who received them by faith which led to their obedient actions. But they had to believe the words of the prophet first. Why did they believe the prophet? A few verses earlier (Luke 4:16-21), Jesus also explained that He was indeed sent to fulfill the prophecy given to the Jews, and then He followed that (Luke 4:24-28) by adding that Gentiles (who were not under the law) were always in God’s plan of grace for all humanity by referring to those Old Testament Gentiles documented in Jewish Scripture.

Verse 30 confirms salvation is by faith and not by any human effort because many Gentiles who were not trying to be saved, got saved.  This is purely a redemptive work of God by His grace that initiates human response by faith. Galatians 2:16; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 3:19-20, 28; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 3:11.

Romans 9:31 relays this type of thought: So, what do you do with the children of Israel who were devoted and with such effort tried to be right with God through unsuccessfully keeping the law? Doesn’t effort count for anything?

Romans 9:32 explains that the children of Israel who did not trust God but relied on their efforts and self-righteousness lacked faith. This applies to all people.  Regardless of how hard we work for God’s kingdom, if we do not rely on the sufficiency of Jesus Christ for the total atonement of our sins, then our works are meaningless.  In this case, someone is relying strictly on human efforts.  

The only one who can make us right with God is God. It’s by His will that He extends His grace as He elects, then our response of faith in His Messiah, Jesus Christ. This is why so many of the children of Israel currently have difficulty with Jesus. Jesus is a stumbling stone placed in the path which was prophesied. If anyone is blind to the stone they are confronted by, they will trip and fall.  

• “As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:33)

As Christ preached:

• “… saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

Peter, a believing Jewish disciple wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit saying:

• “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

Wrapping All of it Up

There are two major considerations here:  

Now, you don’t have to agree with what I have gleaned from studying God’s Word, but you have the responsibility to know for yourself what Scripture says. I hope you take the time to read and digest for yourself. Allow the Holy Spirit to confirm or correct anything written here.

I close this study blog with this promise that wraps up this chapter and takes us into the next.

• “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)