Romans 9:1-18 Podcast - Predestination Defined

Grace Coach Podcast

According to the divine plan, the Gospel was initially destined for the Jews, who were the first chosen people. However, in Acts 10, the Gospel extends to the Gentiles as well, who were also part of the divine selection. This instance illuminates the essence of predestination—it doesn't entail God choosing one individual over another, but rather reveals the sequential outreach of the Gospel. Initially directed to Israel, who ultimately rejected Jesus, the Gospel then embraced the Gentiles.

Transcript

Want to discover your freedom in Christ? Then listen in as Mike Stone and Kevin (0:06) Smith talk about it today on Grace Coach. Welcome to Grace Coach, my name is Kevin (0:12) Smith and I've got my best friend Mike Stone with me today. How you doing Mike? (0:19) I'm doing good. Yeah, Romans 9 is an incredible little book. It's kind of a (0:26) shift in what Paul's doing here and he's gonna kind of defend his ministry as an (0:32) apostle to the Gentiles and opening up the good news of the gospel of Jesus (0:38) Christ to the whole world. How exciting is that? Yeah, that's very exciting. You (0:45) know, before we get into that, I thought we would set the stage, Kevin, to talk (0:50) about this thing with the Jews and the Gentiles because a lot of the New (0:55) Testament is talking so much about the Jew and the Gentiles being unified in (1:02) Christ, which really is an unthinkable thing if you think about it today and (1:07) all of the craziness in Israel for Jews and Gentiles to be united in the Spirit (1:13) is incredible. But Jesus even told the disciples not to go to the Gentiles. He (1:19) said that in Matthew 10 5. He said rather go to the lost sheep of Israel. (1:26) And so in Acts 2 you see that they were up in the upper room and the (1:32) Spirit came on the disciples and there were some more people there but they (1:39) were all Jews and you can see that right after the event of Pentecost in chapter (1:47) 2 that Luke the writer was mentioning that it was going to the Israelites and (1:54) you just see that over and over. And then in Acts 10 there's a big switch, Kevin. (2:01) Peter goes up to the roof to pray. He's not even sure why. He sees a sheet come (2:06) down with four-footed animals and God tells him to kill and eat and these (2:12) four-footed animals were non-kosher. So he says that I've never eaten anything (2:19) impure or unclean in verse 14 and then God said no I want you to eat those (2:26) things. So he is completely confused, thought he was obeying the law even (2:31) though he was born again at this point but he still had the law in him and it (2:39) takes years to unshake the law that's in a person's life. But anyway fast (2:47) forward in Acts 27 Peter is in the house of a Gentile Cornelius and the Spirit of (2:55) God comes on the Gentiles while they're in the house and it says in Acts 10 45 (3:01) that the circumcised believers were astonished that the gift of the Holy (3:07) Spirit came on the Gentiles. That was again an unthinkable thing. This was (3:14) something that you don't hear a lot about. I know when I heard that it just (3:19) rocked my world that they were astonished that the Spirit went on the (3:24) Gentiles. But in Acts 28 Kevin Paul finally after going into the (3:31) synagogues, which was normal for him, he was rejected by the Jews and he finally (3:38) made this statement that I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent (3:43) to the Gentiles because they will listen. Because the Jews weren't listening to (3:50) Paul about Jesus and he says they will listen. So I'm just setting that up (3:55) because now we're gonna hear Paul's heart even though this happened his (4:02) heart was broken that the Jews were rejecting the gospel because he was (4:09) Jewish he was a top Pharisee but his heart was broken about this and that's (4:14) where Romans 9 comes in. Yes it is yes it is and so basically what I hear you (4:21) saying is that the gospel going to the Gentiles was part of God's plan from the (4:28) very beginning even in the book of Acts even way before the book of Romans came (4:33) actually way before the book of Acts came it was God's plan for the gospel of (4:40) Jesus Christ to go to the whole world not just to the nation of Israel yet it was (4:48) a hard way to do it I mean the nation of Israel like you're saying they rejected (4:55) the gospel they rejected God's plan they did not go to all the nations as (5:01) Genesis 18 talks about and so you know God God's sovereign he knew it all was (5:07) gonna happen and he brought in the Gentiles as we'll read so why don't we (5:14) jump into Romans chapter 9 I'll read the first five verses and we'll take it off (5:22) what do you think yeah let's do it all right Romans chapter 9 verse 1 through (5:27) 5 I'm speaking the truth in Christ I'm not lying my conscious bears witness in (5:33) the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for I (5:39) could wish that I myself for a curse and cut off from Christ for the sake of my (5:45) brothers my kinsmen according to the flesh they are Israelites and to them (5:51) belong the adoption the glory the covenants the giving of the law the (5:55) worship and the promises to them belong the patriarchs and from their race (6:03) according to the flesh is the Christ who is God over all blessed forever amen (6:11) would you want to be cut off for the sake of your people I mean I don't know (6:17) how many people would say that that yeah it would be cut off for the sake of my (6:24) people that's how much he loved his Jewish brothers and sisters so yeah Paul (6:31) Paul's willing to give himself up for his kinsmen but I think I think he's (6:38) Paul is such a wise wise writer and he he doesn't say any of this this is not (6:44) just random stuff he's talking he is he's continuing to make his case like a (6:50) expert lawyer in his defense of his ministry you know what I'm a Jew I love (6:58) the Jews and because he is letting us in on the conversations in the arguments (7:05) he's having with Jews and they're saying are you turning your back on us trying (7:11) to go to the Gentiles and he's saying no I'm not turning my back on on you Jews (7:17) but God is calling me to his sovereign plan and it's not just to you Jews it's (7:25) to the whole world so he wants to just nail that in there and the cool thing (7:33) about it is in verse 5 he brings in Christ with it that it's Christ came (7:39) through that line just God's sovereignty again another is point to God's (7:47) sovereignty yeah and that's important as we read this how important the human (7:52) ancestry of the Jewish race to Jesus that it would maintain it would stay (7:58) from Jewish person to Jewish person because that was part of God's plan also (8:05) and that's what predestination is you know it's not that God picks you and (8:09) doesn't pick me he said he predestined that the gospel would first go to the (8:14) Jew and then to the Gentile and that was his plan from the beginning and we're (8:20) living in the age of the Gentiles right now the church is the age of the Gentile (8:26) so let's read verse 6 through 9 Kevin it is not as though God's Word had failed (8:34) and when I read that I'm like well God's Word didn't fail we failed right mm-hmm (8:41) and that's because we're born into this world spiritually dead without the (8:46) spirit of God living in us so there's no way that anybody could follow and uphold (8:52) the law for not all who are descended from Israel are Israel nor because they (8:59) are his descendants are they all Abraham's children who are born again (9:05) and saved that's what a when you're talking about Abraham's children we're (9:08) talking about born-again believers but on the contrary it is through Isaac that (9:14) your offspring will be reckoned and so the bloodline didn't go through Ishmael (9:20) it went through Isaac okay verse 8 Kevin in other words it is not the (9:26) children by physical descent who are God's children but as the children of (9:32) the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring so the children of (9:38) the promise are those who are born again and saved who have come to Christ by (9:43) faith and have been credited as righteousness in verse 9 for this is how (9:49) the promise was stated at the appointed time I will return and Sarah will have a (9:56) son so basically just to summarize this you have the children of Abraham which (10:03) is all the Jews every every Jew is a child of Abraham but then like you said (10:12) the children of the promise are the ones who are born-again children of God the (10:19) promise that the good news would go to all the nation those that's the promise (10:24) that God made to Abraham in Genesis 18 yeah because he believed that Sarah would (10:31) have a son even though she was 100 years old and because he believed it says that (10:37) he was credited as righteousness now I wouldn't believe that my wife was a (10:43) hundred that she was gonna have a son she was in the tent laughing when they (10:48) were saying yeah so Abraham was credited as righteousness and it says in the book (10:57) of Romans in chapter 4 and that wasn't just for him but for us who believe in (11:03) Jesus our faith is credited as righteousness all right so let's pick up (11:11) on first 14 oh let's actually go to 10 Kevin let's can you read 10 to 13 oh (11:20) sure okay so it's where you stop at 9 okay all right Romans 9 verse 10 says not (11:26) only so but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man our (11:31) forefather Isaac through though they were not yet born had done nothing (11:38) either good or bad in order that God's purpose of election might continue not (11:45) because of works but because of him who calls she was told the older will serve (11:52) the younger as it is written Jacob I love and Esau hated okay I'm so glad we (11:59) just read that you're like well wait a minute how could God hate anybody you (12:08) know okay God loved Jacob but he hated Esau so in order to understand that we (12:13) have to go to Genesis 25 we just have to read the story of Jacob and Esau's I am (12:21) going there right now to Genesis 25 okay verse 19 to 34 it says this is the (12:30) account of the family line of Abraham's son Isaac Abraham became the father of (12:37) Isaac and Isaac was 440 years old when he married Rebecca daughter of Bethuel (12:43) the Armenian from Patton Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean Isaac prayed to the (12:53) Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childish she wanted a child just like (12:58) Sarah the Lord answered his prayer and his wife Rebecca became pregnant the (13:04) baby's jostled with each other within her and she says why is this happening to (13:10) me so she went to inquire of the Lord the Lord said to her verse 23 two (13:16) nations are in your womb and two peoples from within you will be separated one (13:23) people will be stronger than the other and the older will serve the younger we (13:28) just saw that in verse 12 when the time came for her birth there were twin boys (13:36) in her womb the first to come out was red and his whole body was like a hairy (13:41) garment so they named him Esau after this his brother came out and his brother (13:47) grasping Esau's heel so he was named Jacob Isaac was 62 years old when (13:54) Rebecca gave birth to them the boys grew up and Esau became a skillful hunter a (14:01) man of the open country while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents (14:07) Isaac who had a taste for a wild game loved Esau but Rebecca loved Jacob (14:16) interesting huh so Jacob was cooking some stew because he was home all the (14:23) time Esau came in from the open country famished and he said to Jacob quick let (14:30) me have some of that red stew I'm famished this is why he was also called (14:36) Eda Jacob replied first sell me your birthright look I'm about to die Esau (14:44) says what good is the birthright to me but Jacob said swear to me first so he (14:51) swore on an oath to him selling his birthright to Jacob and then Jacob gave (14:57) Esau some bread and some lentil stew he ate and drank and then got up and left (15:03) so that story tells us something about Esau that he gave up his birthright for a (15:14) cup of soup and that birthright was the bloodline to Jesus and he basically gave (15:22) that up and so when it says in verse 13 Jacob I love but Esau I hated it's that (15:31) he hated that Esau gave up his birthright to the line of Jesus yeah but (15:39) I don't know about that because it says before they were even born God said this (15:45) so I like I see this I mean there's three different store Old Testament (15:50) stories in this chapter and they basically what I see them all doing is (15:56) pointing to God's sovereignty that however God wants it to happen he could (16:03) have chosen Esau he could have chosen Jacob but he chose Jacob he could have (16:09) you know soften Pharaoh's heart but he chose to harden Pharaoh's heart and he (16:14) could have done anything you know the potter and the clay he could have made (16:19) vessels for you know honorable dishonorable this is the point is is that (16:25) God is in control and if you oh my gosh it's really if you can't that's why this (16:35) the whole chapter ends with the stumbling stone you know laid in Zion (16:42) that's the thing if you're not willing to open your heart and say God you're (16:49) in control I am NOT you're gonna stumble through pride over the stumbling (16:55) stone of that God is laid out in Jesus Christ see the way I see it in 11 Kevin (17:02) is that before the twins were born born and don't forget they were (17:09) jostling in the womb already that's why Sarah was on I mean Rebecca was (17:14) uncomfortable but this happened in order that like you said God's purpose (17:21) in election might stand and he's really this is really talking about the Jews (17:29) and the Gentiles it's yes somehow related because as we read through these next (17:37) few verses and I don't even know if we'll get there today but it's clear to (17:42) see that God's decision to go first to the Jew and then to the Gentile was his (17:49) decision that's the way he wanted it and in the end in the book of Revelation he (17:56) goes back to the nation of Israel again when the last Gentile comes in and and (18:03) the church age is over well the other point to it is is in election you know a (18:10) lot of people talk about election as an individual person being elect yes (18:17) whereas this chapter in you know these stories it's even though it's an (18:24) individual person meaning Isaac and Jacob it they represent I mean Esau and (18:29) Jacob they represent nations it says right there they represent well I'm glad (18:35) you read that in Genesis because they represent nation there you go all part (18:41) of God's plan yeah and so that to me is the big takeaway in this that it's not (18:51) God chose this guy and damned another guy to hell because if you believe that (18:57) kind of line of thinking out there that's what you have to believe that (19:02) that some people in the world have no choice that God has damned them to hell (19:11) and I know some people believe that I know they make try to make a biblical (19:16) case for it but well you're talking about Calvinism because that's what (19:20) Calvinism yes teaches is that God chose you but didn't choose me and that (19:27) thinking that that's what the definition of predestination is that he (19:31) predestined somebody from the beginning of time to be a Christian and others not (19:37) but that's not what predestination is predestination is and we can see this (19:42) clearly in the book of Ephesians also is that God predestined that the gospel (19:48) would first go to the Jews and then to the Gentile nation yeah check this out (19:54) check this out when I was preparing for this I just looked up some verses John 12 (20:01) we won't have to go there but I'm just gonna read a sentence of it John 12 32 (20:05) when I am lifted up I will draw all men to myself 2nd Peter 3 9 he wants none (20:13) to perish but all to come to him 1st John 2 2 Jesus died for the sins of the (20:21) whole world 1st Timothy 2 4 God wants everyone to be saved Hebrews 3 15 don't (20:29) harden your heart so if you were damned to hell then why would God say don't (20:37) harden your heart how about in John 1 12 yet to all who did receive him to those (20:44) who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God I love (20:49) that verse you have to make a decision to receive Jesus Christ yeah yeah all (20:57) these verses they wouldn't be there and really that's a whole nother podcast (21:03) talking about predestination yeah so let's see if we could just get through a (21:08) few more verses 14 through 16 Kevin what shall we say then is God unjust not at (21:15) all for he says to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and all (21:21) compassion on whom I have compassion for it does not therefore depend on (21:27) human desire or effort but on God's mercy and that is God's plan it is just (21:37) God is not unjust of how he decided to do this God is just and it's the way he (21:45) wanted the gospel to go out and look Jesus said don't go to the Gentiles (21:50) right go to the lost sheep of Israel you're gonna listen to Jesus so it's no (21:58) wonder this gospel you know in the book of Acts you see it going out to just the (22:04) Jews and not until acts 10 did that switch and God says okay it's time it's (22:11) time to go to the Gentiles yeah yeah you know the cool thing on this is just I (22:18) just marvel at Paul and just what he went through in his life but verse 16 (22:26) like you just read says so then it depends not on human will or exertion (22:31) but on God who has mercy now who do you think Paul was referring to in that (22:37) verse all the Gentiles who you know didn't know anything about the law or all (22:43) the Jews who were working so hard trying to fill the law and get right in (22:50) God's eyes yeah and then again is not part of God's plan it's his plan is that (22:58) you come to faith through belief in the truth yes believing in Jesus putting (23:04) your faith in him yeah that is the good news it's not by works so that nobody (23:10) could boast thank you for listening to grace coach if you want to connect with (23:15) us we would love to engage with you email us at the grace coach at gmail.com (23:22) visit our Facebook page or visit our website grace coach org