God’s Right to Choose

by Hugh DeLong

Turning the page from the end of Romans 8 and beginning our reading of Romans 9, we don’t forget all that we have already learned! Chapter 9 is about God’s sovereignty to choose. But the debate among people is: Who did God choose? What purpose did He choose them for? So, Robert Turner reminds us that the rest of Romans serves as our ‘safety rope’ for reading Romans 9. In particular:

Whoever – All who believe – Everyone who believes

• The gospel is God’s power to save all who trust in Jesus (Romans 1:16).
•  God’s wrath is displayed against all who sin (Romans 1:17-18).
• God’s judgment is always just and fair and according to truth (Romans 2:2).
• God’s judgment is righteous (Romans 2:5).
• God will render to each person according to his deeds (Romans 2:6).
• God is no respector of persons (Romans 2:11-12).
• The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus is for all those who believe, for there is no distinction (Romans 3:22).
• All have sinned – (Romans 3:23).
• God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
• Abraham is the father of all who believe ... that righteousness might be credited to them (Romans 4:11).
• Abraham is the father of those who “follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham" (Romans 4:12).
• The promise is to those who are of the faith of Abraham (Romans 4:16).
• Righteousness will be credited to "those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead" (Romans 4:24).
• Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6) [not ‘some of’ – but ‘the ungodly’]
• All who have been baptized have been baptized into His death (Romans 6:4),

This concept continues after chapter 9:

• The conclusion of chapter 9: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed" (Romans 9:33).
• Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).
• The Scriptures say, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed" (Romans 10:11).
• It is "the same LORD who is LORD of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him” (Romans 10:12).
• Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13)

Then, this great section (chapters 1-11) ends: For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all (Romans 11:32).

In such a salvation story, God used people (individual and national) to accomplish this eternal purpose (cp. Ephesians 3:11 – Jew and Gentile reconciled through Jesus in one body. Whether Jew (ethnic) or Gentile (also ethnic), you can be saved in relationship to Jesus, and only in Jesus: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me'" (John 14:6). And again: “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12).

Such is the simple thrust of the great commission: “And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned'” (Mark 16:15-16).