Bogged Down in Romans -- Part II

Thank you for the private feedback I received from several readers following my "Part I" post.

• One responder suggested that there is a third position on election -- universalism. It is the concept that because God loves us so much, He will not punish anyone to eternal damnation. Hell is figurative, not literal. I don't want to muddy the water with this theory, except to be reminded that Jesus warns that "not everyone will enter the kingdom of heaven."
• Another responder questioned the role of faith, particularly the faith displayed in the "Hebrews Hall of Fame" (ch. 11). Didn't these men choose their path of following God, rather than being elected to do so?
• Also, is the application of the Jacob/Esau story really implying anything more than God had a plan for the Jews?

I left off around Romans 9:18. In Romans 9:19, Paul again acknowledges that his audience may question his line of teaching -- "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" In other words, how can we be held accountable for our actions, if God has already determined our course in life? That's the same question I would have asked (and ask now). Paul's response -- "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" Hmmm .... So, God makes each of us for different purposes, Paul says. But "ignoble use" doesn't have any relevence to salvation, does it?

Let's understand the progression up until this point. Paul is presenting to the Romans a gospel message throughout Romans. He is encouraging both Jews and Gentiles to understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23). He say that, at just the right time, Jesus died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6), and that this death was enough to bring justification to all people (Romans 5:18). He makes a case that this gift is for all races, not just the Jews (Romans 4:16). Paul paints a beautiful picture of how we pass from death to life (Romans 6:3-7) as we are baptized into Christ. After discussing the relationship between sin and grace, and then what it means to become a new creation in Christ, Paul comes to chapter nine. He begins, as we saw last time, by lamenting that his Jewish race will not all come to salvation, even though they had all the opportunities to follow God. Then Paul beings to explain why this can be -- how a nation so thoroughly bedazzled by God can not connect with Him. Paul concludes that it is because it was not God's intention that all should come to Him, but only some. And those that do? It's because He created some for the purpose of salvation, and others for "ignoble use."

Now, the crux of election theology.

Romans 9:22-24 -- "What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath -- prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Paul seems to say that there are two kinds of people. One is those who he prepared for destruction. The other is those who are the objects of His mercy. God uses the destruction of one to demonstrate His love for the other. And then, just so we don't think that this is applicable to Jews only, Paul tacks on, "not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles."

So, if that's it, what is the role of faith?

Paul discusses faith throughout Romans, and also in his other NT writings. Paul indicates many times that we are saved through faith, we walk in faith, our faith is of greater value then gold, etc. He essentially says time and time again that we are saved by faith in Jesus. If that's the case, where does faith come from? And how does the role of faith jive with this Romans 9 discussion? Next time ...

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