When dealing with kids, you have to be careful with every single word that you speak. Whether it is your own kids, a niece, nephew, grandchild, or just a kid at kids’ church, when they hear you say you are going to do something for them, that is a promise. My son started saying out of nowhere, “You said you would do that, and your word is your promise.” It was in response to whether I ever tried to go back on anything I said. Mind you, most of the time, I never actually promised it, but that is an argument that we are not going to win with him. Many people look at God like this. They see promises that He makes throughout Scripture and (incorrectly) believe they have found Him breaking those promises. We see some of these promises come into question in Romans chapter 9 regarding the Israelites being the chosen people of God. 

 Romans 9:1-8 says, “I am speaking the truth in Christ - I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit - that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” 

The hard reality here in Romans chapter 9 is that many of God’s chosen people, the Israelites, rejected Jesus. This truth brings great sorrow to Paul. These are his “kinsmen.” He continually sees them refuse to accept the message of Jesus Christ that he is presenting to them. He is so heartbroken that he even expresses that he would be willing to cut himself off from Christ so that they could be saved. Even though Paul knows that it is spiritually impossible, his sorrow is so great that he wishes that it would be possible. 

1. What is your reaction to reading Paul say that he wishes he could be “accursed” and “cut off” from Christ for the sake of his Israelite brothers? 

2. Do you have that same type of sorrow for those that are lost? Do you think we should feel that way toward unbelievers? 

Paul goes on to list all of the different things that belonged to the Israelites due to being God’s chosen people. The list is really quite amazing, and we could spend a whole lesson studying everything Paul lists here. However, despite having full access to all the amazing promises of God, many of the Israelites still chose their own way instead.  

3. What thoughts come to mind when reading that list of things that belonged to the Israelites while knowing that they still rejected Jesus?  

Sometimes, we look at the Israelites in disgust, wondering how they could have possibly rejected Jesus when they were God’s chosen people. The Lord had done so much for them and been so patient with them, yet they still did not believe. However, we can clearly see examples from our own lives in their rejection. I know there have been times when I have clearly seen the Lord move and work, yet I still did not trust Him. 

4. Do you find similarities in your life and the history of the Israelites? 

As Paul is thinking through how so many Israelites rejected Jesus, he acknowledges the question that He knew we would all be asking, “If the Israelites were God’s chosen people, yet many did not believe, does that mean the Word of God has failed?” We see explained in the verses that follow that those who truly belong to Israel are those who accepted Christ, not those who were just born into it. This affirms the teaching all throughout Scripture that salvation is not by works but by faith alone. God’s Word did not fail. His promise is being fulfilled in the spiritual descendants of Abraham through their salvation. 

Romans 3:28 says, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” 

5. Do you feel like God’s plan failed with the Israelites? Do you ever feel like God’s plan has failed in your life or this world? Why or why not? 

Romans 9:14-18 says, “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” 

Following this section of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul writes one of the most difficult passages of Scripture that I believe there is. While reading it, I believe it brings up endless questions in our minds: 

We would be asking the same question that Paul asks here.  

6. Do you ever feel like God is not fair? What are some situations in your life or this world that make you feel that way? 

God’s righteousness is demonstrated in how His actions always perfectly align with His attributes and what is right. He is perfectly just, holy, and fair in all His actions and decisions. Everything He does is in accordance with His sovereign plan for all creation. These verses show us that God is ultimately in full control. In terms of salvation, we have to live in the tension of understanding that God is working out His plan through all of us. Paul states this in verse 15, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” He says this while also holding us personally responsible for how we respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In reference to this section of Scripture, the Expositor’s Bible Commentary puts it this way, “Those who are saved are saved only by the mercy of God; those who are lost are lost only because of their refusal to repent.” 

7. How does understanding God’s sovereignty and mercy in salvation, as described in Romans 9:15, help us balance trusting His plan while taking responsibility for our response to the Gospel? 

In 2 Peter 3:9, we read, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 

God’s righteousness is shown by His patience towards us, that He does not wish that any should perish, and all would reach repentance. We see this example in His continued patience towards Israel throughout the Old Testament, and I believe we can see examples of this in our own lives. I am so thankful the Lord has been patient with me through the times that I reject Him. All throughout that time, He desired that I would reach repentance. 

8. How have you felt God’s patience toward you in your life? 

Romans 9:19-20 adds, “You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’ But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” 

I have always thought that I am glad I believe in a God that I cannot understand everything about because if, in my finite mind, I could fully understand Him, then how great would He really be? This verse reiterates that God is the potter and we are the clay, and the clay needs to trust the potter to do what He sees fit. The passage says, “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” This is not to say that we cannot ask questions to the Lord. The Lord gladly welcomes our questions; it is saying when God does give us answers to our questions, we should trust Him. 

9. How does the analogy of the potter and the clay help you trust God’s plans, even when you do not understand them fully? Can you share a time when you struggled to understand God’s actions but later saw His plan at work? 

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

10. Do these verses in Isaiah encourage you in your trust of the Lord or discourage you? How so? 

Titus 2:13 states, “Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” 

God desired a “people for his own possession” so dearly that He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross so that we could be redeemed and purified. Ultimately, God’s plan is in motion, and He will use humanity in whichever way He sees fit to accomplish His purposes. God can be glorified through those that oppose Him and those that trust Him. In my own life, my prayer is that the Lord allows me to be used by Him as a vessel of mercy to accomplish His plan. This plan was started with the Israelites and continues through us today when we accept Him as the Savior of our lives. We can trust that His ways are righteous and that everything He does is to fulfill His promises and purposes. His word is His promise.