@OLDBUTNEW
An Explanation of Romans 9:
(The Non-Calvinistic Version):
Romans chapters 9 to 11 deal specifically with the nation of Israel and God’s dealings with them as His chosen people. Romans 9 is not isolated from the rest of the book of Romans.
The whole point of Romans 9 was written with the Jew in mind in how they were trying to earn salvation by “Works Alone Salvationism” (without God's grace through Jesus Christ), and how they found favor with God based on their nationality (in that they were God's people, Israel).
Romans 9:6-8 is a refutation of the Israelites’ false belief of salvific nationalism.
Romans 9:9-16 is a refutation of the Israelites’ false belief of “Works Alone Salvationism” (without Jesus and His grace), but salvation is by him who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus (Compare Romans 9:11 with Romans 10:13).
Romans 9:17-18 sets up the dilemma for the Israelite in being saved by God's grace and mercy on His terms. Pharaoh was hardened on God's terms in that we know that a person's heart is hardened by their own sin. For a believer who sins and hardens their heart, they can then fall into unbelief and depart from the living God (See: Hebrews 3:12-15). Sin is the breaking of the Law or commandment (1 John 3:4). The Israelite was hardening their heart against God on account of their sin or disobedience to the command to believe in Jesus (1 John 3:23).
Because of Israel’s unbelief in rejecting their Messiah, Scripture tells us in Romans 11:25 that “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” It was Israel’s unbelief in the Messiah as to why they were broken off (Romans 11:20).
Romans 9:19 is the Israelite complaining about how God can find fault because they believe they are doing God's will as an Israelite.
Romans 9:20 is a voice answering the Israelite and criticizing him. The voice asks a question from the Israelite’s perspective, “Why have you made me this way [i.e., as an Israelite, a keeper of the Law]?”
When reading Romans 9:21-23, we have to keep in mind that God elects based on His foreknowledge (His future foreknowledge of what they are going to do) (1 Peter 1:1-2). The language present in this passage is reminiscent of Jeremiah 18 about how God will form the clay based upon how a nation does not hear His voice; He will turn back on the good He would do unto them. God warns Jerusalem and Judah that He frames evil against them unless they repent. Meaning, based on what we do, a person will fall into one of two categories, the resurrection of life, and the resurrection of the damned (i.e., the vessels of wrath and mercy). God will render to every man according to his deeds (See: Romans 2:6).
Romans 9:30-32 clarifies (recaps) what was being said:
“What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone.” (Romans 9:30-32).
“...rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” (Romans 11:11).
So Romans 9 is really not talking about Calvinistic Unconditional Election.
Even the word “call” used in Romans 9 in reference to God calling does not prove that God is forcing anything upon a person. For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14).
Please read this chapter for yourself in prayer.
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