A JOURNEY THROUGH ROMANS 9: THE WORD OF PROMISE (9:9)

Thus far the apostle Paul has informed the reader who are the true children of God. These are "the children of the promise" (9:8, cf. 2:28-29). This means that all of the promises of God (9:6) have not failed but rather succeeded, being realized through those whose faith is in the LORD's Messiah, Jesus Christ. Paul writes, "For this is a word of promise: 'At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son" (Rom. 9:9 NASB, and henceforth).

The writer to the Hebrews noted, "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised" (Heb. 11:11). Though the LORD's proposal of her giving birth in old age initially made Sarah laugh (Gen. 18:12), the LORD had the last laugh: "and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised" (Gen. 21:1). Nothing is too difficult for the LORD (Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17, 27). And His promises never fail (2 Cor. 1:20), for He cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

This son, Isaac, was the "promised" son of the LORD to Abraham, the man of faith (Rom. 4:3), and his wife Sarah. It was through Isaac that Abraham's descendants were to be named (Gen. 21:12). Brian Abasciano comments, "The idea of children born both through faith in God's promise and by God bringing his promise to pass is supported by the Genesis context, which Paul will go on to quote from again as a ground for the assertion of 9.8.

"There God promises Isaac's birth, and then shows forth his power by sovereignly bringning it about over against Sarah's doubt of his word (cf. Gen. 18.14). Abraham is also presented as believing God's promise of a son by Sarah. At least that is how Paul understood it in Romans 4.19-22, where he interestingly considers this to be justifying faith in fulfillment of Gen. 15.6.

"He also regarded faith as the means through which Abraham would obtain fulfillment of the promise of innumerable descendants (4.18; cf. Gen. 15.5; 17.4-5). Thus Isaac was a child/seed characterized by promise, promised to Abraham, and born both through Abraham's faith in God's promise and by the means of God's sovereign power."¹

Faith in the LORD is what characterizes a child of the promise. Just as Isaac was a child of the promise, produced by God's sovereign act and believed on by Abraham, so a person whose faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ is a child of the promise, produced by God's sovereign act upon the believer.

John Calvin, commenting on Romans 9:8 and Galatians 3:16, wrote, "For although adoption was deposited in the hand of Abraham, yet as many of his posterity were cut off as rotten members, in order that election may stand and be effectual, it is necessary to ascend to the head in whom the heavenly Father has connected his elect with each other, and bound them to himself by an indissoluble tie [emphasis mine].

"Thus in the adoption of the family of Abraham, God gave them a liberal display of favor which he has denied to others; but in the members of Christ there is a far more excellent display of grace, because those engrafted into him as their head never fail to obtain salvation. Hence Paul skillfully argues from the passage of Malachi . . . that when God, after making a covenant of eternal life, invites any people to himself, a special mode of election is in part understood, so that he does not with promiscuous grace effectually elect all of them" [emphasis mine].²

There is so much to celebrate and so much to lament in those two paragraphs. First, let's celebrate Calvin's notion that God has shown a liberal grace to the family of Abraham who were not faithful to His covevant. This is so true, as God has endured with much patience vessels of wrath who were unwilling to receive His grace. Let us also celebrate the truth Calvin stated, that, "in the members of Christ there is a far more excellent display of grace . . ." Arminians (and Arminius) wholeheartedly agree that all grace is found in Christ Jesus. This is why many of us opt for the biblical understanding of corporate, conditional election ~ for the election of grace can only be found in one's union with the Lord Jesus Christ!

However, we must lament his statements that (1) many of Abraham's descendants were cut off so that election [unconditional election, according to Calvin, "God's secret counsel" of "gratuitous election"] may stand and be effectual; and that (2) a special mode of election must be assumed so that God is not found being promiscuous with His grace, effectually electing everyone unto salvation. Yes: it is such a horrible thought that everyone could hypothetically be saved. Who in the world would possibly have a heart to see everyone saved? But I digress.

Unto what was Isaac elected? That is a rather loaded question. But I ask this question because I know what verses lay ahead of us (namely, Rom. 9:10-13). I know all too well what Calvinists believe about those verses. So, I investigated Calvinist Bible teacher John MacArthur. His Study Bible reads: "9:8 children of flesh. Abraham's other children by Hagar and Keturah were not chosen to receive the national promises made to him" [emphasis mine].³

This is the admission I was hoping to find. The Scripture does not teach us that Isaac was elected unto salvation. MacAthur was right. Isaac was elected "to receive the national promises" made to Abraham by God.

This will be crucial, in my opinion, for accurately interpeting Romans 9:10-13, and thus the rest of the chapter as well. Isaac was not saved ipso facto. If Isaac was to be saved then he must, like his father, believe God, and have God credit that faith as righteousness. The Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary states, "The individuals named in verses 7-13 are those whom God elected to fulfill roles necessary for the advancement of his work with the nations. The emphasis, therefore, is not on the individual destinites of the ones named, but on the historical roles they played for the nations they represent."⁴ I will be repeating this comment in future posts.

1 Brian J. Abasciano, Paul's Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9.1-9 (New York, NY: T&T Clark International, 2005), 197-198.

2 John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2008), 612.

3 John MacAthur, The MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2006), 1678.

4 The Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, eds. French L. Arrington and Roger Stronstad (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 756.