Romans 9:6-9

Passage

But it is not as though the Word of God has been made inadequate.  For not all the ones out of Israel are Israel.  Neither are all children because they are descendants of Abraham.  But in Isaac, your descendants will be called.  That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are the children of God but the children of the promise are counted into the descendants.  For the word of the promise is: “According to this season I will return and a son will be by Sarah.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul asserts that the Word of God is not inadequate.  After all, God promised that the Hebrew people would be His chosen ones.  However, Paul also asserts that the Hebrew people by-and-large rejected Jesus Christ.  From a logical perspective, these points seem in conflict.  Thus, Paul needs to address this question.  We’ll get to the answer to this question in the next point.  Here, though, let’s remember that Paul attacks this question head on.  When we trust in God, we don’t need to fear tackling questions – even the difficult ones.  Sometimes God’s ways can be confusing and the surface answer isn’t the correct answer.  In those instances we need not be afraid of going deeply into the question and trust that God can provide the answer.

What are the difficult questions that you might be afraid to ask – or have asked of you?  Why is it important to bring ourselves to not be afraid of the difficult questions? 

Second Thought:

Paul makes a really bold point here.  It is not genealogy that matters.  It is promise that matters.  The Hebrew people read the story of Abraham and Isaac and think in terms of genealogy.  They think literally in terms of sexual conception – the work of human beings.  What Paul suggests here is that God’s power is not in the conception but in the promise of conception.  God’s work is in the promise, not the actual genealogical act.  This opens the door for the salvation of the Gentiles through Christ.  What Gentiles can have any claim upon the genealogy of Abraham?  What Gentile can have a share of God’s promise in Christ?

Why is Paul’s point here rather astute?  Do you agree with what Paul is saying?  What is the difference between seeing Isaac as being important through the promise versus being important through biology?

Third Thought:

What Paul is actually saying here is that it is not our pedigree that is important but the condition of our heart.  We do not gain favor into God’s kingdom by our lineage, by who we know, by who discipled us, or by how much of God’s Word we’ve memorized.  We gain access to God’s kingdom through receiving God’s promise: Christ Jesus.

Have you received God’s promise?  What was necessary for you to understand and trust that it is God’s promise to you that is important and not what you do or who you are?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 9:10-13