Romans 9:1-8
God’s special people. Children of promise.
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GOD’S SPECIAL PEOPLE
"1I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit - 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed - cut off from Christ - for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen, 4who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, by human descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever! Amen." (Romans 9:1-5)
Paul conveyed his sadness regarding his fellow countrymen who continued to reject the gospel he preached. He reminded them of their special role as the chosen ones, selected by God from the world, to be a precursor of the salvation that would be offered to the entire world.
God selected them as his chosen people from among the nations of the world, and during their time in the desert, he bestowed upon them the privilege of witnessing his glory through manifestations such as the columns of cloud and pillars of fire. He established a covenant with their forefathers, imparting the law to them in the form of the Ten Commandments. They were granted the opportunity of temple worship, and God made promises to them regarding their salvation. Furthermore, it is through their lineage that Christ ultimately descended.
CHILDREN OF PROMISE
“6It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.” 8This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.” (Romans 9:6-8)
However, even with their remarkable ancestry, they are not considered true children of God. This is because God, being a spiritual being, does not consider those who are merely “children of the flesh” to be His own. Only those who are “children of promise” hold significance.
In our upcoming study, we will explore this distinction between children of the flesh and children of promise in greater depth to gain a clearer understanding.
Nghi Nguyen
- Scripture quoted by permission. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: This is my own opinion on the topic, which does not necessarily reflect the church's theology, or beliefs of the individuals in it — Nghi Nguyen
