Romans 9:6-13
Paul is telling the Romans that the word of God has not failed for not every descendant of Abraham was indeed a child of God: God choose some as opposed to others. Isaac was chosen over Ishmael, who was also a child of Abraham, albeit to the slave Hagar, and Jacob was chosen over his older twin Esau. To belong to the Promise didn’t just depend on being Jewish by birth (a descendant of Abraham) but in God choosing (or electing) to save a person. You can begin to see the great Reformation doctrine of election here, can’t you? Why Isaac and not Ishmael, or Jacob and not Esau, is one of the difficulties we, as heirs to God’s Promise, just have to get on with.
Paul is telling the Romans that the word of God has not failed for not every descendant of Abraham was indeed a child of God: God choose some as opposed to others. Isaac was chosen over Ishmael, who was also a child of Abraham, albeit to the slave Hagar, and Jacob was chosen over his older twin Esau. To belong to the Promise didn’t just depend on being Jewish by birth (a descendant of Abraham) but in God choosing (or electing) to save a person. You can begin to see the great Reformation doctrine of election here, can’t you? Why Isaac and not Ishmael, or Jacob and not Esau, is one of the difficulties we, as heirs to God’s Promise, just have to get on with.