Children of the Promise: A Meditation on Romans 9

 

Our readings in St. Paul’s letter to the church at Rome begin a transition in chapter nine, where he discusses the distinction between the Gentile Church and the Jewish nation.  His lament, that he could wish himself accursed from Christ so that his ethnic people might be saved, is one that rings in the ears of many Christians even today.  How many of us have looked out into the world, perhaps at our own families, and wished we could take their suffering upon ourselves so that they could avoid the judgment they are piling up for themselves?  But St. Paul takes his sorrow for his people, and by the Holy Spirit, teaches us something about the nature of faith versus ethnicity.

Here we learn, that God is much less interested in ethnic or cultural ties, than He is about making promises and keeping them.  Why does God choose Abram from among all the people of the earth?  It wasn’t because he was particularly holy or pious, but rather because he would believe the promise of God, and God would impute his faith as righteousness.  The same questions reverberate down through the millennia, as God chooses one and not another—from the children of Abraham (Isaac versus Ishmael,) to the Patriarchs of the 12 tribes, to Moses, to Joshua, to the Judges, to the Kings, to the Prophets, to the Apostles.  God chooses some, and rejects others.  It is a hard reality, but the Scriptures declare it.

Of course, being the sinful people we are, we much prefer to think we are chosen because of some intrinsic value in ourselves.  We like to think our national or cultural heritage is better than others, or that our genetics are superior to those of others (which is, of course, how the 20^th century’s evil Eugenics movement began.)  We like to think we are particularly clever, pious, or charismatic, so that God’s choice reveals us to be of merit.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  God declares to us that all have fallen short of His glory, all have run after wickedness, and all of us together have become unprofitable.  God’s choices amongst men have nothing to do with the intrinsic merit of man, but everything to do with the infinite love and mercy of God.

In this way, St. Paul is able to see the distinction between the ethnic Jews who repudiated Christ (many of which maintained control of the Temple, becaming the Rabbinic leaders after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD,) and the people of every ethnicity who embraced Christ (Jews included, himself as evidence.)  For God, the issue was not primarily related to ethnicity, but to faith in His promise, so that whoever would call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, would be saved by His grace.  Thus, whether they were people of the Old Testament epochs, or the people of the New Testament era, the rule of faith was the same:  God’s people, His children, are children of His promise, living by His grace through faith in Him.

But not everyone will believe His promise, which is a sad reality of the sinful disposition of mankind.  The Jewish people of Jesus’ day who rejected Christ, rejected the salvation Jesus offered through His Gospel.  They refused to live by grace through faith, and rejecting Jesus, chose to stand before God on the merit of their own works.  St. Paul could see the end of such faithlessness, knowing that by the works of the Law no flesh shall be saved.  But he also knew that God would compel no one to love and trust in Him, because love compelled is no love at all.  For those who refuse God, they do so out of their own sinful and corrupted hearts, preferring their darkness to His Light.  God does not choose anyone for hell—we do that ourselves.  God’s promise of life and salvation through His Son goes out to the whole creation, so that all who will believe, will live, because God desires all people to be saved through His Son.

It is in this way that God, by the power of His Holy Spirit,  continues to call, gather, enliven and enlighten everyone who will believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Working by Word and Sacrament, the Spirit leads dead and wicked sinners to hear the blessed promise of forgiveness, life, and salvation which Jesus brings to us through His Cross and Passion.  The promise of eternal life is given freely, just as the life of Jesus was laid down freely, so that men might no longer measure themselves against one another by their own works or merits, but rather see themselves once again as brothers and sisters of the promise.

And so the promise comes to us all, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, slave or free, Norwegian or Polynesian:  for God is no respecter of persons.  And to us all, regardless of our nation, our culture, our social status, or anything else we may think pridefully of ourselves, comes the promise of life to all who will repent and believe the Gospel.  Even so, the Gospel comes to you, calling you to be a child of God’s promise—calling you to repent, believe, and live. 

Amen.