Family Study Guide for Romans 9

November 10 – November 16, 2005
(Read Romans 9 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 9 by Pastor Dave McIntyre, Senior Pastor Calvary EFC

Let’s face it: there are things in life that are much bigger than we are! How does gravity work? Why does the earth stay in orbit around the sun? How is it that you can fill a cup slightly over the top...and the water stays in (Try it...you’ll be amazed)? Why does a high pitched sound break a glass? How is it that teens never see the piles of clothes on their bedroom floor? Life is filled with things that we just can’t fully understand!

So what do we do when we can’t understand? Some ignore the issue...others struggle, trying to figure it out for themselves. There are explanations for many of the questions man raises about the world in which we live, but when it comes to the greatness of God, there are some things that are just too big for us to fully grasp!! We’re coming to one of those “too big to fully grasp” passages of Scripture in Romans 9-11...so hold onto your seat!! It has been the subject of debate for centuries. Theologians have actually come up with names to summarize their convictions on the topic you begin studying this week in Romans 9. Some people are called “Calvinists” because of their interpretation of these chapters and others are called “Arminians” because of their convictions.

This section of Scripture is all about God’s sovereignty (meaning: His absolute rule over the universe) and it will “make your head hurt” as you try to understand it. Each of these three chapters fit closely together in Paul’s argument and in chapter 9 we find Paul emphasizing the absolute authority God possesses and the way it shapes the lives of men.

Paul describes God’s choice of Abraham and then more specifically Isaac’s descendants, and then even more specifically Jacob’s descendants, the Israelites. Further, God’s Word to Pharaoh (vs 16-18) reveals that God is sovereignly working through Pharaoh to accomplish His purposes. Why do these things occur? Because God was sovereignly at work!!

When Paul imagines someone raising a logical challenge to this truth (vs 19f), he answers it by saying that God’s ways can’t be questioned by man because man isn’t God...never will be God...and is too limited to understand what God fully grasps. We are like lumps of clay, Paul says. What right does the clay have to tell the potter what type of pot it wants to be? That’s absurd! The potter has the wisdom, skill and understanding to do what is best with that lump of clay for his purposes to be accomplished. So it is with our wise, loving, good Heavenly Father. He is Sovereign, but we can trust Him because He is also Good...even when we don’t fully understand.

One more thing that can easily be lost in our discussion of God’s sovereignty is the powerful example we see in vs 1-5. Read those verses slowly and let them sink in!! If you want to know what made Paul a super-evangelist who never met a lost person he didn’t want to share the gospel with...this is it! Paul had Jesus’ heart for lost people. He had such a love for his people the Jews that he could even wish that he be cut off from Christ, if it would result in the unsaved Jews coming to know Jesus. THAT’S THE REAL DEAL, PEOPLE: CHRIST’S HEART FOR THE LOST!!

Questions to Consider:

• When have you wondered about how much of your life is your own, and how much is controlled by God?
• When have you been forced to trust in God, when events were beyond your control? How did God show Himself to be good?
• If God is sovereign, why does He allow people to NOT be saved? How does Free Will mix into all of this?

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

5. God’s Righteousness Revealed in Sovereign Choice (9:1-11:36)
a. God’s sovereign choice enunciated (9:1-29)
b. God’s sovereign choice applied (9:30-10:21)

Finish the Verses for this Chapter:

No FTVs for this week. You may want to take the time to memorize some more from Romans 8

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. The Lord will carry out his SENTENCE where?
2. I will call her 'my loved one' who is what?
3. 2 Part : Does not the POTTER have the right to make out of the same LUMP of CLAY WHAT?
4. Who will serve the YOUNGER?
5. What might stand, not by works but by him who calls?
6. 2 Part : Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have what?
7. Who are the objects of his mercy?
8. My conscience CONFIRMS it how?
9. Reference : According to Romans 9:17, Scripture says what?
10. It is not the natural children who are what?
11. Who did not PURSUE righteousness?
12. Your offspring will be RECKONED how?
13. What is by faith?
14. 3 Part : Whose is the adoption as sons?
15. Reference : According to Romans 9:13, what is written?
16. Situation What says it? To whom?: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might DISPLAY my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
17. The Gentiles did not what?
18. Theirs is the adoption how?
19. ESAU I what?
20. Only the remnant will what?

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