A Closer Look at Romans 9

J.C. Thibodaux


Introduction   Probably the favorite "proof-text" for the Calvinist view of unconditional election is Romans 9, starting from about verses 6 and going through 27. Many people who don't buy Calvinism's claim of a very partial God find themselves a bit intimidated when an eager determinist spouts off as proof:

"Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will [have mercy], and whom He will He hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [What] if God, willing to shew [His] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not My people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not My people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved..."

Romans 9:6-27



Key Points

  Romans 9 is very telling about the nature of God and His work of salvation, yet many Christians and even pastors are so unlearned about this and similar scriptures that when someone quotes them, they are not sure what to think. Such an ignorance of Biblical doctrine even among clergy may be the cause of the recent surge in "Reformed Baptists" (Baptists who have embraced the five points of Calvinism). When an argument or piece of proof is submitted with only the bias of one side, it always seems to work in that side's favor -- often due to the bias through which it is viewed. But as we shall shortly see, evidence does not always imply what one tries to make it say; and sometimes, what evidence does not imply is as important as what it does.

Let's examine several key points in Romans 9:

"...but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

"What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."

"For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will [have mercy], and whom He will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [What] if God, willing to shew [His] wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory..."

  When faced with a sudden flood of alleged proof, it is hard for those who do not know their Bible well to respond to the Calvinist doctrinal assertions that:



Now let's examine these claims and the proof text used to back them up.


Does This Passage Indicate Unconditional Election?

"...but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

What the text does indicate: The concept of election is nothing new if you study your Bible. The scripture is quite clear that God chose us from the foundation of the world, so it should come as no surprise that we were chosen unto salvation before having done any good or evil. It is evident then that election is not according to works, but according to the will of God who calls us.

What the text does not indicate: It does not imply that God simply chooses some and rejects others in some seemingly arbitrary manner. It states that He loved Jacob and despised Esau, but gives no conditions or lack thereof. And while it is true that election is not according to works, it is according to the foreknowledge of God (Romans 8:29-30, 1 Peter 1:2), which would indicate that there are conditions concerning those whom He elects apart from their works. This text therefore lends no credence to the concept of unconditional election.


But Doesn't God Show Mercy to Whomever He Wills?

"What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."

As opposed to what? Showing mercy to whomever He does not will? Now that would make some interesting theology.

What the text does indicate: Paul is simply saying that God is perfectly just in choosing His elect before they are born, I don't recall disagreeing with that point. It also states plainly that God's mercy to His elect is not of us, but comes from Him.

What the text does not indicate: There is no hint that God requires nothing of those whom He chooses to save. In fact, the exact opposite is indicated throughout the scripture.

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

James 4:6 (see also Proverbs 3:34 and 1 Peter 5:5)


This would imply that election and receiving of God's grace are not earned or merited by works, but still conditional. Election coming from God and not from us and Him setting conditions to us receiving His mercy are not mutually exclusive ideas. To say that this passage of scripture implies that there are no conditions to receiving God's mercy simply because it is according is to His will is to flatly assume that God wills to elect people unconditionally -- a classic case of begging the question. This portion then is proof only of election, not unconditional election as has often been purported.


Doesn't God Harden the Hearts of Those Whom He Does Not Wish to Save?

"For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will [have mercy], and whom He will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [What] if God, willing to shew [His] wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory..."

What the text does indicate: That God both shows mercy and hardens the hearts of whom He wills, making some into vessels of His mercy and others into the vessels of His wrath by hardening them against the truth, and is not unrighteous in doing so.

What the text does not indicate: That God hardens the non-elect because He does not desire that they be saved.

  Reading this passage in a vacuum, Calvinists conclude that God must harden people because He simply does not want them to be saved (presumably because Christ did not die for them, what they call limited atonement). Based on this interpretation, they attack the meaning of passages like this regularly:

"For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have [i.e. desires] all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

1 Timothy 2:3-4


But the ninth chapter of Romans is meant to be interpreted in the context of the rest of the book it was written in as well; take a look at Romans chapter 1 (emphasis mine):

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [Him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity..."

Romans 1:18-29


  Far from the picture the Calvinists paint from the text a few chapters ahead in the same book, Romans 1 clearly states that God darkens peoples hearts and gives them over to a wicked mind because they reject and forget Him. Romans chapter 9 simply states that God hardens the hearts of whomever He wishes, which should be taken in the context of what Romans chapter 1 has already stated. This text is no proof of limited atonement or unconditional election; but it is proof of God's absolute power over the human heart, and that God bears with and uses even those who hate Him for His greater glory. I once watched a friend of mine who was quite a proficient potter at his wheel. A good potter has absolute control over the clay he molds; and in the same way, God's sovereignty extends to and supersedes the human will. Though the Bible does indicate that free will exists, it is apparent that it is a free will ultimately limited by the will of God. But this is no cause for concern if you remain in Christ and follow His teachings, for it is also written:

"Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. "

1 John 2:24



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