Paul expresses his anguish and pain for his own people, the chosen race, the seed of Abraham, who cannot perceive that the culmination of every promise of God is found in Christ. As a Pharisee, he grew up immersed in the teachings of the law, which were his bread and butter; day in and day out, he analyzed the laws and relied on their adherence to ensure safe passage into God’s kingdom. But now, he feels ousted from his own community for the sake of the Good News he discovered on the road to Damascus when he finally met the Messiah.
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel.
Romans 9:3 (NIV)
Do we have such thoughts that it is better to be cut off from God and live in peace with the world?
Sometimes we too feel that it would be nice to be accepted in our community. That we can abandon our walks with God for a time to spend with our friends and family and be at peace with them. But we must also remember that the mission of Jesus was not to set us right with our families but to bring us peace with His Father.
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.
Matthew 10:34-36 (NIV)
Jesus’s call is not to abandon our families or neglect them, but rather a heads-up that as He draws us closer to the Father, there will be those in our lives who do not wish to join us or may want us to remain with them instead of pursuing a relationship with the Father. In that moment, our determination to stay on the path may encounter hostility. Our response should always be filled with love, not hate, towards those who oppose us for making such a choice, allowing God to work in their lives as well. When God is ready to work in their lives through us, we may have the opportunity to positively impact their lives if they allow us back in.
We need to recognize that on our own, we cannot make a difference in anyone’s life. Also, we might abandon our own walks with God if we try to force others to walk in His ways. If we need a companion to go for a morning walk every day, someone to talk to and make the walk easier, there is a high probability that on days when they are not available to join us, we might also be tempted to skip our walk. Similarly, in our walks with God, if we don’t want to walk with God alone and feel we need a companion to join us, the moment our companion abandons their walk with God, we too will leave God.
The Children of Promise
Paul explains that God’s promise has not failed, because being part of God’s people is not based on physical ancestry alone. Not everyone descended from Abraham belongs to the family of promise. God chose Isaac, the son promised to Sarah, through whom the covenant would continue. Therefore, God’s children are those who receive His promise by faith, rather than those who merely share Abraham’s bloodline.
…it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
Romans 9:8 (NIV)
What is the difference between children of physical descent and children of God’s promise?
The difference between children of physical descent and children of God’s promise is not found in birth, heritage, or religious background, but in faith and obedience to God’s word. The Pharisees believed that because they were descendants of Abraham, they automatically belonged to God. Yet Jesus showed that true sonship comes through believing and living according to God’s promise.
While children of physical descent can become comfortable and assume they know God, their hearts may remain far from Him. Children of God’s promise, however, are filled with His Spirit and seek to live according to His will. Eve rejoiced when Cain was born, yet physical birth alone did not produce a godly life. In contrast, Samuel, John the Baptist, and Jesus were children of promise, set apart for God’s purpose and living in obedience to Him.
It is similar to the difference between an heir who assumes the inheritance is already theirs and therefore becomes careless, and a broken person who gratefully receives a gift and lives responsibly because of it. Those who have received God’s promise recognise that much has been entrusted to them. As Jesus taught, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.” Having received the light of the gospel, believers cannot claim that the road is dark. Children of God’s promise walk in the light they have received and live according to God’s purpose for their lives.
Jacob & Esau
…Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad —in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Romans 9:10-13 (NIV)
Does God actually hate Esau while loving Jacob?
Paul is drawing from the words of the prophet Malachi. The expression should not be understood through human emotions alone. Just as mankind cannot fully comprehend the depth of God’s love, neither can we fully understand what is meant when God speaks of “hate.” Looking at Jacob’s life, there is little in his conduct that would explain why he was chosen, or “loved” by God.
During Malachi’s era, a deep-seated rivalry existed between Israel and Edom, the offspring of Jacob and Esau. Naturally, the Israelites believed themselves to be God’s chosen people while viewing Edom as forsaken. But God’s rejection of Edom and selection of Israel was only to be the nation destined to fulfil His covenant plans. Despite Esau being the firstborn—who would typically be expected to inherit—God chose the younger brother, Jacob, to fulfil His divine purpose.
This can be compared to having ten ewe lambs, but only five being selected for sacrifice. The chosen lambs are not selected because they are better than the others; they are simply chosen for a particular purpose. In the same way, Israel was chosen by God to fulfil His covenant plan, demonstrating that God’s purposes are accomplished through His calling rather than through human expectations or achievements.
Paul teaches that salvation and God’s purposes are not achieved through human effort, desire, or merit, but through God’s mercy. Using Pharaoh as an example, Paul shows that God can use even those who oppose Him to accomplish His purposes and display His power. Therefore, God sovereignly chooses when to show mercy and when to harden hearts, according to His will, so that His name and glory may be made known throughout the earth.
Pawn in God’s Plans?
One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?
Romans 9:19 (NIV)
This is a question that troubles many hearts: If God is sovereign over our destiny and has already determined His plan, do we truly have free will, or are we merely passengers whose lives depend entirely on God’s mercy and grace?
We all possess free will; the fact that God knows our hearts and utilises them to achieve His purpose does not imply that we lack control over our actions. This knowledge does not excuse us from blaming God or attributing our sins to a lack of free will or to our circumstances. Instead, it is our sinful desires that lead us away from Him.
God knew that mankind (Adam) would eat the fruit of the forbidden tree; yet, He did not take preventive measures and allowed them to live near it. He equipped them with everything they needed, provided guidance on how to live, and visited them each day in the cool of the evening to help them understand His heart and the plans He had for them. However, they rejected His offer and gave in to the desires of their hearts. How can we then blame God for any choice we make with our free will?
Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
Romans 9:21 (NIV)
The Creator has the right to accomplish His purposes as He wills, just as a potter has authority over the clay he shapes. Yet God’s sovereignty is not displayed merely through judgment but also through His extraordinary patience and mercy. Just because God used Judas in His redemptive plan, because of his hatred for Jesus or his love of money, does not imply that Judas lacked options or free will; he was not merely a passive participant in God’s plans. He could have changed his heart, refrained from betraying Jesus, and become like Simon Peter, the rock upon which the Church is built.
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”
Romans 9:25 (NIV)
Though mankind repeatedly rejects Him and deserves destruction, God patiently endures rebellion so that the riches of His mercy may be revealed to those who respond to His call. His plan has always extended beyond Israel to include the Gentiles, fulfilling His promises that those who were once far from Him would become His people and His beloved children.
The Jordan Valley 
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