God’s Sovereign Choice

It is not as though God’s word(A) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.(B) Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[a](C) In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,(D) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.(E) For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”[b](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
  2. Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”[a] though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 9:7 Gen 21:12.
  2. 9:9 Gen 18:10, 14.

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose(A)

(B)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For (C)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, (D)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, (E)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but (F)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: (G)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

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