Let us consider these scriptures. Accept my apologies for being a little long.
9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
What shall we say then?
Paul brought this section of his argument about election in Israel to an intermediate conclusion, with this common rhetorical question of his (4:1; 6:1; 7:7; 9:14). In this chapter he declared election and reprobation in Israel (9:6), illustrated it by the patriarchs’ families (9:7-13),
proved it by theology (9:14-24), and
proved it by their O.T. scriptures (9:25-29). He included Gentiles in 9:24,
but they are not the main theme of these three chapters, and it should be recalled they were included from the beginning (
Rom 1:13-16;
2:17-29;
3:29-30;
4:9-17; etc.). However, to further exacerbate Israel’s situation and make a comparison, he mentioned them in this verse to identify a difficult thing ~
their reception of the gospel against Israel’s rejection of it. Here is the first mention of the gospel in this chapter and the response to it by Gentiles and Israel. The gospel, justification, righteousness, and faith were dealt with thoroughly already (chaps. 3-5). Paul here mentioned to his readers ~
Gentiles showed a better response to the gospel. As Gentiles, we should rejoice and be bound to give thanks for God’s salvation of us (2nd The 2:13). There are two aspects to our reception of the gospel in this letter to those called to be saints in Rome:
election and no superstition about the Law.
Lets us note there is no mention of unconditional salvation or reprobation in verse 9:6
Romans 9:6 (KJV 1900) — 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Paul argues first it is not just the physical children of Abraham
Romans 9:7–8 (KJV 1900) — 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 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.
it should be noted that although Ismael was not the selected seed he was not unconditionally reprobate, doomed to suffer in eternity
Genesis 21:12–20 (KJV 1900) — 12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. 14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
then he shows within that God is sovereign in selecting within the line of Isaac a particular peoples for service. A people who would carry his message to the world and bring forth the messiah, That would be Jacob (Israel) rather than Esau (edom)
as
Romans 9:10–13 (KJV 1900) — 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (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
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12 It was said unto her,
The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
which is a quote from
Genesis 25:23 (KJV 1900) — 23 And the LORD said unto her,
Two nations are in thy womb, And
two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; And the one people shall be stronger than the other people; And
the elder shall serve the younger.
Esau never served Jacob but his descendants Edom did serve David.
Romans 9:13 (KJV 1900) — 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
this is fulfilled Here
Malachi 1:1–4 (KJV 1900) — 1 THE burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: Yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, And laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, But we will return and build the desolate places; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; And they shall call them, The border of wickedness, And, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
in God indignation against Edom not Jacob personally
the “hatred” was conditioned upon the Edomites attack upon Israel Obad 1:10
Obadiah 10–13 (KJV 1900) — 10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, And thou shalt be cut off for ever. 11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, In the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, And foreigners entered into his gates, And cast lots upon Jerusalem, Even thou wast as one of them. 12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; Neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; Neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity: Yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, Nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;
God has the right to select who he makes covenant with and there is no unrighteousness in his doing so
So what is Israel was to receive through covenant with God
Romans 9:4–5 (KJV 1900) — 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
unconditional salvation was not among the blessings
Romans 9:14–15 (KJV 1900) — 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 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.
And he sets the grounds upon which he shows mercy
This is a quote from Exodus 33:19. Remember, the biggest mistake people make when reading the NT is ignoring the context of quoted passages from the OT. So let us look at the context, which we know Paul knew very well. Back in the Exodus context and prior to the verse quoted, Israel had rebelled against God in the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) while Moses was on the mountain receiving revelation from God. God told Moses to go down from the mountain because the people had corrupted themselves (Exodus 32:7). They were a stiff-necked people (32:9) and God offered to destroy the nation and start over with Moses (Exo 32:10). Moses then interceded for the rebels, appealing to God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Jacob) (Exo 32:11-14). God then relented of the initial course to destroy them (so much for determinism). When Moses descended the mountain he dealt directly with the golden calf incident. At his invitation, his own tribe of Levi came together with him to destroy the rebels, and “three thousand men” died in judgement that day (Exo 32:15-29). The next day Moses told the people they “committed a great sin,” but he would appeal to God to see if atonement could be made for them. He then made intercession for them. However, God let Moses know that punishment was coming to those who sinned against Him because of the idolatry of calf worship (Exo 32:30-35).
Exodus 33 continues the event. God instructs Moses to continue on to the Promised Land and that He would give the guidance of His angel, but He would not be among them because of the sin. His presence among them could cause them to be consumed because they are a “stiff-necked people.” When the people heard this, it resulted in a great mourning among them (Exo 33:1-6). Moses then made a temporary tabernacle separated from the camp which enabled a separation between himself and the nation (33:7-11). Then Moses appealed to God for His presence to go with them (Exo 33:12-16). This was something that Moses was accustomed to because God spoke “face to face” (Exo 33:11) with him and he experienced God’s presence in the “cloud” (Exodus 19:9, 24:16, 18). Finally, God granted Moses’ request because Moses found grace in God’s sight (Exo 33:17).
Here also those who oppose God such as Pharoah
Romans 9:17–23 (KJV 1900) — 17 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. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
As well as Israelites
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 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? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 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: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Above we see the rise of an interlocutor
WHO IS THE OBJECTOR IN ROMANS 9?
Paul used a literary device called "diatribe" by which he would anticipate the objections of his audience. Discovering who the objector is in the mind of the inspired apostle tells us everything we need to know to discern his soteriological position. Let's consider the two options side by side:
Calvinism: The objector is an non-elect, salvifically hated reprobate who God has chosen from before the foundation of the world to pass over in a sovereignly decreed fallen condition from birth -- a completely hardened condition from the time they are born until the time they die and thus without hope of salvation EVER.
Non Calvinism: The objector is a Jew, who has freely rebelled in the face of God’s loving patience for generations (Rm. 10:21; Mt. 23:37), but who is now stumbling, being cut off, and hardened in their rebellion so as to accomplish a greater redemptive good through their rebellion. However, though he has stumbled he has not stumbled beyond recovery (Rm 11:12); though he has been hardened he may be provoked to envy and saved (Rm 11:14); though he has been cut off from the vine he may be grafted back in if he leaves his unbelief (Rm 11:23).
Romans 9:22–29 (KJV 1900) — 22 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: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 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. 27 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: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
These are vesels of wrath fitted by their own obstinate rebellion for destruction
He endured these with much long suffering
as seen here
Romans 10:19–21 (KJV 1900) — 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
Israel wass not a victim of unconditional election but of their own stubborn obstinate rebellion
Their failure is summed up by Paul in the Following verses
Romans 9:30–33 (KJV 1900) — 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
righteousness is not a result of unconditional election but of faith
God has every rightr to preovide mercy and righteousness upon those that believe and with-hold it from those that do not
There is nothing at all about unconditional salvastion in Romans 9