Romans 9

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The apostle's concern that his countrymen were strangers to the gospel

I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
That I am full of sorrow and pain without end. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh: For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God: 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;
Whose are the fathers, and of whom came Christ in the flesh, who is over all, God, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

The promises are made good to the spiritual seed of Abraham

But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel: Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed. 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 God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac-- And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
Before the children had come into existence, or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose and his selection might be effected, not by works, but by him whose purpose it is, (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 to her, The older will be the servant of the younger. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Answers to objections against God's sovereign behaviour, in exercising mercy and justice

What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity. 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 by the desire or by the attempt of man, but by the mercy of God. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
For the holy Writings say to Pharaoh, For this same purpose did I put you on high, so that I might make my power seen in you, and that there might be knowledge of my name through all the earth. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose? Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so? 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?
Or has not the potter the right to make out of one part of his earth a vessel for honour, and out of another a vessel for shame? 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, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction: What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory, 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, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles? Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

This sovereignty is in God's dealing both with Jews and Gentiles

As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved. 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 in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be named the sons of the living God. 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.
And Isaiah says about Israel, Even if the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only a small part will get salvation: 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:
For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short. For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
And, as Isaiah had said before, If the Lord of armies had not given us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah. 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.

The falling short of the Jews is owing to their seeking being counted upright, not by faith, but by the works of the law

What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way; Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
As it is said, See, I am putting in Zion a stone causing a fall, and a rock in the way: but he who has faith in him will not be put to shame. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
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