READ: Rom. 9:24–29 … I will call them My people, who were not My people … And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God. … The remnant will be saved.
Paul now addresses all believers from Israel and from the Gentile nations. God has remained faithful to His promise to Abraham that His covenant, with its promises and blessings, would extend to his descendants from the people of Israel and also to all the Gentile nations. These all have now been called by Him: they receive faith in Christ and, together with the remnant of Israel, form the true offspring of Abraham, the church of Christ.
Indeed, the Gentiles were formerly not God’s people and were not beloved, but, being called by God, they are now in Christ and through the faith granted in Him, they too may now call themselves children of the living God.
For both Jews and Gentiles, it is true that God has called them to become His children. For all, this is pure grace. Thus the prophecy of Hosea is fulfilled (Hos. 2:23; 1:10).
At the same time, this means that many are not called. Paul points to this in verse 27. Though the Jewish people are so numerous, only a small remnant remains who may call themselves children of the living God and who will be saved in the great judgment.
Yet even in this, God’s grace is revealed. This remnant also is saved only by God’s electing grace. Isaiah’s words retain their force for people who are by nature corrupt (v.29): “Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah.”
In this also the LORD remains faithful to His promises given to Abraham (v.28). Thus there is every reason for Christ-believers from Israel and from the Gentiles to glory in God’s gracious election and mercy. There is absolutely no human work involved.
Moreover, the true church today, which is also only a remnant of the once so-large Christian church worldwide, must realize that it is likewise solely by God’s gracious election and calling that she may be saved.
How has the Lord called you?
Sing: Ps. 95:3