Unconditional Election Refuted

Romans 9 is often used to defend the heresy of unconditional election. "He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens" and "does not the potter have power over the clay" is often quoted to support this view.

But Paul deals here with Israel and the Gentiles as groups of people. Not how individuals are predestined to either salvation or damnation.

In Jeremiah we read: "For they shall 𝗔𝗟𝗟 know me, says the LORD", (Jer. 31:34). The word "all" does not support an election of "some". Immediately follows the assurance that God will not reject Israel's posterity because of its many sins (31:34-37).

Isaiah prophesied that "𝗔𝗟𝗟 the offspring of Israel will be justified," (Isa. 45:25). This is the basis for Paul's expectation that "𝗔𝗟𝗟 Israel will be saved," (Rom. 11:26).

But before God saves 𝗔𝗟𝗟 Israel, He calls out of her midst the church. But not on the basis of their better conduct. Just look at Paul himself, a persecutor of the church transformed by Jesus. If God wants to show mercy, no one is going to stop him: "So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy." God "has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires," (Rom. 9:16-18).

But in Romans 11 we discover that God desires to have mercy on 𝗔𝗟𝗟. So how does this work out?

God hardens some, but 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗬. This is a great mystery. God hardens, but the road of hardening and of judgment has only one goal: a 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 of their rebellion.

Paul uses the hardening of Pharaoh as an analogy. Isaiah explains: "The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the LORD on that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it...The Lord will strike Egypt, He will strike and 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟 it; they will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟 them," (Isa. 19:21-22).

Paul uses another analogy about the potter, who "makes out of the same clay one object for special use and another for ordinary use". Paul does not have "predestination" as Calvinists know it in mind. He talks about how God has a plan for 𝗔𝗟𝗟, but how it plays out differently in the scheme of redemption.

Presently some are "objects of mercy", and others of "wrath". But what does God do to the "children of wrath"? The Book of Ephesians tells us: He makes them children of God, (Eph. 2:3-5). "We were by nature children of wrath," Paul said. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love...made us alive together with Christ"

Paul borrowed the image of the potter from Isaiah 45. The entire chapter speaks only of God's redemptive activity: "Turn to me and be saved, 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛"; and "to me 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 knee shall bow, 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 tongue shall say: Surely in the Lord I have righteousness," (22-24).

This saving work of God takes people through judgment, but it climaxes in a hymn of praise. And therefore Paul's conclusion is: "and so 𝗔𝗟𝗟 Israel will be saved"; and He will "have mercy on 𝗔𝗟𝗟," (Rom. 11:26, 32).