Experience of Grace #9 - Humble Gratitude
Description
In Romans 9:1–33, Mike Chilcoat reframes one of Scripture's most challenging chapters — showing that God's sovereignty over Israel's story is not a reason for confusion but for praise. If you've wrestled with predestination or grace, this message offers clarity and a reminder: the invitation to know God through Jesus is wide open to everyone.
Summary & Application
Romans 9 has a reputation. Most Christians who've spent time in Bible study have heard it described as "the hard chapter" — the one that raises uncomfortable questions about predestination, divine election, and whether God plays favorites. Mike walked into that reputation head-on in a recent message from our Experience of Grace series, and offered a perspective that may shift the way you read this passage entirely.
Setting the Stage
To understand Romans 9, Mike opened with a panoramic view of the first eleven chapters of Romans. Chapters 1–4 address justification — freedom from the penalty of sin through Christ's sacrifice. Chapters 5–8 address sanctification — the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit renewing us from the inside out. Beginning in chapter 9, Paul turns to a third major theme: God's sovereignty — specifically, how that sovereignty has operated throughout the story of Israel.
That distinction matters, because it shapes everything that follows.
The Question Paul Is Actually Answering
Here is the central reframe Mike offered: Romans 9 is almost universally read as a chapter about individual salvation and predestination. But as Mike walked through the passage's logic — its context within Romans, the audience Paul was writing to, and the Old Testament stories Paul chose to cite — a different subject comes into view. Paul is primarily addressing Israel's national status before God, not the individual eternal destinies of specific people.
The pastoral problem Paul is answering: if Jesus is the fulfillment of God's covenant promises, and if ethnic Israel largely rejected him, does that mean God's word has failed? Jesus himself had warned that the kingdom of God would be "taken away" from those who rejected him and "given to a people who will produce its fruit" (Matthew 21:43). Paul does not treat this as a contradiction of God's faithfulness — he treats it as evidence of it.
Romans 9:6 anchors the argument: "It is not as though God's word had failed." The covenant promise was never simply that every physical descendant of Abraham would receive it by default. It was always more specific, always working through God's sovereign choice, always maintained by grace rather than bloodline or effort.
Five Old Testament Stories, One Argument
To make his case, Paul works through five Old Testament examples of God's sovereign choice at the national level. Two receive the most attention.
The first is Isaac and Ishmael. Abraham had two sons, but the promise passed through Isaac — not because of anything Isaac did, but because of God's sovereign grace and his promise to Abraham. Theologian Norman Geisler has observed that "even though Israel as a nation was elect, nonetheless each individual had to accept God's grace by faith in order to be saved." National election and individual salvation are related, but they are not the same thing.
The second is Jacob and Esau. God announced his choice before either twin was born — before either had done anything good or bad (Romans 9:11). Mike was careful here: this is not God arbitrarily deciding the eternal fate of two individuals. It is God declaring which of two nations he will work through to fulfill his redemptive plan. Genesis 25:23 is explicit: "Two nations are in your womb." The hard phrase "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" (v. 13) is better translated as "favored more than" — a construction that appears in comparable form in Luke 14:26. This is the language of national priority, not individual condemnation.
Two Oars in the Water
This is where the larger theological tension surfaces — one Romans 9 has provoked for centuries. Mike named it directly: the Bible clearly teaches both God's sovereignty and human free will, and the honest response to that tension is not to resolve it artificially in one direction.
He used the image of a rowboat with two oars. Lean too hard on one — insisting that human choice is everything and God has no ultimate control — and you veer off course. Lean too hard on the other — insisting that God's sovereignty leaves no meaningful room for human response — and you veer the other way. Staying in the current requires holding both.
Most of the teaching staff at Orchard Hill, Mike acknowledged, land in the Reformed Calvinist tradition. But he was equally clear that this is not a license for arrogance. Charles and John Wesley, representing the Arminian tradition, were ministers of extraordinary faithfulness and fruitfulness. "That kind of arrogance," Mike said of theological tribalism, "does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
Perhaps the most honest framing is this: "God is sovereign, and he chose to give us choice." We trust that God sees in full what we see only in part.
The Invitation Is Wide Open
Whatever your convictions about election and predestination, the New Testament speaks with unambiguous clarity about one thing: the invitation to know God through Jesus Christ is open to anyone who wants to receive it.
Mike closed with three passages. Second Peter 3:9 says God is "patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." First Timothy 2:3–4 says God "wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." And John 3:16 — perhaps the most widely known verse in the Bible — says God gave his Son so that "whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life."
That word whoever is not incidental. It is the whole point. God's sovereignty over the history of nations does not narrow the invitation — it grounds it and guarantees it. He is not simply powerful enough to save; he actively desires to.
That, Mike said, is something worth praising God for.
For Reflection
What posture do you tend to bring when you encounter a passage of Scripture that feels difficult or unsettling — and how might "humble gratitude" for God's ways, even the parts you don't fully understand, reshape that posture?
How does the distinction between God's sovereign strategy for nations and his open invitation to individuals through Jesus change how you've thought about this chapter — or about the relationship between sovereignty and grace more broadly?
This post was developed with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on the sermon "Humble Gratitude" by Mike Chilcoat (Romans 9:1–33, June 13–14, 2026). While every effort has been made to faithfully represent the content and intent of the original message, readers are encouraged to engage the full sermon audio or transcript for the complete teaching.
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Norman Geisler
"Even though Israel as a nation was elect, nonetheless each individual had to accept God's grace by faith in order to be saved."
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Introduction
Hello, Orchard Hill. I am Mike Chilcoat. It is always so great to be with you all today. We are going to continue in our series in Romans. Today we are looking at Romans Chapter 9—certainly a challenging chapter, but it will be exciting to unpack together.
This has been an exciting couple of weeks for the Chilcoat family. On Friday, I celebrated with my very best friend, my wife Kimmy, our 28th wedding anniversary. She has put up with me for 28 years at this point—some kind of record. A couple of weekends ago, we had beautiful weather and a wonderful celebration: my daughter Kirsten got married. This is my second daughter to get married. We are super blessed to have her husband Nate in our lives. He is awesome. It was a truly incredible day with all the family together. Kirsty and Nate are two of my heroes, so it was really, really fun.
Maybe you have seen Father of the Bride with Steve Martin. There is a scene where all this chaos is happening and Steve Martin cannot even get a meal at his own daughter’s reception. Something similar happened to me. I was running around greeting everybody, finally grabbed a plate of food, and just as I sat down to watch the bridal party introduction, the person next to me—totally by accident—knocked over a full glass of water right onto my pants. I wasn’t going to make a big deal of it; I dabbed at it with some napkins and hustled back to watch the toasts. I moved to a different seat, and twenty seconds later, the person behind me spilled coffee all down my jacket and pants. I felt like I had jumped into a pond for the entire reception. But—and forgive the corny pun—it could not dampen the mood. It was an incredible blessing and an awesome time.
Overview of Romans 1–11
As we navigate Romans 9 this morning, it helps to categorize the first eleven chapters of Romans into three major components:
Romans 1–4: Justification — Freedom from the penalty of sin. We are justified before God because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. He died once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. All who are guilty are now justified; the floodgates of relationship with him are open.
Romans 5–8: Sanctification — Freedom from the power of sin. The Holy Spirit comes in and renovates our heart from the inside out, sanctifying and cleansing us, changing us from within.
Romans 9–11: God’s Sovereignty — God is in control. He sits on the throne. Romans 9 launches us into this sovereignty-of-God section.
The Question of Double Predestination
As you interact with Christians around the globe, you will inevitably encounter the theological belief called double predestination. This teaching holds that God has chosen that we do not have free will regarding whether we believe in Christ. Rather, God foreordains those who will go to heaven, while others will go to hell. The reason some believe in Christ is that God elected and irresistibly drew them to believe. The reason others do not believe is that God has hardened their hearts.
This is a hard and challenging teaching—it has been debated for thousands of years and is challenging from every angle. But as finite, created beings, we cannot say with integrity that anything God does is unfair. God is the Creator of the universe. In Romans 9:14–16, which we heard read a moment ago:
“What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all. For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”
Salvation is something God decides completely apart from our choice. It is his prerogative. He is not confined or restricted by anything. He is the ultimate Lord and Creator. His ways are not our ways. He is above us.
Getting Our Hearts Right Before This Passage
It is important for all of us to get our hearts right—to start with God’s domain and authority—as we humbly examine this passage. When we encounter something that feels unfair, we need to slow down and remember who we are talking about. God is in a position of authority, and it is good for us to be humbled by that.
Earlier in Romans 3:22–24, Paul addresses how individuals may be saved, making it abundantly clear that God offers forgiveness and relationship with him to anyone who wants to receive it by faith in Jesus:
“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Since Paul already walked through how salvation takes place in chapter 3, he now moves in Romans 9 to the issue of Israel’s status before God as a nation. Jesus warned the Jewish leaders that if they rejected Christ as the Messiah, God would suspend their status as his chosen people and give it to all believers. This is made clear in Matthew 21:43: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”
The True Subject of Romans 9: Israel’s National Status
Romans 9 is one of the most misunderstood chapters in the Bible. It is commonly read as being about individual salvation and predestination, but as we evaluate this passage from a 30,000-foot view and look at the entirety and context of Romans as a whole—as well as the audience Paul was addressing—we discover that Paul is primarily addressing a completely different subject: God’s national strategy. The subject of Romans 9 is Israel’s present status as a nation, not individual salvation. This theme continues through Romans 9, 10, and 11.
Paul affirms his love for his fellow Jews and praises God’s choice of them as the chosen people. He then points to several Old Testament examples to demonstrate that God has the right to change Israel’s status. As Romans 9:4–5 declares:
“The people of Israel—theirs is the adoption to sonship, the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised. Amen.”
These verses emphasize two things: we know God keeps his promises, and we cannot be separated from the love of God.
Five Old Testament Examples
Paul makes his case from five well-known Old Testament stories. Let’s look at a few:
1. Isaac and Ishmael
Romans 9:7 tells us that the promise was never that every descendant of Abraham would be made right with God. Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. How did God decide whether to make his nation from Ishmael or Isaac? According to Romans 9:7–9, it was not because of anything they did or didn’t do, but simply on the basis of God’s grace and his promise to Abraham and Sarah. As theologian Norman Geisler puts it: “Even though Israel as a nation was elect, nonetheless each individual had to accept God’s grace by faith in order to be saved.”
2. Jacob and Esau
God chose Israel through Isaac’s second son, Jacob, rather than his firstborn, Esau. Did God do this because Jacob earned it? Romans 9:10–12 tells us that God announced his choice before the twins were even born—before either of them had done anything good or bad. This was not about the individuals personally. Romans 9:12 references the two nations that would come from Jacob and Esau. This is confirmed in Genesis 25:23: “The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.’” Paul is tracing the national election of Israel down through history. This is about nations and God’s sovereign choice to work through whatever nation he pleases.
The expression in verse 13—“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated”—can be more accurately translated as “favored more than.” The same kind of expression is used in Luke 14:26. God sovereignly chooses which nation he would preserve and work through to fulfill his promise and plan.
Checkpoint: What Romans 9 Is and Isn’t About
Let’s call a timeout and summarize where we have been in Romans 9:
Are we talking about how people are saved? No.
Are we talking about whether God can be trusted to keep his promises? Yes.
Are we talking about individuals? No.
Are we talking about the nation of Israel? Yes, absolutely.
No one’s personal salvation is the main focus here. God is choosing which child will inherit his promise of national blessing. This is a non-primary issue in the sense that it is not about your salvation—though it is important and practically significant. We should approach it with humility and unity.
Moses, Pharaoh, and God’s National Strategy
Romans 9:16 says: “It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” The “it” here refers to God’s choice of nations. God chose to use the nation of Israel to reveal himself to the world, and that choice is not dependent on their behavior. God dictates his national strategy, not people. And thank God he does. What a comfort to know that an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, infinite God is in control.
Romans 9:18 says: “God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart does not refer to God preventing him from believing in him, but from letting Israel go. This verse also proves that neither the best nor the worst people can change how God decides things will go. Romans 9:15 references Moses—the hero and arguably the greatest man of the Old Testament—and even he could not influence or change God’s plan. Then verse 18 references Pharaoh, the worst enemy of the Old Testament—and even he could not thwart God’s national strategy. Whether you are the best or the worst, God will not be changed or modified in his plans.
The Potter and the Clay
Romans 9 and Jeremiah 18 both reference the metaphor of the potter and the clay. It is a powerful image for God’s sovereignty and domain, but it also highlights God’s loving conduct toward humanity—how he always leaves room for repentance and grace before calling down judgment. Those who reject Jesus, he will form into a pot for common use. Those who believe in Jesus—whether Jew or Gentile—he will form into a pot for honorable use. The floodgates are open. Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free.
The issue in Romans 9:19–24 is not God deciding each individual’s eternal destination, but rather God’s prerogative to change Israel’s role according to how they respond to his commands and instruction. Their response to Jesus is paramount.
Two Oars in the Water: Sovereignty and Free Will
There is a biblical tension here between two clearly taught concepts: God’s sovereignty and human free will. Understanding and practicing good theology is like staying inside the banks of a river with a rowboat. You have two oars in the water, and the tension and rhythm between them keeps you within the banks. If you lean too hard on one oar—saying it is only humankind’s choice and God has no ultimate control—you crash into one bank. If you lean too hard on the other—saying it is only God’s sovereignty and humankind has no choice—you crash into the other bank. The tension is good and necessary.
Calvinist theologians emphasize God’s sovereignty in salvation and election. Arminian theologians emphasize the free will and choice of the person. Most of the pastors, teachers, and staff at Orchard Hill would fall into what is called the Reformed Calvinist camp. However, I want to point out that I have love and respect for believers who lean toward an Arminian theological system. Teachers like Charles and John Wesley were great, highly respected ministers of the gospel. I share this to remind all of us to purge any arrogance or tribalism from our hearts when it comes to theology. That kind of arrogance does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Perhaps there is a third alternative: God is sovereign, and he chose to give us choice. We trust that God sees in full what we see only in part.
The Good News: The Invitation Is Wide Open
Consider these two additional scriptures as we hold the tension together. 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” And 1 Timothy 2:3–4: “This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
When it comes to the most important issue of your life—having a relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ—the Bible is clear that you have access to that right now. You do not have to wonder whether God really wants you to have this, because he has already told you emphatically that he does. He wants a relationship with you so much that he sent his Son to die for you. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.” The invitation is wide open. It is God’s loving right to include you in his plan as a child of God.
Praise God for His Sovereignty
In light of everything we have looked at in Romans 9, let me close with this:
• Praise God for his sovereignty. Praise God that he sees all.
• Praise God for his ultimate plan and incredible power, that he is limited by nothing.
• Praise God for his plan to pursue and rescue mankind—that he did not leave us in the state we were in, but came with the ultimate rescue plan.
• Praise God that Jesus willingly laid down his life for you and for me, under no compulsion.
• Praise God that he has a plan for your life—that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, that God’s fingerprints are all over you, and that he has plans of hope and a future for you.
I will end with the doxology at the close of Romans 9–11, Romans 11:33–36:
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
God is sovereign, and he is just, and he is worthy of our praise. We can trust him.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for this opportunity to dive into Romans 9 today, to look at your promises and how you always fulfill them, and to trust you in your path. We are so grateful for the opportunity to have a relationship with you, and we are so grateful for your plan—a plan not limited by our sin or our inability to know you fully. Lord God, we pray right now for those who may be on the fence about what it looks like to have a relationship with you—that they lean in, that they look at you as just and all-powerful, and that they decide to come into relationship with you. In your name we pray. Amen.
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AI-Generated Transcript Disclaimer
This transcript was generated and edited with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). While every effort has been made to accurately represent the content and intent of the original sermon, AI-assisted transcription and editing may contain errors, omissions, or unintentional paraphrasing. Filler words and informal verbal asides have been removed, and grammar has been lightly corrected for readability. This document is intended as a ministry aid and should not be treated as a verbatim, word-for-word record of the message as delivered. For the most accurate representation of the sermon, please refer to the original audio or video recording.
