Paul is speaking truth in Christ. He had sorrow in his heart. He wished he was damned and cut off for the sake of his fellow Jews. To them belong adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, the promises, the patriarchs, and from their race in the flesh came Jesus Christ who is God over all. The Word of God hasn’t failed. Not all who descended from Israel belong to Israel, not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” The children of God are the children of promise. The promise was that Sarah would have Isaac, and Rebekah would have twins – though they were not yet born and hadn’t done good or bad – but in order that God’s purpose of election might continue because of him who calls – God loved Jacob and hated Esau. God’s not unjust, He told Moses He would have mercy on whom He has mercy and compassion on whom He has compassion. It depends not on human will but God who has mercy. Even as Scripture says about Pharaoh that God would show His power through him. God has mercy on whomever He wills and hardens whomever He wills. You might ask, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay to make one for honorable use and another for dishonorable? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory – even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? This fulfills the Bible in Hosea and Isaiah. The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, a righteousness that is by faith. Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. They didn’t pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They stumbled over Christ.
Praise God for His unsearchable wisdom, kindness and goodness that is displayed in His predestining a people and choosing a people through Jesus Christ. It can be tempting for our hearts to react to God’s choosing thinking it’s not fair. That if God is sovereign in salvation and electing His people that somehow he is unjust in finding fault. But we are responsible for resisting His will. Who are we to answer back to God? Only trust in His sovereignty and bask in the mystery of His will to save His people. “Why was I made to hear His voice and enter while there’s room, while thousands make a wretched choice and rather starve than come.”