Romans 9
...I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers... But it is not as though the word of God has failed...
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise... though they... had done nothing either good or bad--in order that God's purpose of election might continue...
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But 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?"
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...
Paul is saying he wishes he could take the place of his fellow Jews who are rejecting the Christ. He wanted to be a substitute for them, being cut off from God so that they might have access to Him. But then he recognized that God extends His promise and election to whoever He chooses.
There is a theme throughout this chapter. Something that doesn't seem to quite add up. Why would God allow His chosen people (the Jews) to reject Him? Why would He choose Jacob over Esau even before they had done anything to set them apart? It sounds like Paul hadn't completely come to terms with this. He still wanted to change what God had chosen and take the place of the Jews who God did not choose. But he recognized that God has the divine right to do whatever He sees as best. God chooses who He will, elects who He will, and we have no right to question/accuse our maker.
So the next question is, if we cannot resist the will of God can we really be blamed for what we do? The interesting thing to me is that Paul doesn't directly answer the question he poses. Instead he says, who are you to answer back to God?
And then he poses a what-if. What if God acts in this seemingly inexplicable way in order to make known His power and glory? What if there is a bigger picture than we, as the vessels of clay, can see. But God the potter knows what is best?
So I come back full circle. God has the divine right to do as He pleases.
