(for they not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
Truth to Learn
The important thing is God’s choice, not our works.
Behind the Words
“Not yet” is from the Greek word mēpō. It is made up of mē, the qualified negative and pō, which means “even” or “yet.” It specifically refers to action that has not yet happened.
The word translated “election” is eklogē. This word is made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and a form of legō, meaning “to choose or select.” Thus we see that eklogē means “to choose out” or “to select from.” The Complete Word Study Dictionary defines eklogē this way:
Election, the benevolent purpose of God by which any are chosen unto salvation so that they [the chosen ones] are led to embrace and persevere in Christ's bestowed grace and the enjoyment of its privileges and blessings here and hereafter.
Meaning Explained
Paul has been talking about who the real “children of God” are, that is, who the ones are that are chosen for righteousness. This choosing is based on God’s decision and actions, not on ours. In the previous few verses Paul talked about Isaac being the son of the promise, not Ishmael. Even though Ishmael was the first son born to Abraham, he was not the one to receive God’s blessing because he was not the son of promise.
Paul is now talking about Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Isaac. In this and the following verses Paul will make it clear that God chose Jacob and not Esau (Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated). But, so that the argument can’t be made that the choice was due to Jacob’s obedience and Esau’s disobedience (which certainly is not the case since Jacob was clearly the more deceptive of the two), Paul declares here that the choice was made before either of them was born. Not only does Paul point out that God’s choice occurred before they were born, but he makes a special point of the fact that neither one of them had done any good or evil. The major point in this verse is that God’s choosing of Jacob over Esau was according to God’s election, and it was not based on obedience or any other thing that either of them did.
Paul says that it was God’s purpose to choose Jacob, not based on his works. There are Christians who believe that God “foreknew” who would accept Christ as Lord and Savior and, based on this, chose them to be saved. (See our study on Romans 8:29 to understand the problem with this false thinking.) But, according to Paul in this verse, this cannot be the case because it says that the purpose of God in His election is not based on a person’s works but on God’s calling. He says that it was God’s choice not Jacob’s actions that resulted in his being chosen.
That’s God’s sovereign election! He chooses us. We do not choose Him. As hard as this is to accept by many of us, it is exactly what the Bible teaches!
Application
Believe what you may about man’s free will versus God’s election, Paul very clearly teaches it is God’s choice that matters. Since the book of Romans is part of God’s inspired word, it is God’s teaching. As for me, regarding election:
God said it. I believe it. That settles it!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved