If you recall, Romans was written to the church in Roman that started off as a Jewish assembly. The gospel was then preached to the Gentiles so it became a mixed church. Then Nero kicked all the Jews out of Rome and the Gentiles took over the church. Now as the Jewish believers return, they are not welcomed in the church. Paul writes the church to advise that it is not Jew or Gentile, not by conscience or the Law that people become believers but rather it is by faith in Jesus Christ.
Anguish of Heart
If you read the end of chapter 8, Paul declares that nothing can separate the believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord. Now, in Romans Chapter 9 Israel becomes Paul’s focus and the question is: what about Israel. Paul declares he would be willing to give up his own salvation and become cursed if it could get his people saved. Of course Jesus did become cursed and hung on a tree so that “whosoever” could be reconciled with God
Election
Romans Chapter 9 then covers election. Paul shows that God is sovereign and He can chose who HE wants for mercy or destruction. He shows how Isaac was chosen over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau. The choice was not about salvation but rather about the work God was calling them to. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and God says he was born for God to display His glory. The question arises, “What choice do we have if everything is already determined?”
Hardened Hearts
We read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart but if you read the account in Exodus, you will see that Pharaoh hardened his own heart seven times. It wasn’t until the plague of darkness that in chapter 10:27 that we see God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. God is patient with all people. Go back to the Romans Chapter 1 and you will see that God has made plain to all people His glory but we don’t want to serve Him. We harden our own hearts and God continues to call out to us. He does not arbitrarily chose one person for mercy and another for judgement. He is patient and waits to see which way a person will chose. Once a person has chosen a pathway, God will step in and help them in that decision … for either mercy or judgement.
Here is the YouTube link for the video on Romans Chapter 8