Continuing our study of the ninth chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans,

let me read to you again from verse 6 to verse 9,

from verse 6 to verse 9 in the 9th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect,

for they are not all Israel, which are of Israel, neither because

they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. But in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God,

but the children of promise are counted for the seed,

for this is the word of promise. At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

Now, we are here beginning to deal with the Apostle's great argument in reply to the objection that is brought against

the gospel, particularly by the Jews. It is the reply also to all who may feel a certain amount

of trouble with regard to the doctrine announced at the end of the eighth chapter in which

he teaches that the purpose of God is certain and sure

and that nothing can frustrate it. The case of the Jews looked at on the surface seems to be

a denial of that, because here are people to whom the great privileges were given and

were the people of God, and yet they are clearly

at the moment set on one side.

And while the Gentiles are crowding into the kingdom of God, the Jews speaking of them

as a whole are outside the kingdom.

Well, now, that's the matter with which the apostle is dealing.

And we notice that his method is this. In verse

six, he lays down his great fundamental proposition. The word of God, he says, has not failed.

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