Bo​az Baptist Chronicles

(Adapted from an audio study on Romans, by Dr. Peter S. Ruckman)

Ephesians 1:4. We (individuals) weren’t chosen in Eternity, Christ was. Therefore, anyone, in time, who believes the Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-8), is placed into Christ’s holy body. (Ephesians 5:30) God “…hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6) We are accepted IN Christ. Christ was the instrument (vessel) that God decided to choose. God said if I’m going to choose anybody, I will choose them IN Christ. (He did that before the foundation of the world.) All election is TEMPORAL and all choosing takes place when you receive Jesus Christ. Predestination is determined on the basis of foreknowledge. (Romans 8:29) The Lord sees who will and who will not accept His Son. And, on the basis of their willingness, He predestinates them to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Romans 9:10-13. God knew about these boys, before they were born. It doesn’t say, “He chose them in eternity.”

Romans 9:14-18. Here, you are dealing with the author of the Mosaic Law, in the Old Testament. They had no Calvary, no new birth, and no spiritual circumcision. And, you are dealing with a man as he was related to Israel. (No one, in these verses, is dealing with the personal elements of Salvation—not in the whole chapter.)

The Lord foreknew what Pharaoh would do, and long before God ever touched him, one time, to harden him, He said, Exodus 3:19.  [Notice, this is, also, true of the calling of Abraham. When the Lord called him out of Ur of the Chaldees, the whole matter was based on foreknowledge, not arbitrary election. (Genesis 18:17-19) Notice, God said “For I know him….” God knew what Abraham would do, before he called him to do it. Foreknowledge proceeds election and predestination every time the matter occurs.]

How about Judas? “...Poor Judas never had a chance. He was predestinated, etc, etc….” Read your Bible! John 6:70-71. Then, read John 6:64. Jesus “knew…who should betray him.”

How about the verse that says… “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him….” Did you know that any man can ask God to draw him? (Song of Solomon 1:4; John 3:14 with John 12:32)

Romans 9:19-21. There wasn’t any *clay here, before the foundation of the world. You are dealing in a time setting. (Jeremiah 18:6-8) What happens if the pot repents? If the pot repents (Jeremiah 18:8 –notice the free will), the Lord spares it. *Footnote: The "decrees of reprobation" that Calvinists speak about are clay vessels. There were no clay vessels before Genesis 1:1. These decrees have to take place in time, based on what a man does with what God told him to do.

Romans 9:22-24. God is not talking about individuals, here. He is talking about nations (Romans 9:24), Jews and Gentiles! (See Jeremiah 31:7) He continues through the rest of chapter nine that way—talking about the nations.