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Romans 9:16 What Is “Not of Him Who Wills”?

First, what is “not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy”? What is of the mercy showing God? Is it His stated purpose? Is it the provision of salvation? Is it His act of electing Jacob for a purpose—to be the human line that He would bring Christ from? It could be that He wants all to be saved, but it isn’t even talking about being saved. The principle of salvation under promise was laid down in Genesis 15—faith. On the other hand, the principles of salvation under the covenant of circumcision for Israel were laid down by God in Genesis 17 and then, later, in the law.

The principles of salvation for this dispensation were given by God in Paul’s epistles and the later part of Acts. The circumcision epistles do not apply to us in the area of salvation. Both of these sets of principles are of God who shows mercy. But, although the methods of salvation are different for the different dispensations, the means of God’s grace is always the same. It is the death of Jesus Christ His Son. 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” But the reception of His provision of salvation is by faith in every dispensation. In ours it is by faith alone. That’s what Romans says in 3:27,28 “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” It said this again in a different way in Acts 16:31,32 “And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 31 So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Therefore our salvation is not predestined at all in this passage. What is predestined is the whole process of salvation after we have the faith—when we believe. Rom 8:29,30 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”