We turn in God's Word tonight to Romans 9. Romans 9. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever, amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken on 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 the 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. And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction? and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had aforeprepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people which were not my people, and her beloved which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, he are not my people, there shall they be called the children of the living God. Isaiah also crieth concerning Israel, though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved, for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Isaiah said before, except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we have been as Sodom and been made like unto Gomorrah. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone, as it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense. and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." This is God's Word, inspired and holy. May He bless it to our hearts this evening. Our text is v. 6a. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. Beloved congregation and our Lord Jesus Christ, Next week, Lord willing, we come to the table of the Lord in order to partake of the Lord's Supper. We come in a joyful celebration. We come in gladness and spiritual happiness to the table of the Lord to receive from the hand of the Lord his own body and blood and to eat and drink the Lord spiritually. As we come to the table of the Lord next Sunday, not every member of this congregation may come. Discipline bars from the table a member who walks impenitently in sin so that not every member of this congregation may come. There is grief in that for a congregation and there is even the danger of doubt that may creep in to the minds of the members of the congregation. The congregation has this question, but what about me? Could that be me? Could the kind of impenitent sin that a member walks in be my impenitent sin? How do I know that the promise of salvation is for me and for my children. That's the temptation of doubt that can affect the heart and the mind of the child of God. The temptation of doubt that can creep in when we start considering that not every member of the congregation may come to the table of the Lord. And that doubt truly is a temptation. It's a grievous, difficult temptation. The Heidelberg Catechism refers to that temptation of doubt in Lord's Day 16, question and answer 44, when it's explaining this part of the Apostles' Creed, he descended into hell. The Catechism asks, why is there added, he descended into hell, and answers, that in my greatest temptations I may be assured that the Lord hath delivered me from the anguish and torments of hell. My greatest temptations are those temptations of doubt. Those temptations to look away from the promise of God. and look into my own soul, and look elsewhere than the Word of God for the knowledge of my salvation. That's a great temptation, and the catechism calls it my greatest temptation. When we face that greatest temptation of doubt, another temptation comes with it, and that other temptation is to turn our eyes inward and begin to rummage around in our own souls to see if my assurance can be found there in me. Is there enough in me to convince me of the goodness and certainty of my salvation? When the child of God turns his eyes away from the word of God and turns his eyes inward to find if there is enough in me, there can only be this conclusion. My beginning of new obedience is so small. It's a small beginning of new obedience. And it's never enough. It's never enough to make me right with God. It's never enough to make me worthy of heaven and worthy of God listening to and answering my prayers. So how will it go with me? How am I to combat this greatest temptation of doubt? Romans 9 has something to say to the child of God who wrestles with that doubt. Romans 9 says, not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. The word of God to save his people is sure. The word of God is firm. that Word of God does not fail, even when the child of God looks at the congregation, or as Paul did in those days, looks at Israel and says, but there are some who are members of the congregation to whom that promise apparently does not come, as that Word of God failed. Will that word of God then fail for me? The resounding answer of Romans 9 is not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. And that word of God is so certain and so sure because that promise is rooted in election. It is that truth of election that makes the promise sure and that gives the child of God comfort and assurance in the midst of his greatest temptations. Romans 9 is a chapter about God's covenant faithfulness to the remnant due to his own good pleasure and due to his own election of the remnant as his own. so that the remnant is secure in Him. That's comfort for the child of God. This doctrine of election, then, must be proclaimed in the Church of Jesus Christ for the comfort of God's people as we come to the table of the Lord and as we examine ourselves. But as we examine ourselves in the light of God's promise that all whom he has chosen shall be saved indeed. If there is anyone in the congregation who cares nothing for Jehovah, if there is anyone in the congregation who is impenitent in sin and determined with everything in him to hold that sin, and overthrow his confession, then that one is barred from the table. That one must not come. There's no place for that one. But for every child of God who wrestles with doubt, who struggles with fear, whether I might be cast off, must hear this promise of God not as though the word of God have taken none effect. And your salvation, decreed in election, is sure, so that you in Christ may come to the table of the Lord. Let us consider that word and promise of God this evening under the theme, God's unfailing promise. In the first place, consider the problem of accursed brethren. In the second place, consider the solution of a particular promise. And in the third place, consider the power of the promise. God's unfailing promise, the problem of accursed brethren, the solution of a particular promise and the power of the promise. As Paul writes here in Romans 9, he faces the problem of accursed brethren. He refers to certain men around him as brethren. Verse 3, I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. When Paul writes about brethren here, he is writing about those people who were Israelites, like himself. He is writing about those who could trace their lineage to Abraham. He's writing about those who, according to the flesh, were counted as Israelites. When Paul refers to brethren here, he is not referring to their spiritual condition or their spiritual relationship to him as brethren in the Lord. As a matter of fact, they were not his brethren in the Lord. They were his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh. He's referring to those who were Israelites by race. He was referring to those whom he knew in his own life. The equivalent today would be those who, by confession or by rearing, are brethren according to the flesh. those who are our children or our parents or our brothers and sisters in our families. Children and brethren according to the flesh. Paul writes about these Israelites according to the flesh that they were accursed Now, he writes that when he says in verse 3, I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. By that, he is indicating that these Israelites were accursed from Christ that grieved Paul so that he wished he could take their place if that were possible. But spiritually, these brethren according to the flesh were not brethren spiritually. They were accursed from Christ. They had no part in the kingdom of Christ. These Israelites, about whom he is writing, did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They stumbled at that stumbling block. They fell over that stone that God had raised in Zion, and were broken upon that stone and were crushed by that rock, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. They sought to establish their own righteousness by their keeping of the law. And there is no righteousness that they could establish in that keeping of the law. They were unbelievers, though they went to temple, or to church as we would say. Though they proclaimed the name of Jehovah, though they apparently gloried in the name of Jehovah, they were unbelievers. They were accursed from Christ. The equivalent of that today is everyone who is a brethren according to the flesh, but who is an unbeliever. who does not believe in God, who does not believe in Jesus Christ, who has no use for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and everyone who goes about to establish his own righteousness before God or before men by his own obedience. And that can be a whole range of terms or titles that we give to unbelief. The man who leaves the Christian church and professes unbelief as an atheist is the brethren accursed from Christ. Or the one who leaves for another religion, who leaves the Christian faith to profess Islam or to profess Buddhism or to profess the theology and philosophy of the world is a brother accursed from Christ. Also included is one who does not believe in salvation by grace alone, but who goes to Roman Catholicism, which teaches salvation by merit. or who goes to Arminianism, which teaches salvation by will, the will of man, they too are unbelievers. For salvation is not of him that willeth, which is the false doctrine of Arminianism, and it is not of him that runneth or worketh, which is the false doctrine of Rome, but salvation is of God that showeth mercy. Anyone who by confession or rearing was called a brother but who lives in unbelief is this, is part of this accursed brethren. Now as Paul acknowledges the accursed brethren, this brings up an apparent theological problem. It's not a real theological problem. There's no theological conflict in accursed brethren, but there is an apparent problem. And the apparent problem is that the promise of God failed. The word of God did not take effect. And Paul lays out that problem this way, my brethren who are kinsmen according to the flesh, had everything from God, apparently. These kinsmen, according to the flesh, are Israelites, verse 4. They can trace their lineage all the way back to Abraham. And God said to Abraham in that word of promise, I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. These are Israelites who can say, we are Abraham's children. And therefore God has established his covenant with us who are his seed. They were Israelites. To them, verse four, pertaineth the adoption. Not only did God say, I will establish my covenant with Abraham and his seed, but God said to his people, I will be a father to Israel. Israel and Ephraim is my own dear son. God adopted Israel to be part of his own family. Furthermore, to these men, whom Paul knew as accursed brethren, pertained the glory. That is, God had come himself to visit the Israelites in his glory. Probably the reference of glory there is to those visits of God in his cloud of glory in the tabernacle in the wilderness. As Moses and the people of God wandered in the wilderness and as at Mount Sinai they finished the tabernacle and God came in his glory. God in his own presence came. to dwell with the people in that house that was the tabernacle. Furthermore, to them pertained the covenants. That is, all of God's covenant promises that he renewed with the people through the years pertained to them, apparently. The giving of the law pertained to them, and that was a glorious episode in Israel's history as Moses and the people came to Mount Sinai and spent many months there at the mountain, beholding the glory of God burning on the top of that mountain as a roaring inferno. The people of God had dwelt with God at Mount Sinai and received the law from Him. To them pertained the service of God, That is, all of the ceremonies of the Old Testament law, all of the sacrifices, and all of the other ways of worshiping Jehovah in the Old Testament. It included the altar where the lamb was slain and its body burned. It included the tabernacle and the temple where they would worship Jehovah. The service of God pertained to them. And the promises, all of the beautiful, precious promises, I am your God and you are my people. Whose are the fathers? That is, they could say Abraham is our father, and Isaac is our father, and Jacob is our father, and the twelve tribes are our fathers. And of, as concerning the flesh, Christ came who is over all, God blessed forever. Christ was born of Mary, and Mary was a Jewess. Mary was a child of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, so that the race that Jesus Christ was, was a Hebrew. He was a Jew according to the flesh. So that these Jews, though they wanted nothing to do with Christ, could even say that Christ came in our Jewish flesh. Paul shows that these Israelites who were accursed brethren had all of these things, apparently. And therefore it appeared that the promise of God had failed, that the word of God had taken on effect. Look at all of these children of Abraham who are accursed brethren and who do not have salvation through Jesus Christ. How can this be? Paul's response to that apparent problem was great grief. Verse two, I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. He loved these Israelites, Paul did. Paul, according to his own will, even desired the salvation of these Israelites. And if it were possible, could have prayed that he would be accursed for their salvation. There was great sorrow in this. And there can be, in our own hearts, a creeping doubt that the Word of God failed. The Word of God hath taken none effect. And that's what Paul immediately goes to, to address that fear in verse 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect, but by addressing that idea that the Word of God might have taken none effect, Paul is addressing that fear that can creep into the hearts of God's people. The doubt that can come in. What about me? If that Word of God did not take effect for all those Israelites who were accursed brethren, and if the Word of God did not take effect for that one or those ones who are accursed brethren, then what about me? Am I also an accursed brother? Paul addresses that fear and that doubt and that greatest temptation of the child of God by showing the theological solution to the problem of accursed brother. And the theological solution is this, not as though the word of God hath taken on effect, The Word of God always takes effect. This promise of God of salvation to His people does not fail. That Word is secure and that Word is firm. And the reason that that Word of God has taken effect and has not failed in the case of these accursed brethren is that that Word of promise was always particular. That word of God's promise was never a general promise to all of the physical children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That word of promise was always a promise for the elect. That doctrine of election is how Paul proves that the Word of God hath taken effect and how he denies that the Word of God hath not taken effect. He shows that the promise was always particular and always rooted in election. That's the end of verse 6, for they are not all Israel which are of Israel. There's a distinction in Israel. There are some who are truly Israel. The promise was always to them. And there are others who are only of Israel. They have the name of Israel. Physically, they can trace their lineage to Abraham. They have all of that service of God given to them which they engaged in only outwardly. But they were never really Israel. They were only of Israel. Verse 7, Paul continues that explanation of election. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children of Abraham. 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 the promise are counted for the seed. Paul is teaching there that God's election and His reprobation run right through and cut right through Israel. So that there are Israelites born of Abraham, who are the seed of the flesh, but they are not the children, and they are not the seed. The seed of promise are counted for the seed. And then verse 9, for this is the word of promise. At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. The word of promise was not for any and every child that Abraham might father. The promise was the seed that would come by Sarah at this time. The promise was for the elect. The promise was for Isaac. And not only this, verse 10, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Even in that family with twins, with the twin boys Jacob and Esau, God's election and reprobation cut right through that family. Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. The promise of God was never general. The promise of God was always particular. It was always for the elect alone. That truth of election and that related truth of reprobation is of great comfort for the child of God and for the church of Jesus Christ. The fact that the promise is only for the elect is of great comfort for the Church of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that there is also great grief in the Church of Jesus Christ in seeing the reality of accursed brethren. Paul himself says, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart regarding those accursed brethren. The child of God loves the brethren and the kinsmen according to the flesh. The child of God desires with all his heart the salvation of his fellow brethren. The child of God, even as Paul would be willing to be accursed himself if such a thing were possible, for the salvation of those brethren. That's how strong our love is for them. But the truth that the promise is only for the elect is of great comfort for the church of Jesus Christ and for the child of God because that means the promise of salvation cannot fail. It cannot fail for any of God's people. That promise shall indeed save the people of God. That doctrine of election is defined in our Canons of Dort, Head 1, Article 7. Although the whole article is worth reading, we'll just read the first paragraph of Canons, Head 1, Article 7. Election is the unchangeable purpose of God. whereby before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from their primitive state of rectitude into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the mediator and head of the elect, and the foundation of salvation. And here is where that doctrine of election is so comforting for the child of God, because right in the center of God's decree of election is Jesus Christ. Right in the center of that decree is the Savior, who is appointed the head and the mediator of the elect from all eternity. all of those whom God hath chosen He chose in Christ and gave to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is described there in Canons 1-7 as the mediator and the head of the elect. That means that Jesus Christ is the one who brings us to God restores us to God from our fall into sin by covering all our iniquities with His own blood. And that He is the head of the elect means that He is responsible for the elect. He answers to God for the bringing of the elect to God and the salvation of the elect by His own death and resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head and mediator of the elect. The promise of God to save His people flows from that decree and is rooted in that decree. And the content of that promise is Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's the power of that promise then as well. The power of that promise in the first place is to save us. It's the promise of the Gospel that saves God's people. Because the content of that promise is Jesus Christ, who from eternity is appointed the head and mediator of the elect. Jesus Christ Himself is the Savior. As Romans 9 also teaches, at the end of the chapter we find that Israel, which had all of those things, followed not after the righteousness of God. They followed after their own righteousness, the righteousness of the law. And so they didn't obtain righteousness. But the Gentiles, which followed not after that righteousness, obtained righteousness. The righteousness which is by faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 33, as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. And all who are not given to Christ fall and are broken on that stone. But whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. The Lord Jesus Christ is that Savior. And that promise of God goes through the whole history of the world bringing to God all who are given to Christ. The promise of God which is Jesus Christ is proclaimed in the gospel so that God's people know their Savior and know their salvation in Him. The power of that promise is the power of salvation by the work of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And the power of that promise is the power to comfort and to assure the hearts of God's people. Because that promise shows salvation is not dependent on me and my doing, It is not dependent on how good I am or how strong I am. The child of God who faces that greatest temptation of doubt is taught by the promise, look away from your own self. Look outside of yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ whose work is perfect. and look outside of yourself to the election of God, which makes that promise of Christ secure. That election of God sends forth that promise all the way into eternity. That election of God, the promise that comes from it, carries us along all through our days into heaven itself. so that the child of God, wrestling with doubt, may look to the Gospel of Jesus Christ that declares Him to be a sufficient Savior, that declares Him to be the covering of all of our sins, that child of God may have confidence, I am safe in this Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God, the promise of God, is powerful. The promise of God does not fail. The Word of God takes effect. As we prepare to come to the table of the Lord next week then, and as we may recognize in our own selves a struggle with regard to our own assurance, a struggle with regard to our own doubt. Take hold of that promise which is sure. Do not be disturbed by the problem of a cursed brother, but see the solution of the particular promise and hear this word of God, not as though the promise hath taken none effect. Amen. Our Father which art in heaven, we thank Thee for Thy word to us this evening. Bless it to our hearts. Assure us by Thy promise of our salvation in Jesus Christ. We pray that Thou will banish from our hearts that greatest temptation. We pray that Thou will strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, which faith is assurance of our salvation in Him. And we pray, Father, that Thou wilt receive us through Jesus Christ at Thy table next week, that we may eat and drink and be filled with Christ and all His riches, for Jesus' sake. Amen. Psalter number 152, number 152. We sing here again of the certainty of God's promises, stanza three, in God the Lord I rest, His word of grace I praise, His promise stands secure, nor fear nor foe dismays. The five stanzas, all five of 152. In God I put my trust, I neither doubt nor fear, for faith can never part with God my helper near. In God the Lord I rest, His promise can save you, or fear, or hope displace. Come, I'll be by thy side. For thou hast saved from death, from calling can't be free, that in the light of life thy walk may be relieved. Praise ye the Lord, ye hosts of old, ye gathered heav'nly kind. And bless the Lord, ye saints below, who in him The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Amen.