What is the significance of "not My people" in Romans 9:25? Scriptural Location and Translation Romans 9:25 : “As He says in Hosea: ‘I will call them “My people” who are not My people, and her “beloved” who was not beloved.’ ” The clause “not My people” renders the Greek οὐ τὸν λαόν Μου, a direct citation of Hosea 2:23 and thematically linked to Hosea 1:10. Immediate Context in Romans Paul has just shown (vv. 22–24) that God, “to make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy,” has called persons from both Jews and Gentiles. Verse 25 grounds that calling in prophetic Scripture, demonstrating that the inclusion of formerly estranged people was foreordained, not an apostolic afterthought. Old Testament Root in Hosea Hosea married Gomer, whose third child was named Lo-Ammi, “Not My People” (Hosea 1:9). The name symbolized Israel’s covenant breach. Yet Hosea 2:23 promises a reversal: “I will say to Lo-Ammi, ‘You are My people,’ and they will say, ‘You are my God.’ ” Paul seizes this oracle, showing that its reach extends beyond ethnic Israel to all whom God sovereignly saves. Prophetic Symbolism of Lo-Ammi Lo-Ammi is the personified verdict of divine rejection, rooted in covenant stipulations (Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 27–30). In Hosea the symbolic child becomes the stage on which God dramatizes both wrath and mercy. Paul’s quotation underscores that redemptive history moves from alienation to adoption. Covenantal Reversal and Divine Mercy The shift from “not My people” to “My people” illustrates hesed—steadfast covenant love. This mercy is unilateral: God acts despite human failure (Hosea 11:8–9). Thus Romans 9:25 supports Paul’s thesis that salvation is grounded in divine initiative rather than human merit (cf. Romans 9:16). Jew and Gentile Dimensions In Hosea the rejected party is the ten-tribe northern kingdom. Paul widens the referent: God now reconstitutes a single people from Jews and Gentiles alike (Romans 10:12; Ephesians 2:11-22). Gentiles—never included under Sinai—fit the phrase “not My people” literally; apostate Jews fit it covenantally. Both groups receive the same mercy. Election and Sovereignty of God Romans 9 emphasizes God’s freedom (vv. 11, 18). “Not My people” encapsulates unworthiness; the subsequent call highlights unconditional election. Paul cites Hosea precisely because it showcases God’s prerogative to redefine His people irrespective of lineage (cf. Romans 4:16-17). Theological and Soteriological Implications 1. Justification by grace: those once disowned become God’s heirs (Romans 8:17). 2. Regeneration: the new birth transforms identity (1 Peter 2:10 quotes the same Hosea text). 3. Assurance: divine promise, not fluctuating human fidelity, secures belonging (John 10:28-29). Ecclesiological Significance: One People of God The Church is the prophesied amalgam of restored Israel and ingrafted Gentiles (Romans 11:17-24). The title “people of God” is no longer ethnic but Christocentric, grounded in the new covenant ratified by Christ’s resurrection (Hebrews 8:8-12). Related Passages • Hosea 1:9-10; 2:23 – source texts • Isaiah 65:1 – God found by those who did not seek Him • 1 Peter 2:9-10 – applied to predominantly Gentile believers • Ephesians 2:12-19 – strangers made fellow citizens Historical Reception in Church Tradition Early fathers (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.16.6) saw Romans 9:25 as proof of the Gentile mission. Augustine (City of God 18.28) argued from the same verse that the Church fulfills Israel’s promises. The Reformers used it to defend sola gratia. Practical and Pastoral Application Believers once alienated by sin can rest in their adopted status. Congregations should welcome outsiders, reflecting God’s heart for “not My people.” The verse confronts ethnic pride and denominational exclusivism, urging humility before God’s elective grace. Conclusion “Not My people” in Romans 9:25 encapsulates the gospel arc: estrangement reversed by sovereign mercy, creating a unified, redeemed community that magnifies the glory of God. |
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