Romans 9:14-18
14 “What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? Far from it! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I show compassion.” 16 So then, it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very reason I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the earth.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”
Injustice: Paul is fighting a battle against his fellow countrymen, the Jews. He seems to be anticipating resistance to the idea that God chose Gentiles for salvation, the whole point of Romans 9 (see Romans 9:30). But Paul is adamant: God can do what he wants to do. This reality is seen in the Old Testament example of God choosing Pharaoh for judgment, a story known all-too-well by the Jews. The point is God does what he wants, and he wants to choose the Gentiles for salvation.
Mercy on whom He desires: This section, and the entirety of Romans 9, is not about God choosing some for Heaven and others for Hell. The point is this: God has mercy as He pleases, and He pleases to elect the Gentiles. It’s true that He has hardened corporate Israel, but this hardening is only partial (Romans 11:25). So, nothing in this section leaves room for God choosing reprobates to go to Hell. God is for humankind and sent His Son to die for everyone.
