The People Who Weren't God's People—Romans 9:24-26

Name: Romans 9: Children of the Promise
Brand: Juli Camarin
Price: 4.99 USD
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Written by Juli Camarin

"Even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God'" (Romans 9:24-26)

This is where Romans 9 suddenly gets a lot bigger.

Paul's been talking about Israel this whole time. Promises, election, God's faithfulness. Then he says: "us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles."

Wait—Gentiles?

To make the point, Paul reaches back to Hosea. And the backstory there is wild. God told Hosea to name one of his kids "Not My People"—a declaration of judgment on Israel for their unfaithfulness (Hosea 1:9). They'd broken the covenant, and that was the consequence.

But God didn't stop there. He promised that the very ones called "Not My People" would one day be called "sons of the living God" (Hosea 1:10).

Here's Paul's move. He takes that promise and applies it to the Gentiles—people who were, by definition, outside the covenant. Not God's people. And God says: you'll be called my people.

This isn't God changing his mind mid-stream. It's God revealing something that was baked into the prophets all along. The reach of his mercy was always wider than the boundaries people had drawn.

And this is worth stopping over. Especially for us, because, if you're not Jewish, and you are in Christ, that's you in this passage. Historically, spiritually, you were "Not My People." And yet here, in Christ, you are—called, named, brought in.

Paul’s point—this doesn't come through the right heritage or the right religious résumé. It comes through Christ, because in HIm, we were bought "with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:19).

That's the point Paul keeps coming back to. God's mercy doesn't reward résumés—it reaches people who have none. So the question isn't whether you belong to the right group, family or church, It's whether you've actually let Jesus in.

A Few Honest Questions:

Does it hit you that you were once an outsider God called in?
Are your religious habits flowing from love or just routine?
Where does your real hope rest—in Jesus or in your track record?

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Written by:

Juli Camarin

Juli Camarin is a biblical teacher with a style that combines humor, relatability, and depth in her messages. She shares personal thoughts on scripture in this blog, which she’s been writing since 2008.

What truly makes someone a child of God—the family you were born into, or the promise you choose to believe? In Romans 9, Paul opens a door that changes how we understand belonging altogether. This 23-page guide written by Juli Camarin walks you through his tender, honest argument about the ones God calls His own and how they come to be there.

Here's what you get:

Deep, accessible insight into Romans 9
Thoughtful reflection questions to guide every step
A resource built for personal study or small groups

Paul makes a surprising claim: being a child of God was never about natural lineage. It's about being a child of the promise—a promise received through faith in Christ, not through works of the law. He holds up two pictures side by side. There's Israel, pursuing righteousness through careful law-keeping yet somehow missing what they chased. And there are the Gentiles, who weren't even looking in the same place, receiving righteousness simply because they believed. It's a sobering, freeing reminder all at once: faith in Christ alone is what saves us. Not our heritage, not our effort—just trust in Him.

Whether you're a longtime believer or simply searching, this guide meets you right where you are and invites you to look closer.

Please note: This is a digital PDF eBook—no physical product will be shipped. Your 23-page guide downloads immediately after checkout and is formatted to an 8 x 5.11 size for easy printing. As this is a digital product, all sales are final.