07 - Appendix

'The elect' and 'the hardened'
This Appendix1 sets out the reasoning behind my conclusions concerning 'the elect' and 'the hardened' in Romans 9 – 11. Paul divides Israel into two: 'the elect' and 'the hardened', the composition of each group being determined by God's decree.2 This division is fundamental to the understanding of the passage. As the apostle makes clear, there is no possibility of any transfer from one group to the other; these two groups are mutually exclusive; the elect will come to glory, but the rest will suffer wrath. If this is forgotten, all sorts of trouble will ensue when we try to understand the apostle. Alas, it is forgotten – or ignored!