John Calvin Commentary Romans 9:26

"And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God." — Romans 9:26 (ASV)

I will call them my people which are not a people. This is said regarding the divorce that God had already effected with the people, by depriving them of all honor, so that they did not excel other nations.

Although those whom God in his eternal counsel has destined to be his sons are perpetually his sons, Scripture in many places considers none to be God’s children except those whose election has been proven by their calling. Therefore, it teaches us not to judge, much less to decide, concerning God’s election, except to the extent that it manifests itself by its own evidences.

Thus Paul, after showing the Ephesians that their election and adoption had been determined by God before the creation of the world, shortly afterward declares that they were once alienated from God (Ephesians 2:12). This was during the time when the Lord had not manifested his love toward them, even though he had embraced them in his eternal mercy. Therefore, in this passage, those to whom God declares wrath rather than love are said not to be beloved, for until adoption reconciles people to God, we know that his wrath abides on them.

The feminine gender of the participle depends on the prophet's context, for he had said that a daughter had been born to him, to whom he gave this name, Not beloved, so that the people might know that they were hated by God. Now, just as rejection was the reason for hatred, so the beginning of love, as the prophet teaches, occurs when God adopts those who had for a time been strangers.