Romans 9:23-24

‘And that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand to glory, even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?'

Having purposed that certain vessels would be made in such a way that they were fitted for destruction, God also purposed to make known the riches of His glory on vessels which were prepared with mercy in mind, vessels which He prepared beforehand for glory (like ‘honourable vessels' such as ornamental vases). That these vessels are Christians is indicated by the word ‘us' and confirmed by the references to the glory awaiting Christians in Romans 8:17; Romans 8:21; Romans 8:30. These Christians are then defined as those who are called, not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles. They are the called ones of God and come out from both Jews and Gentiles. Thus behind his whole argument is not simply that only the elect of Israel will be saved, but that the elect also includes believing Gentiles

All this, of course, indicates that the vessels fitted for ‘destruction', (a word which in Paul always refers to ‘eternal destruction'), are the remainder of the Jews and the Gentiles, the unbelieving ones who have not been ‘called' (in Romans ‘called', when God is in mind, is a salvation word, Romans 1:6; Romans 8:28; Romans 8:30; Romans 9:7; Romans 9:11; Romans 11:29). That salvation and judgment are concerned can hardly be doubted, confirming that both some Jews (the spiritual Israel of Romans 9:6) and Gentiles will be saved (those called out), and that the remainder of both Jews (the physical Israel excluding the spiritual Israel) and Gentiles will be lost. Thus Paul's arguments all the way through have had this in mind.

This is the first reference to Gentiles in the chapter, for the purpose of the chapter up to this point has been in order to bring out that only a proportion of Israel were God's elect, and thus chosen to be saved, the Israel within Israel' of Romans 9:6. But all along he has had the intention of introducing Gentiles in order to demonstrate that God's elect include Gentiles. Paul thus now emphasises that God's call reaches out, not only to the Jews but to Gentiles.