7:8 loves you . . . keeping the oath. The election of Israel as a holy nation set apart for God (vv. 6, 7) was grounded, not in any merit or intrinsic goodness in Israel, but in God’s love and in His faithfulness to the covenant promises made to the patriarchs (6:10). God’s election of the church is based on His oath to Jesus, the son of Abraham, the Son of God (Ps. 110:4; John 17:6). See “God’s Covenant of Grace” at Gen. 12:1.