Thursday, May 27
Read Romans 9
Think About It:
Paul was considered a traitor to the Jewish nation. He ministered to Gentiles, and taught freedom from the Law of Moses. He had preached in many synagogues and caused trouble, and no doubt many of the Jewish believers in Rome had heard of his questionable reputation. In these chapters, Paul showed his love for Israel in his desire for their welfare. This is a personal reason for this discussion.
But there was a doctrinal reason. Paul had argued in Romans 8 that the believer is secure in Jesus Christ and that God’s selection would stand (Romans 8:28-30). But someone might ask, “what about the Jews? They were chosen by God, and yet now you tell us they are set aside, and God is building His church. Did God fail to keep His promise to Israel?” In other words, the very character of God was at stake. If God was not faithful to the Jews, how do we know he will be faithful to the church?
The emphasis in Romans 9 is on Israel’s past selection, Romans 10 on Israel’s present rejection, and Romans 11 on Israel’s future restoration. In Romans 9, Paul defended the character of God by showing that Israel’s past history actually magnified the attributes of God. He specifically named four attributes of God: His Faithfulness (Romans 9:1-13), His Righteousness (Romans 9:14-18), His Justice (Romans 9:19-29), and His Grace (Romans 9:30-33). You will note that these attributes correspond with Paul’s three questions: “Is there unrighteousness with God?” (Romans 9:14), “Why doth He find fault?” (Romans 9:19), and “What shall we say then?” (Romans 9:30).
The main thrust of this chapter is clear: Israel’s rejection of Christ does not deny the faithfulness of God. Romans 9 does not negate Romans 8. God is still faithful, righteous, just, and gracious, and He can be depended on to accomplish His purposes and keep His promises.
Family Time:
God is Sovereign. What does that mean? God is over all—He made all things. He sustains all things; He has no boss. He makes His own decisions. He is the wisest of the wise. He reigns. He rules. He makes His own choices. He chooses to whom He will show mercy and compassion. He is Sovereign. So… what does that mean for us? In chapter 8, we learned that “in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” That’s us! Believers. He is God. He chooses. No one can work hard enough, go to enough church services, give enough money, be nice enough, or memorize enough scripture to earn God’s favor of salvation. We must depend on Jesus, put our faith in Him and His work on the cross. He is the ONLY way to God; Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
What are you doing to earn God’s love? Is it enough? Is it even possible to earn God’s love? Who is the only way to God?
