Daily Bread Romans 9
Daily Bread Romans 9
Israel’s Unbelief
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. 32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
Observation:
These are the conclusions Paul gives as he teaches about God’s inclusion of the Gentiles into the faith. He also makes the claim that even though the Promise came through the Jews, and through Abraham, there are some Jews who will trust in the Promise and others will reject it. As he does this he makes the case though, that it is really not a human decision, but God’s decision.
He uses the example of Jacob and Esau to show how in the womb God chose Jacob and rejected Esau. Before any of them did any good works or bad works, God had purposed for the Promises to happen through Jacob. Paul reasons that since God is the Creator, He can do whatever He wants. If He chooses to show mercy to someone, it is His prerogative.
He anticipates that people will say this is unfair! And again he states, “Should the thing created say the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” In the end, he concludes the only way we can be made right with God is through faith. That is the great stumbling block in Christianity, because human logic says if we do enough good works we should be saved. God says, “No I choose to show mercy to whom I show mercy, and if a person trusts in me they will never be put to shame.”
Application:
Of course this is one of the most complicated and argued subjects in our faith tradition. Predestination vs. Free Will. Paul’s argument in this passage is for Predestination, that God chooses whoever He chooses. But there are other verses in the bible that would support that anyone who truly seeks God will find Him. Ie. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. And also, “God doesn’t desire that any would perish but come to faith in Him”.
So the bottom line is: we are not God, and it is God’s choice, but the wise person will choose God’s salvation through Christ. Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago put it this way, “I believe in Pre-Destination, but I minister as if everyone has a choice.” I think that is a wise way of looking at it. Since we don’t know who is saved and who isn’t and it is not our job to determine it, we should use all of our energy to give every man, woman and child a chance to hear the Gospel and come to faith in Christ. Whether they accept it or not is not up to us.
It is only as the Holy Spirit convicts a person of their sin and need for Savior, the life giving Gospel can penetrate the human heart and do its saving work. It is still today the stumbling block that makes people fall, because to admit you need a Savior is to deny one of the greatest obstacles in coming to faith...pride!
Prayer:
God we thank you that you choose to show us mercy. At the end of the day all we can say is, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” We know that you honor those prayers which are said in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Israel’s Unbelief
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. 32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
Observation:
These are the conclusions Paul gives as he teaches about God’s inclusion of the Gentiles into the faith. He also makes the claim that even though the Promise came through the Jews, and through Abraham, there are some Jews who will trust in the Promise and others will reject it. As he does this he makes the case though, that it is really not a human decision, but God’s decision.
He uses the example of Jacob and Esau to show how in the womb God chose Jacob and rejected Esau. Before any of them did any good works or bad works, God had purposed for the Promises to happen through Jacob. Paul reasons that since God is the Creator, He can do whatever He wants. If He chooses to show mercy to someone, it is His prerogative.
He anticipates that people will say this is unfair! And again he states, “Should the thing created say the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” In the end, he concludes the only way we can be made right with God is through faith. That is the great stumbling block in Christianity, because human logic says if we do enough good works we should be saved. God says, “No I choose to show mercy to whom I show mercy, and if a person trusts in me they will never be put to shame.”
Application:
Of course this is one of the most complicated and argued subjects in our faith tradition. Predestination vs. Free Will. Paul’s argument in this passage is for Predestination, that God chooses whoever He chooses. But there are other verses in the bible that would support that anyone who truly seeks God will find Him. Ie. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. And also, “God doesn’t desire that any would perish but come to faith in Him”.
So the bottom line is: we are not God, and it is God’s choice, but the wise person will choose God’s salvation through Christ. Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago put it this way, “I believe in Pre-Destination, but I minister as if everyone has a choice.” I think that is a wise way of looking at it. Since we don’t know who is saved and who isn’t and it is not our job to determine it, we should use all of our energy to give every man, woman and child a chance to hear the Gospel and come to faith in Christ. Whether they accept it or not is not up to us.
It is only as the Holy Spirit convicts a person of their sin and need for Savior, the life giving Gospel can penetrate the human heart and do its saving work. It is still today the stumbling block that makes people fall, because to admit you need a Savior is to deny one of the greatest obstacles in coming to faith...pride!
Prayer:
God we thank you that you choose to show us mercy. At the end of the day all we can say is, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” We know that you honor those prayers which are said in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment