God's Righteousness Rejected at Present: The Reason, the Remedy, and the Result

As Paul continues to defend God’s righteousness in election, in Romans 9:30-10:21 he zeroes in on the human responsibility to respond to God's offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Believing in Jesus and confessing him as Lord are essential for salvation.

We have a present responsibility to respond to God's offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. While God's election is sovereign, He also calls people to put their faith in Christ for salvation. We also see the importance of praying (10:1) and sharing the gospel: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

In Romans 9 we see God’s unconditional election clearly revealed in the Bible, and we are stirred to humility, worship, gratitude, and hope as we reflect on our own salvation and prayerfully seek the salvation of others.

Paul’s anguish over unbelieving Israel was made more painful when he thought of all the unique privileges and blessings that they possessed. The question hanging in the air is “Has God’s word failed? Can we trust God?” In Romans 9:1-13, Paul launches into the basis of election: an explanation of the doctrines of unconditional election and divine sovereignty over human willing. Paul argues for God’s faithfulness in His sovereign election of Israel. He aims to vindicate God’s righteousness.

God’s word has NOT failed! Our faithful God has kept, is keeping and WILL keep his promises!

To kick off a new season of MOMS, Pam Larson unpacked our theme for the year: Behold and Become.

At some point, every Bible reader needs to wrestle with the problem of Israel's unbelief. If God failed to deliver on the big, saving promises he made to his people Israel, who's to say he'll be faithful to the big, saving promises he's made to us? Paul wrestles with this question after writing his most famous promise-filled chapter of all. And his answer is at once surprising and precisely what we should have expected all along. Surprising faithfulness: what else would we expect from a God like ours!

No Separation: God’s Everlasting, Amazing Love in Christ

1. Our assurance: God is FOR us not against us! NO CONDEMNATION!
2. More assurance: God’s love is FOR us forever! NO SEPARATION!

God’s forever love is FOR us because of what Jesus has done for us.

We can rest assured! God’s plans work for good as he conforms us to the image of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Live in the Spirit! The Spirit will help us! We have such great assurance in God’s plans & purposes!
• Pray! We have assurance that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are working through our prayers.
• Be Conformed to Christ! Embrace God’s plans for our past, present & future.

There is GLORY to be revealed! As Christians, we do suffer, but not without HOPE of a far greater, future glory. That sure hope of a glorious future strengthens us to patiently persevere through the trials we are faced with now.