Reading: Romans 8-10
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He saith also in Osee, I will call them My people, which were not My people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth(Rom. 9:19-28).
In chapter nine of the Book of Romans, Paul addresses one of the chief accusations being levied at him by the Jewish leaders of the time. Namely, that Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles was perverse and counter to God’s will. They claimed that either Paul was wrong in what he was teaching or that God had somehow failed the Jewish people and gone back on His word to them. To the accusers, it was simple. If God was truly infallible, then Paul was wrong. If Paul was right, then God was unjust and fallible. Paul made no attempt to defend himself or his message. Instead, he systematically broke down the illogical argument of his accusers using the established Word of God.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion (Rom. 9:14-15). The sovereignty of God is absolute. He acts in His own counsel, needing neither our agreement nor approval.
Furthermore, God is perfect. It is not possible for Him to sin or morally stumble; He is the author of righteousness, and the definition of righteousness is written through His actions. The earth and all that is on it belong to Him. Every soul in existence was created by Him. What He chooses to make of His creation and how He chooses to use it is out of our control. Questioning Him and demanding that He make Himself accountable to us is both ignorant and futile.
God never lies; He never goes back on His word. Humans can and do misinterpret His word, but blaming Him for our lack of understanding just proves how incomplete our understanding is. Paul took the complaining Jews on a journey back through Scripture in an attempt to open their eyes to the fullness of God’s promise and the eternal nature of His plan. It was not God that failed them; it was they that failed God.
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone(Rom. 9:31-32).
Thought for Today: The faithless often try to entrap God’s servants with what they believe to be solid logic, but a fallen world cannot judge or understand God.
Cross References: For Rom. 8:36: See Ps. 44:22. Rom 9:7: See Gen. 21:12. Rom. 9:9: See Gen. 18:10. Rom. 9:12: See Gen. 25:23. Rom. 9:13: See Mal. 1:2-3. Rom. 9:15: See Ex. 33:19. Rom. 9:17: See Ex. 9:16. Rom. 9:25: See Hos. 2:23. Rom. 9:26: See Hos. 1:10. Rom. 9:27-28: See Is. 10:22-23. Rom. 9:29: See Is. 1:9. Rom. 9:33: See Is. 28:16. Rom. 10:5: See Lev. 18:5. Rom. 10:6-7: See Deut. 30:12-13.Word Studies:9:15 compassion = grace, mercy, gentleness, loving-kindness; 10:21 gainsaying = self-willed, disobedient, faultfinding.
Pray for StaffTifany Parisi • Government Officials: Sen. John Neely Kennedy (LA), Sen. Richard Durbin (IL), Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY) • Country: Indonesia (253,609,643) Southeast Asia • Major Languages: Bahasa Indonesian, English, Dutch, Javanese • Religious tolerance for decades has been gradually replaced by its rising anti-Christian violence • 86.1% Muslim; 5.7% Protestant; 3% Catholic; 1.8% Hindu; 3.4% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Commit your fears to the Lord, and He will give you peace (Prov. 3:24-26).