So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Romans 9-10

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 

This morning/afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fourteen The Faithful Evangelist, which covers Romans 9:30-10:21.  My focus today is Romans 10:14-10:21, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Urgency of Evangelism.  Paul has focused much of his writing in Romans 9-10 on anguish for the unbelief Jews, how this has not been the result of the failure of God's Word, but instead it has been part of God's plan to save people from all nations Jews and Gentiles alike - starting with a Jewish remnant - not all of the Jews. Yesterday, my post emphasized how it is God alone, faith alone, and grace alone that saves and how our heart condition and zeal for God are key. This morning in 10:14-21, Paul once again leans on the Old Testament (Deuteronomy to demonstrate how we have an obligation and are called by God to share the Good News, but again, by plan and design, there are those who will find God who were not seeking and those who God has shown Himself but did not ask for God (v20, Isaiah 65:1).

My commentary wants us to see clearly Paul's reference of Isaiah 52:7 where those who share the Good News have "beautiful feet" despite how "messengers normally traveled on foot...[and how the feet] might be dirty and smell[y] after a long, hot journey."  Paul continues as he states how (by God's plan and design) that although not all who hear believe (v16), the commentary encourages us to continue to share the Good News.  Paul once again extensively references the Old Testament - see also Deuteronomy 30, 32; Isaiah 53; Psalm 19.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has given me the gift of faith - of hearing and accepting Jesus as my Savior.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  I continue to sin...including worry, harsh words, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

Romans 9-10

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deuteronomy 30:14 

 

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fourteen The Faithful Evangelist, which covers Romans 9:30-10:21.  My focus today is Romans 10:5-10:13, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Necessity of Faith in Christ.  As Paul continues (see post yesterday and previous posts) to describe how with Christ faith alone provides salvation, he describes how our heart condition is key to salvation (v9-10). Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:14 and the words Moses communicated to Israel as he described "[h]ow to love God and keep His commandments" and communicated various important encouragements and warnings associated with walking with God. The verses this morning include one of the most quoted in all of the Bible as many refer to it as key to a believer answering the call from God to believe (ie: altar call):

 

[I]f you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10

 

My commentary this morning points additional Old Testament references by Paul in v10:5-13, including Leviticus 18:5 (10:5), and Deuteronomy 9:4 and 30:12-13 (10:6-7). The commentary indicates that Paul inserts "Christ" into his reference of Deuteronomy 30:12-13 and his discussion of how God and the Word is not "far off" and inaccessible and how we are only able to access God through Christ and not of our own doing: "[w]e cannot descend and be raised on our own, but Christ has done it for us!" Similarly, the commentary points out how in v10: 6 Paul partially uses Deuteronomy 9:4 but inserts language specific to the New Covenant based on Christ: "[i]n Deuteronomy 9:4 God says that Israel is not going to enter the land because of their righteousness but because of his promise--that is because of God's grace and faithfulness.  Saving faith recognizes that righteousness does not come from ourselves, for we cannot keep God's law perfectly; it is by God's grace alone through faith alone that we are saved."  We are encouraged to look back on Romans 10:2 where our heart should demonstrate "zeal for God". My commentary then points to how Paul uses yet another Old Testament reference in v10:11 by quoting Isaiah 28:16. Finally, in v10:13, Paul uses a reference from Joel 2:32. In v10:12-13, we are reminded by Paul that believers are to come from all nations. The commentary ends by encouraging us to see how it is ONLY through belief in Jesus that we are saved - emphasizing that other views such as those from Universalists are to be rejected. We are to snatch others from the fire with a sense of urgency and focus on how this is done - through God alone.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and You alone save - thank You Jesus for willingly surrendering Your life so that I can have salvation and life to the full among the many riches You provide as a child of God.  I am not deserving of salvation and these riches - I worry...far too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 9-10

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 10:4

 

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fourteen The Faithful Evangelist, which covers Romans 9:30-10:21.  My focus today is Romans 9:30-10:4, which my commentary refers to under the heading The Intensity of Paul's Burden. Here, Paul continues to express anguish (see previous few days posts covering Romans 9) over Jewish unbelief by contrasting how the Gentiles achieved righteousness through faith but the Jewish people largely sought righteousness through works (v9:32). Paul quotes Isaiah once more in v33, and how Jesus was prophesied to become the Messiah and cornerstone of the church. His anguish spills over into chapter 10 where he shares how he believes the Jews had "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge....seeking to establish their own [righteousness]" (v10:2-3). In v10:4, Paul states that for those who believe in Christ, they are justified - not based on works or obedience to the law but on based on faith and God's grace. 

 

My commentary encourages me to notice the intensity of Paul's burden for Israel in 10:1-4. Just as Paul is "burdened" or heartbroken for unbelievers we should be as well and be both humble and graceful about it.  We should thank God for conversion and belief in some, and pray for unbelievers at the same time. 

 

Comment and discuss this post here.

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gave me faith - not based on anything I did but because You loved me and because You are full of patience, compassion, mercy and grace - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I am sinful - full of harsh words, worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times....Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Romans 9

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times....Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Psalm 12:6, Proverbs 30:5-6

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter thirteen God's Word Has Not Failed, which covers Romans 9:1-29.  My focus today is Romans 9:24-29, which my commentary refers to under the heading Truth 4: God's Promises Include Many Gentiles and a Jewish Remnant.  Picking up where he left off in my reading yesterday, where Paul states in v23 that God had a plan to "make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy," stating that this plan included both Jews and Gentiles. Paul quotes Hosea (v25-26) and Isaiah (v27) to make his point. Jonah was also another Old Testament prophet sent to save a Gentile people - Nineveh.  So, Paul continues to make the case how although he is saddened by Jewish unbelievers (v9:2), God's promise for the Jews as a chosen people is fulfilled and God's Word does not fail. Once again, as previously posted, God does not promise to save every Jew - only a remnant (v27) and it was always part of God's plan to save from among every nation - Jews and Gentiles alike. Also, the key takeaway is that salvation is not due to birth, ethnicity, or to anything you do - it relies on grace alone. 

As my commentary reflects back on chapter 9 as a whole, it provides six exhortations:

1. share Paul's burdens for unbelievers
2. never doubt God's Word
3. embrace the mystery of God's sovereignty and human responsibility
4. allow the vision of God's sovereignty to increase your faith
5. bow down before God's majesty
6. never get over the wonder of God's saving mercy and grace
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are majestic indeed - and again I have seen and continue to see Your glory daily - in my life and in the life of others.  I also see it in creation, etc. You bless me each morning with new mercies and with so much more - I am not deserving of how You bless me.  I worry - that I worry at all is sinful and I worry too much!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory[.]

Romans 9

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory[.] Romans 9:22-23

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter thirteen God's Word Has Not Failed, which covers Romans 9:1-29.  My focus today is Romans 9:19-23, which my commentary refers to under the heading Truth 3: God Has the Right of a Potter over His Clay.  In these verses, Paul continues to make the case for the gospel.  He poses several rhetorical questions, including how can we resist God and what standing do we have to question God? He responds by using a reference to Old Testament imagery as found in Jeremiah 18 (see also Isaiah 29, 45) and elsewhere.  God, as the Potter can do as he chooses with us, just as He does with His clay - we are clay in His hands...and we are to remember most importantly v23 in that we exist for God's glory and not for our own.

My commentary describes how Paul skirts the question of human responsibility and instead focuses on the questioner's pride, which Paul knows is a key obstacle to faith. It goes on to state that while we are not "mere lumps of clay, but the analogy is fitting: [God] is free, and he has the right to do with the clay as he pleases.  We are encouraged to see how scripture is clear on this by looking at Psalm 115:3, and at Job 42:1-6, where after God's rebuke, Job submits to God and has a more clear view of who God is and how God reigns. Finally in v22-23, we are reminded to see how God is merciful and He has "endured with much patience" our sin and disobedience and we are to see how God does this so that we can make much of God and glorify Him with our lives as a response.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of patience and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and how You pour these out for me daily.  My sin of anger, harsh words, etc. continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Romans 9

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter thirteen God's Word Has Not Failed, which covers Romans 9:1-29.  My focus today is Romans 9:14-18, which my commentary refers to under the heading Truth 2: God's Ways Are Just and His Salvation Is Merciful.  Yesterday, I discussed in v6-13 how God's word does not fail and how Paul's anguish over unbelieving Jews should be considered as part of God's perfect design and plan. In v14, we see Paul look at injustice and of course because we all sin and are deserving of death (Romans 3:23, 6:23), Paul correctly answers that there is no injustice.   In v15-16, Paul quotes Exodus and explains further by indicating that it is up to God how He is to be compassionate and His ways are perfect. When someone does not receive compassion, it is not that God does not have compassion it is that God has another plan and again a plan that is perfect.  With v17, Paul once again uses Exodus and the example of how God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that God's name "be proclaimed in all the earth." Just as God's Word does not fail, God is just.

My commentary goes further, quoting John Stott: "[t]he wonder is not that some are saved and others not, but that anybody is saved at all.  For we deserve nothing at God's hand but judgement.  If we receive what we deserve (which is judgement), or if we receive what we do not deserve (which is mercy), in neither case is God unjust. We are encouraged to see "election" as a mystery and where we see election we should see mercy. Indeed, God is merciful.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are merciful indeed and I experience Your mercies as new every day - thank You Jesus for the mercy and compassion You have poured out for me.  I am not deserving...by a long shot....I have gossip, anger, worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed.

Romans 9

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. Romans 9:6

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter thirteen God's Word Has Not Failed, which covers Romans 9:1-29.  My focus today is Romans 9:6-13, which my commentary refers to under the heading Truth 1: God is Working Out His Sovereign Purposes in History. As I posted yesterday, Paul expressed anguish over the unbelief of his fellow Jews, particularly in light of how Jesus is the Messiah so promised to the Jews in the Old Testament. Paul now pivots to write how it is not God's word has failed (v6) - in fact, "no word from God will ever fail" (see Luke 1:37 NIV). Paul goes on to write how "not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel" (v6), how children of the flesh are not children of God (v8), and how Esau "I hated" (v13) despite his birth to Issac and Rebekah. Many will seek to find contradictions in scripture but they won't find them. See also Psalm 18:30 where David writes how God's way is perfect and "the word of the Lord proves true"; these same words are echoed in 2 Samuel 22:31 where David's word in song are captured as well. 

My commentary emphasizes how "God never promised that every Israelite would be saved....God has always chosen some within the nation of Israel to be his true people (a remnant)."  God both hardens and softens hearts by His design and will and He even chose to "include Gentiles in this believing company."  The commentary points out Paul's use of Genesis 12, 15, 17, and 21, and how Paul loosely quotes Genesis 18:10, 14 to show that "[t]here is an Israel within Israel" and how Sarah's miraculous birth of Isaac demonstrates to us that "[s]alvation is not by birth or works but by grace." If salvation is extended by birth than Esau would have been grafted in but he was not - again it is by grace that we are saved.  Similarly for Jacob, a deceiver, one could expect that Jacob not be part of God's family given his actions; but again God saves and Jacob is part of God's family through grace.  The commentary goes on to say that neither Esau nor Jacob deserved salvation (none of us do!) but grace saved Jacob as one of the elect. It should be noted that the commentary references how Esau's rejection is also discussed in Malachi 1:2-3.  Bottom line, yes, Paul is full of anguish due to unbelief among the Jews, but this is not due to failure of God's word. My commentary ends by stating that God's word "was and is being fulfilled in an Israel within Israel.  In sovereign freedom, God has always chosen a people for himself.  And he continues to work out his sovereign purposes in history."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and whose Word is true and perfect!  Thank You Jesus for the gift of scripture - it is You and I cannot live without You.  Yet I am undeserving of how You provide Your Word, the Holy Spirit, and my salvation.  My sin continues...daily; worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.