Prepare: God's mercy and His purpose in election.
Read: Romans 9:1-18
St.Paul is supposed to be the apostle to the Gentiles. But when he thought of his own people, the Jews, he was filled with anguish that they have rejected the gospel of Christ. The Jews are under a delusion that the Messiah is yet to come. In spite of being a chosen race above all the nations, they have failed to come into the grace of God through faith in Christ.
We sometimes are dismayed about the many to whom we have witnessed about Christ, some of them beloved members of our families, who do not accept the message of the gospel. We cannot attribute it always to our fault.
The Bible emphasizes the sovereignty of God. We see Paul sorrowing, praying, and worshipping. He did not feel that God's sovereignty in any way destroyed man's responsibility. The God who ordains the end (saving the lost) also ordains the means to the end, the prayers and witness of His people. They go together. God is not obligated to save anybody, for all deserve to be condemned. Even Israel was chosen only because of His grace and love (Deut.7:6-8). Therefore, nobody can criticize God or say He is unfair. That He is merciful to sinners should make us rejoice!
Charles Spurgeon was asked how he reconciled divine sovereignty and human responsibility, and he replied, "I never try to reconcile friends."
Respond: We must pray as though it all depended on God and work as though it all depended on us - Augustine.
Read: Romans 9:1-18
St.Paul is supposed to be the apostle to the Gentiles. But when he thought of his own people, the Jews, he was filled with anguish that they have rejected the gospel of Christ. The Jews are under a delusion that the Messiah is yet to come. In spite of being a chosen race above all the nations, they have failed to come into the grace of God through faith in Christ.
We sometimes are dismayed about the many to whom we have witnessed about Christ, some of them beloved members of our families, who do not accept the message of the gospel. We cannot attribute it always to our fault.
The Bible emphasizes the sovereignty of God. We see Paul sorrowing, praying, and worshipping. He did not feel that God's sovereignty in any way destroyed man's responsibility. The God who ordains the end (saving the lost) also ordains the means to the end, the prayers and witness of His people. They go together. God is not obligated to save anybody, for all deserve to be condemned. Even Israel was chosen only because of His grace and love (Deut.7:6-8). Therefore, nobody can criticize God or say He is unfair. That He is merciful to sinners should make us rejoice!
Charles Spurgeon was asked how he reconciled divine sovereignty and human responsibility, and he replied, "I never try to reconcile friends."
Respond: We must pray as though it all depended on God and work as though it all depended on us - Augustine.
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