Romans 9:25-29

Title: Quotations and Lessons

We built to Paul’s conclusion last week that God prepares both vessels for honor (the saved) and vessels for destruction (the unsaved) for his sovereign purpose.  The vessels for honor illustrate God’s Mercy to an undeserving people, while the vessels prepared for destruction illustrate God’s perfect justice.  

Notice I did not call the unsaved “the lost.”  All of us were lost at one point, and then someone shared the gospel with us.  We need to be sharing the Gospel, we are commanded to.  Hopefully your mind set over the last few weeks has become this:  

I resolve, as a Child of God, and an ambassador to the throne of Christ, to share the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen.  If they accept the Gospel, praise be to God.  If they reject the Gospel, praise be to God. My God will be glorified either way.

Now Paul strengthens his findings with three O.T. quotations, each with lessons and practical application for us today.

I.  Hosea 2:23 and 1:10

(Read)

Conclusions:

1.  We (gentiles) were not His people.

2.  We were not loved by God.

3.  Now, we are His people.

Applications:

1.  Theological: It is God who is deeming who will be called His people.  People are not telling God they are His people.

2.  Historical: The rejection of the Gospel by the majority of the first century Jews is what allowed the doors of salvation to be opened to the rest of the world.

3.  Personal: You were once not his child.  Now you are.  What happened to change that?  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

II.  Isaiah 10:22-23

(Read)

Conclusions:

1.  Though the heritage and lineage of the nation of Israel is vast, only a remnant will be saved.

2.  There is a set amount of time that God will tolerate the Earth’s sin, and then judgement will come swiftly.

Applications:

1.  Theological: There are a select number of truly saved individuals (the remnant).  

2.  Historical: There will be a literal point in history when judgement will come, and will come swiftly to the entire earth and all her inhabitants.  There will be no 11th hour confessions at that time, for it will be too late.

3.  Personal:  Who you are will not save you.  What you are will.

III.  Isaiah 1:9 and Deuteronomy 29:23

(Read)

Conclusions:

1.  Without God’s intercession, without his plan of salvation, our end would be destruction.

2.  We would have sinned like Sodom, and burned like Gomorrah.

Applications:

1.  Theological: If God had chosen to leave us alone, had he not intervened in our lives, we’d end up in hell.  No decisions that we could have made in that time could have saved us.

2.  Historical: God had a plan in place for salvation since the fall of man.  He desired to have a way for us to come back into communion with Him, without compromising His perfection.

3.  Personal: It is at this point that I would ask the question, the mystery of salvation is not why God would choose some and not others…I hope, at least theologically, that has been answered in the last four weeks, but the question now becomes much more personal: Why would He choose me?