Paul has just been contemplating the wonderful truths we have read about in Romans 8, the glorious present reality as Spirit-filled believers and our magnificent future. Now his thoughts turn, with a pang in his heart, to his fellow Israelites, the people God chose first to be the recipients of His grace, mercy and blessings and who are now missing out. Paul expresses his ‘great sorrow and unceasing anguish’ in his heart because his fellow countrymen have rejected Jesus and he desperately wants to see them saved.
When was the last time we felt real anguish in our hearts for the lost in our family and among our friends? How desperately do we want them to find out about Jesus, so they can make an informed choice?
The rest of the chapter deals with the idea of who God’s true children are: the ones God chooses in His sovereign grace! The ones who trust in Him by faith to save them. I love the way The Message (TM) sums it up: “All those people who didn’t seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as he straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over, they were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their “God projects” that they didn’t notice God right in front of them...”
It doesn’t matter what family background we have: being brought up in the faith, religious or non-religious. A baptism or christening, a confirmation or simply going to church is not enough to guarantee our salvation. Even belief in the existence of God is not enough, as James 2:19 points out! We need to accept God’s way of being made right with Him by faith and cannot earn God’s approval by doing anything, even religious things, hoping it’s enough to get us to heaven.
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Question:
Are you living your life and doing good deeds in order to be saved and be right with God or because you have been saved by faith in Jesus?
Prayer:
If you’re not sure whether you are saved, feel free to pray something like this: Thank you, Jesus, for coming into this world to save me. Please forgive me for going my own way and not trusting you alone to save me. I recognise that my own efforts to lead a good life are not enough. Thank you for dying on the cross to forgive all my sins and save me. Please come into my life as my Lord, Saviour and King. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, so I can live for your glory from now on, in your Name I pray, Lord Jesus, Amen.