Romans 9–10: God & His Mercy

Read the Bible in 2011 ◊ Week 5: Sunday

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So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

Romans 9:16

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Today’s Bible reading is Romans 9–10. In chapters 9–11, Paul expresses his grief over Israel’s rejection of Jesus and discusses God’s bringing in the Gentiles along with the Jews to be His people. This section of the Bible can be controversial, to say the least. Read it with humility, and don’t read it unless you’ve already read Romans 1–8, and understand the nature of man’s sinful rebellion and the mercy and love of God in sending His Son. Before you begin to read these chapters, go to the end of chapter 11, and read these verses first:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33–36 ESV

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Now go back to Romans 9, and as you read, read as a sinner saved by the mercy and grace of God. Remember from Romans 3, that there is no one righteous—absolutely none—every mouth is closed and the entire world is accountable to God. It is only by His mercy that any are saved.

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— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”

Romans 9:22–23 ESV

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Jesus said,

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.

And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”

John 6:63–65

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The Bible speaks of God’s sovereignty from Genesis to Revelation. Paul’s response was, “To him be glory forever. Amen.” May that be your response as well.

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ESV: English Standard Version