Verse of the Day 8/31

 

Romans 9:14-15 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! ¹⁵ For God said to Moses,

"I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
    and I will show compassion to anyone I choose."  New Living Translation (NLT)

For today's verses we'll move to Romans chapter 9 which goes into a subject which many churches choose to avoid or ignore.  Arguments often arise out of it and churches have split over the debate about it.  We are talking about "election", God's choosing.

 

In today's society we quite often hear the words fair and fairness used in relation to many of the days "hot topics" from health care, to income redistribution, voting rights and a host of other topics.  In the church the topic of "fairness" is often brought up in relation to election, causing some to challenge that God, as the Phillips translation puts it, "is monstrously unfair".

 

John Piper writes, "God is utterly free from the constraints of his creation.  The inclinations of his will move in directions that he alone determines.  Whatever influences  appear to change his will are influences which ultimately he has ordained.  His choice to show mercy to one person and not to another is a choice that originates in the mystery of his sovereign will not in the will of his creature....If God ever surrendered the sovereignty of his freedom in dispensing his mercy, he would cease to be all-glorious,  he would no longer by Yahweh, the God of the Bible."

 

I remember Pastor Bill Swanger's teaching on the subject of election.  Basically, he said and taught that "both election and man's free will, and his accountability are clearly taught in the Bible.  We will never be able to settle the argument on this side of heaven."  Rather than arguing and taking sides we should trust in God, be thankful for his saving grace, that he has chosen to have mercy and compassion on us, and live knowing that we are his instruments in reaching others, whether we believe it is their choice to believe or God's sovereign election to use us to reach them.

 

In preparation for worship this weekend, consider what it means to you that He has had mercy on you.  Read the lines to the Philips, Craig and Dean song "You are God Alone".  No matter what side of the debate you may take, may you be able to say that He is God alone.

 

You are not a God
Created by human hands
You are not a God
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a God
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that's just the way it is

[chorus]
You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
You are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You're the only God
Whose power none can contend
You're the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You're the only God
Who's worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that's just the way it is

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Romans 9:14-17

J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

We must not jump to conclusions about God

^14-15 Now do we conclude that God is monstrously unfair? Never! God said long ago to Moses: 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion'.

^16-17 It is obviously not a question of human will or human effort, but of divine mercy. The scripture says to Pharaoh: 'Even for this same purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name shall be declared in all the earth'.