Romans 9 confronts us with a question that shakes the very foundation of faith: Has God's word failed? When we look around and see those who seem closest to God's promises rejecting the gospel, while unlikely recipients embrace it with open arms, we naturally wonder about God's faithfulness. This profound chapter takes us on a journey through God's sovereign plan, reminding us that His promises have never been about ethnic heritage or human effort, but about faith in Christ alone. We're challenged to examine our own hearts: Are we approaching God through the sweat of our brow or through the blood of the Lamb? The imagery is powerful—just as Cain's self-produced offering was rejected while Abel's sacrifice was accepted, so too our works-based righteousness will always fall short. What breaks through in this message is the urgency of the gospel. When we truly grasp that friends, family, and neighbors are separated from God without Christ, our hearts should break as Paul's did. The doctrine of hell isn't meant to terrify us into submission, but to awaken us to the preciousness of salvation and compel us to share this good news. We're called to be prayer warriors, preachers of the Word, and worshipers who understand what we've been saved from. The question isn't whether God has failed—He never has and never will—but whether we're pursuing righteousness through our own efforts or receiving it as the gift it truly is through faith in Jesus Christ.