The Word Unleashed - Radio

As Christians, we must have a single-minded purpose to exalt our Lord, regardless of the circumstances that might face. And Paul sets out to help us set our minds not on the temporary and unimportant things of this life but the eternal.

After the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, God revealed His plan to rescue sinners from their sins through the seed of a women and then God sacrificed an animal to clothe Adam and Eve, demonstrating the forgiveness of sin that only God can bring.

Genesis 3 is a familiar portion of Scripture that describes the most tragic event in human history—the fall of man into sin. Adam’s simple act of disobedience, eating a forbidden fruit, plunged the entire human race into sin. Adam acted as our representative—when he sinned, we sinned. But amid that dark day, the same chapter of Genesis records that God promised to send a redeemer

As we conclude our study of Romans 9, we need to ask: Why does Paul spend time developing the doctrine of divine election to Roman churches, most of whom were Gentile? Primarily, because it helps us understand God and elevates our view of Him. Divine election matters and is worthy of study because it reminds us of God, that He stands alone—that He is unlike any of us.

At the end of Romans 9, Paul narrows his focus on why God has only saved a remnant of the nation of Israel. Paul first explains that God decided to pass by most of Abraham's physical descendants, leaving them to suffer the divine justice that their sins had earned, just like He does with the rest of mankind. And second, God decided to choose only a small remnant of the physical descendants of Abraham that He would spiritually rescue by His grace alone, just as He does with the rest of mankind.

As Paul begins to conclude his explanation of the doctrine of election, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he feels it is necessary to quote, three times, from the prophet Hosea to further strengthen his teaching on divine election. But why does he quote from Hosea, and what does this mean for us as Christians today?

A common question that arises in regards to the doctrine of election is this: How do you know if you are elect? The fact is, only the Triune God knows who He elected, but it is possible to know if you are elect if you have repented of your sins and trusted in Christ.

One of the profound implications of the doctrine of divine election is that it demonstrates the patience of God—that He is willing to allow sinners to rebel against him—and then, at an appointed time, He is also willing to call sinners to Himself through the offer of his Son, Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of divine election is often misconstrued to say that God creates people to then destroy them. But that isn’t what the apostle Paul teaches in Romans 9. Rather, God decided to create mankind in His own image, in His glory, for good, as an expression of His own character, and then He allowed them to fall into sin.

In Romans 9, Paul uses the illustration of a potter and His clay to show the sovereignty with which God has over those whom He has elected for salvation and those whom He has passed over. The potter illustration provides two key lessons that will help bring clarity to the doctrine of election and how Christians should only respond in adoration and worship of our sovereign God.