Romans 9 (Pt 1)

Romans 9:4-5 (ESV)

[4] They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. [5] To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

In this chapter Paul anguishes over Israel’s rejection of her Messiah. Having been given so many blessings that were intended to point them to Christ, they instead rejected him. As I reflect on the first part of this chapter three questions occur to me.

First, Israel was blessed with adoption, glory, the covenants, the law, worship, and promises, yet they rejected their Messiah. As a result, Israel was scattered to the four winds. It makes me wonder what will become of our nation having been so blessed and having had such access to the Word of God yet rejecting it? The gospel has been on this continent in the hands of Europeans for 400 years. As a nation we had the printed Word of God. We planted churches across this continent. We became the greatest, wealthiest, and most powerful nation on earth. We sent missionaries around the world. Yet we also brought slavery to this land. We robbed, murdered, and raped the indigenous people of this land. We accumulated wealth only to heap up more wealth. If Israel was judged, can anything less await this country?

 On a national level I believe we will be judged unless there is a great awakening to the mercies of God. But what about on the personal level? Do we personally recognize the many blessings and opportunities we have? It seems that the more we have the more we complain. Remember the story of the princess and the pea? Only a true princess would be unable to sleep because of a pea hidden under multiple mattresses. It is a fairytale, but the principle is there. The more we have, the more comfortable we become the more we complain about the smallest inconveniences. Rather than becoming a thankful people appreciating and enjoying what we have, we are constantly complaining about our inconveniences. We complain about sitting in traffic. There are people in this world who have no job to commute to. We complain about the heat or the cold. There are people in this world who suffer from heat and cold without shelter. We complain because we have to turn the thermostat up a bit. And on and on it goes. Do we really appreciate what we have?

Those questions are convicting, but the third question is perhaps the most important. Are we as passionate about the lost as Paul? Paul wrote in Romans 9:23, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” What would we give up for the sake of the lost around us? It is a convicting thought. Connecting with the lost and sharing the love of Christ and the truth of the gospel is inconvenient. It takes time. It means that I need to get to know someone I do not know that may be very different from me. It means that I may need to love someone that is not so lovable. It means that I need to care about people other than my family and my circle of friends. I care about the lost overseas. I send money to missionaries to do something about that. But I am offended when anyone suggests that I should be doing here what missionaries are doing there. Do I really care?

That is convicting. I don’t mind considering that America may some day be judged. I just hope it doesn’t happen when I am alive. I work to appreciate my blessings rather than complaining about what I do not have. But Paul’s passion and compassion for the lost is most convicting. That requires something of me. God, forgive me for my own hard heart. May I see my neighbors through your eyes of compassion and love.