The Stone That Made People Stumble

Romans 9:25–33
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Paul quotes Hosea 2:23, which declares that God would turn from the Jews and would call the Gentiles (v. 25). He quotes Isaiah 10:22 and 23 to show us that only a remnant of Israel would be saved, and that the greater number would suffer judgment (vv. 27-28). Today only a remnant of Jews are believing, and they, along with the Gentiles, are “called of God” (vv. 24-26).  Isaiah 1:9 is quoted to show us the grace of God in God sparing the believing remnant (v. 29). These prophecies show to us that only God’s grace has made possible the salvation of the Gentiles. 

God doesn’t save people based on birth or behav­ior, but by their trusting Him and receiving by faith His righteousness. God is faithful, righteous, just, and gracious, and we can depend on Him to keep His promise and accomplish His purpose. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13). We find a paradox, where the Jews sought for righteousness but did not find it, while the Gentiles, who were not searching for it, found it (vv. 30-33). The reason for this was that Israel tried to be saved by works and not by faith. They thought that the Gentiles had to come up to their level to be saved when the Jews needed to go down to the level of the Gentiles to be saved.

The Jewish idea was that a man by strict obedience to the law, could pile up a credit balance in the bank of heaven. The result was that a Jew sought to make God a debtor to him, while the Gentile was content to be in God’s debt. The Jew believed he could win salvation by doing things for God; the Gentile was lost in amazement at what God had done for him. The Jew sought to find the way to Heaven by works; the Gentile came by trust.

Application

God is so good, and He has included all of us in “whosoever.” He wants the best for me. The question is: Am I yielding my all to Him?