Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (34) “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to Him?” (38) For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul. Our verses begin with an outburst of praise to God (called doxology) for His wisdom, His judgment and His ways. What prompted these views? The most natural consideration is this praise refers to all the apostle refers to in chapter 11. Paul has finished the plan of redemption: he clearly presented the doctrines of justification, sanctification, the certain salvation to all believers, election, the calling of the Gentiles, the present rejection and final restoration of the Jews. Paul is overcome with the idea that God is all and man is nothing. God is infinitely exalted above his creatures.

Man can do nothing to place God under obligation. We are justified not in our own merit but the merit of Christ. The faithful are sanctified by the Spirit of God – chosen to salvation not on grounds of anything in them but according to God’s purpose. Man has neither merit or power but rests on God’s sovereign mercy alone. God is the source, the means and the end. By Him are all things directed and governed. God’s plan for salvation extends beyond human ability to comprehend and is so complex that humans cannot discover it without the aid of divine revelation. God’s purposes and His accomplishment of them are especially revealed in the cross of Christ which is foolishness to the so called “wise” of this world. God knows all things that will happen, knows all things that have happened, and judges people on that basis. We can hide nothing from God. God’s knowledge and judgment are beyond comprehension.

The point of our verse today is to humble us before God – to see what God has done for us in Christ. God is the source from which all things come, by which all things happen and the goal toward which all things move. In my research for today I came across a story about Mohammad Ali who was on a plane and refusing to fasten his safety belt. He told the stewardess that “Superman don’t need no belt”. The stewardess relied that “Superman don’t need no plane.” Ali fastened his safety belt as should we.

For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, (14) if by any means I may provoke to jealously those who are my flesh and save some of them.(15) For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?….(29) For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (30) For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, (31) even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. (32) For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul. He devotes chapter 11 to deal with the matter of the future of the Jews in light of God’s promises to that nation. Relatively few Jews believed in Jesus Christ as savior while many Gentiles were believing and coming into the kingdom. This is the dilemma in our verses today – God made many promises to Israel and could God’s promises fail? Paul writes that Israel’s rejection is temporary, not permanent. And God used their present rejection of Christ to spread the gospel among Gentiles. Then He will use the Gentiles reception of the gospel to bring the Jews to faith.

Israel was given special privileges as gifts from God and He will not withdraw them. Even while Israel resists God’s plan centered in the Messiah, the Lord is at work bringing the Gentiles to salvation. This salvation of the Gentiles not only magnifies the grace of God but will also provoke Israel to jealousy and lead that nation ultimately to return to the Lord. Paul makes the point that Israel’s rejection is partial, not total; there is a remnant of believing Jews, Paul being among them. Israel’s rejection is temporary, not permanent. The Jews said no to Christ so the gospel was offered to the Gentiles and many gladly accepted. God has designed and guided history to display the reliability of His promises – He controls how things turn out to accomplish His purposes.

The themes in our verses are disobedience (disbelief) and mercy. Paul is NOT saying God will save every one but is addressing the Gentiles and Jews as nations, not individuals. It is God’s great plan of redemption – God’s sovereign choice to save whom He chooses and not up to man’s free will. Looking at history and God’s dealings with Gentiles and Jews as groups we see both groups cut off from God’s mercy because of disobedience but both groups will experience His mercy as history unfolds. The gospel came from the Jews to the Gentiles and so it is to return from the Gentiles to the Jews.

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I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (2) that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. (3) For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, (4) who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God and the promises, (5) of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

The letter to the Romans was written to the faithful in Rome by the apostle Paul. Our verses today follow Paul’s statement that nothing could separate him/the faithful from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. In chapter 9 he immediately turns to those without Christ – his kinsmen. What some saw as an attack on the Jews was not that at all; he spoke truth so that they might see the need for the righteousness of Christ Jesus – he goes to great lengths to convince the Jews of what he was saying. Paul was speaking hypothetically trying to convey how deeply he was burdened for the salvation of the Jews. But he knew such a prayer was not permissible and would not result in the salvation of the Jews. It meant nothing more than he was willing to suffer the utmost misery for the sake of his brethren. Paul wanted to assure them of his love and respect.

The nation of Israel had unique spiritual privileges but were lost – great privilege will not save any one unless they respond to them. They were adopted by God as His chosen people; they were under the light and protection of God. Israel had the prophets, the promises, the service of God, the priesthood, the temple. Israel would not only be saved but the Gentiles also through God’s promise to Abraham. They read the messianic promises – the great promise of redemption which would climax in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the Jews rejected Christ. They trusted in their religious privilege, their heritage, not in the Messiah. They were exposed to the truth but rejected it. Israel’s failure was due to pride and self sufficiency – they sought to be saved by works rather than grace. Scripture makes it clear that salvation is a work of grace and the eternal life of the Bible is a free gift.

The gospel preached by Paul is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah revealed by Scripture, who is eternal God in human flesh; Who became sacrifice for sin in our stead, Who was raised bodily from the dead and is Lord over all. He is our refuge. Lean on the cross and the blood and have assurance of everlasting life, the resurrection of the body, a heavenly home and the indwelling Spirit.

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For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (17) For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (18) And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. (19) And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

2 Peter is written by the apostle Peter, written when he knows he is about to be executed. It is his witness centering in the person of Jesus Christ, Son of God. Peter links his epistle with his great experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Transfiguration was a glimpse of the glory of God where he beheld the Lord as He will be when He returns – the veil was lifted and the intrinsic glory of Christ Jesus that he shared with the Father was revealed and affirmed the unique, majestic, glorious Son of God.

In our verses today Peter gives us two elements of the foundation of faith: the apostolic witness to Jesus Christ and the written prophetic revelation of God in Scripture. Peter explicitly denies making up tales about Jesus but accuses false teachers of doing so. The apostles – Peter, James and John were present at the Transfiguration and proclaimed what they saw and heard. This was not a subjective vision or dream. Peter tells his audience to pay attention to the Word as a lamp shining in the dark until Christ returns – when the morning star rises in our hearts. He compares the day dawn which is preceded by the rising of the morning star to the Lord who will appear as the morning start for the faithful.

Jesus Christ is coming again – He will return bodily in power and glory to judge the wicked and to bring final redemption and eternal glory to His people. C.s.Lewis always puts it better than I can: “Some day (and what if this present were the world’s last night,?) an absolutely correct verdict – if you like, a perfect critique – will be passed on what each of us is.”

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30). Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called , these also He justified; and whom He justified, these also He glorified.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today we study election ; God has chosen His saints according to His good pleasure – not according to the faith He foresees, not according to their works but according to His good pleasure. The man/woman who loves God is the individual who has been brought to faith by God. Apart from God’s initiative none seek Him as we are born spiritually dead in the sin of Adam and do not want God. The general call of the gospel goes out to all people but it is not effectual for some because of their hardened hearts. God’s call cannot fail by our sinful will. Simply put, God chose to set His love on some and predestined these to salvation – this is not primarily about us or our happiness but so that Christ “might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Our salvation is all about the supremacy of Jesus Christ. This is Gods eternal purpose and for the faithful it is secure. God is working all the trials in our lives – great or small – together for our ultimate good. Our happiness isn’t the final goal but to glorify Christ for all eternity. God did not make up His eternal purpose based on what sinners would do as this would make man sovereign, not God. He determines beforehand what He will do and how He will do it. All things don’t just “happen” to work out for good on their own. Romans 8:28 does not promise all things work together for ALL people but God’s promise is good only for His elect. The faithful come willingly because He has made them willing by His free grace. We are not to look at life from the human side but from the divine standpoint. The doctrine of sovereign election is intensely practical especially when we face trials which teach us to submit to God and trust in Him.

There is great comfort in knowing and accepting that sovereign God is working all things together for the good of His people. God’s purpose means there are no accidents. God’s call always accomplishes His purpose of giving life to the spiritually dead so that they will respond. Salvation is always of the Lord.