Romans 9

I've been reading through Romans lately, it is such an amazing book and packed full!  I wanted to write about Romans 9 because we also went through this chapter in Sunday school and our teacher made some great points I wanted to put down.  


But who are you, O man,  to answer back to God?  Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make our of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Romans 9:20-21


That is only a portion of the chapter but it is so applicable to life and Paul asks questions that I know I have asked before.  I wonder sometimes why God made me the way I am and what purpose he has for me.  But the really cool thing is that when I am at my weakest, God's strength can be made known.  For I have no boast in myself, only in Christ and what he does in my life!  


But here are some of the points from Romans chapter 9:

• Mercy is not required or demanded, if God was totally just without mercy, we would all be damned.
• If we can't resist God's will then why does He hold us accountable?  
• Who are we to argue and question God, His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours.
• God is God and it is His will not ours... He has a higher reason
• God wants to display His glory, He choses to sometimes do that through vessels of destruction... like how He used Judas to betray Christ to ultimately pay the price for our sins

In the second half of this chapter, Paul discusses Israel's unbelief.  There are also some good points to take from this:

• The Gentiles came in faith and knew that they were unrighteous --> therefore they attained righteousness (they didn't count themselves as worthy but as sinful and unworthy before a sovereign God)
• The Jews came by works and law and tried to attain their own righteousness --> therefore they did not attain righteousness

And lastly, going back to the beginning of the chapter, Paul says, "For I wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers." Romans 9:3

That is just unbelievable to me... Paul understands God's love for us and is therefore willing to be damned for the damned.  He has such an amazing Biblical knowledge and worldview!  I definitely cannot say that I have that kind of love for the lost that I would give up my eternity with Christ in order that they might be saved!  I don't know how to get to that point where I love the lost with the kind of love God shows me and them, but I pray God will teach me how.