Get the appRomans - Part 5: ELECTIONSample
Check Your Attitude at the Door!
This passage gives us a great picture of God’s mercy and how we should react. But first, let’s understand who Paul is describing here. He is talking about 2 groups. Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). So when it says all he means both groups. So Paul isn't saying that God has mercy on all people regardless of faith or not, in some universalist way. He is helping us understand that both Jews and Gentiles can be included in God’s mercy and how to properly react to the mercy we have received. With that said let’s dive in.
Paul is stating that the Gentiles were once disobedient even hostile to God (Colossians 1:21) but they received mercy by faith in Jesus. In Paul's day and even now, the Jews are described as hostile to God, even enemies of God (Romans 11:28) because they rejected the Gospel. In the larger context of these verses, Paul is clearly saying something like, “Check your attitude at the door!”
It might be easy for the Roman Gentile Christians to judge and put down the non-believing Jews. The Gentiles did nothing special to deserve inclusion in God’s redemption. He saved them because of His great mercy (Titus 3:5). Besides, God let all people, Jews, and Gentiles alike, feel what it is like to be sinful, enemies of God and all (both Jews & Gentiles) can feel God’s mercy as well (verse 32) by faith in Jesus.
Look how Eugene Peterson renders verse 32,
“In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in. -The Message.
God desires for all, Jews, and Gentiles alike, to find His mercy. He wants us to react with thankful hearts. God wants us to accept His free gift and humbly desire this for all others.
So we should check our attitudes at the door!
We should be careful not to judge others who do not yet believe (like believing Gentiles judging the unbelieving Jews). Instead, we should hope, pray, and share the Gospel so that others can find the mercy we have. We should revel in the glorious riches of God’s mercy with them. All to the glory of God.
Great reasons to check our attitude at the door, huh?
-Doug Drainville
About this Plan
This plan is an overview of the unashamed wonder and power of the gospel (Romans 1:16). In this plan, Part 5 of our six-part series through the book of Romans, we will learn about the mystery of election!
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