Going through Romans 9 the past few days and Paul again delivers a message straight from his heart to challenge the church not to neglect the work of Christ on the cross. He starts off by saying how blessed the Israelites are being exposed to the works of God. They had a front seat to what God is doing. In verse 4-5 he enumerates the benefits of being exposed to God’s words:
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.
And just like any human, we have a tendency to neglect what is in front of us and miss the whole point of God’s means of exposing His love and grace to us.
In Romans 9:15-18, Paul wrote:
15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.