Scripture
By Sister Tarae King
In this week’s scripture lesson text we explore one of the bibles many paradoxes, God’s sovereign control and the free will he gives us. Romans 9:18 tells us that it is God alone that choses who will be saved and who will be hardened. However, Ephesians 2:2-10 reminds us how much he loves us. “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
There are no acts of work that we can do to change the will of God. God has sovereignly chose us to be saved, before any human action or thought. “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Romans 4:13 NIV).
God is our creator. We do not need to understand His plan to accept what he has in store for us. “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands?” (Isaiah 45:9 NIV).
Synopsis
By Sister Deborah Hillman
Romans 9:6 begins with Paul expressing great concern for the people (Israel) as they had rejected Jesus Christ despite the fact they were God’s chosen people. They did not believe or acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah even though the people knew of Jesus they refused to adhere to his word. But, they wanted the privileges of God’s covenant, laws and promises without the responsibility that goes with it. While Israel holds a wonderful heritage, their ancestry cannot bring them into right relationship with God. Israel still has to put faith in Jesus Christ to be counted as righteous, blameless, and holy before God.
Paul let’s us know that God’s election is not based upon performance. God’s purpose is to confirm our free will and chose us as we have chose him. Paul is reassuring us that God is completely just in offering mercy and compassion on those he chooses. God is sovereign to whomever he please. God’s will and plan will be accomplished in the end.
We in all honesty cannot comprehend the mind of God but we can be assured that we can trust that His ways,choices, and plans that will bring the glory to Him. We are called to continue to share the gospel with those in all walks of life. We are too, to be reminded daily that God is sovereign in every circumstance and situation.
Practical Application
By Prophetess Lecha Price
Our lesson today deals with the divine sovereignty of God. Paul reminds his readers that God is sovereign even in His selection of the heirs of promise. Although Israel was God’s chosen nation, not all the people of Israel were a part of God’s divine selection. Today’s practical application encourages us to live in a daily awareness that God is sovereign over all that takes place.Simply put – God IS sovereign.
This means He has supreme authority and all things are under His control. Furthermore, He is Omnipotent – all powerful, Omniscient – all knowing and Omnipresent – present everywhere at the same time. As believers, we may not always understand everything that happens around us or to us. However, it is a certainty that we can trust the One who is in control of it all. His name is Yahweh/Emmanuel “God with us” and He is sovereign!
Nothing escapes His all-seeing eyes or gets past Him. He is actively involved in the lives of His people. The scriptures remind us,” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose”.( Romans 8:28) Also, Philippians 1:6 says,” Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. Therefore, in our everyday lives let us remember that God is sovereign, and we are loved by a faithful God!
