Understanding Rejection: Grace, Election, and Responsibility

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Trusting in Human Credentials

The Jews' rejection of the gospel was not due to ignorance but rather their reliance on their status as God's chosen people, their possession of the law, and their own works for salvation. These misconceptions blinded them to the true way of salvation, which is entirely the result of God's election and grace. This highlights the danger of trusting in human credentials over divine grace. It serves as a reminder that no amount of religious status or adherence to the law can replace the necessity of faith in God's grace for salvation. The Jews' error was in thinking that their heritage and works could secure their standing with God, but true salvation is a gift that cannot be earned. [03:07]

"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." (Romans 10:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways might you be relying on your own achievements or status for your sense of worth or salvation? How can you shift your focus to rely more on God's grace today?

Day 2: Salvation as a Gift of Grace

Salvation is entirely the result of God's election and grace, not human effort. This truth humbles us, reminding us that our salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our own merit. It is a profound reminder that no amount of good works or personal achievements can earn us a place in God's kingdom. Instead, it is through His grace and mercy that we are saved. This understanding should lead us to a posture of gratitude and humility, recognizing that our salvation is not something we can boast about, but a gift we have received. [06:09]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding salvation as a gift of grace change the way you view your relationship with God? What are some ways you can express gratitude for this gift today?

Day 3: The Heart's Condition and Belief

The Jews' disobedience stemmed from a heart condition, characterized by a refusal to be persuaded and a resistance to the truth. This illustrates that belief is a moral issue, not merely intellectual, and challenges us to examine our own hearts. It is not enough to have knowledge of the truth; our hearts must be open and willing to accept it. The Jews' pride and desire for human honor prevented them from accepting the gospel's humbling message. This serves as a warning to us to guard against pride and to cultivate a heart that is receptive to God's truth. [20:33]

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23, ESV)

Reflection: What are some areas in your life where pride might be hindering your ability to accept God's truth? How can you cultivate a more humble and receptive heart today?

Day 4: God's Persistent Grace and Patience

God's persistent outreach, depicted as stretching out His hands all day long, demonstrates His grace and patience. Despite repeated rejection, God continues to offer salvation, emphasizing His love and mercy. This image of God reaching out to His people is a powerful reminder of His unwavering commitment to us, even when we turn away. It challenges us to reflect on the ways we might be resisting God's call and to respond to His persistent love with open hearts. [36:52]

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you experienced God's patience and grace in your life? How can you respond to His persistent love and mercy today?

Day 5: The Balance of Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

The dual truths of God's sovereign election and human responsibility are central to understanding salvation. While God is responsible for our salvation, those who reject the gospel are accountable for their unbelief. This balance challenges us to recognize God's sovereignty in our lives while also acknowledging our responsibility to respond to His call. It is a reminder that while God initiates and sustains our salvation, we are called to actively participate in our faith journey. [45:10]

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: How do you balance the understanding of God's sovereignty with your responsibility in your faith journey? What steps can you take today to actively participate in your relationship with God?

Sermon Summary

In Romans 10:18-21, Paul addresses the inexcusable rejection of the gospel by the Jews, despite having every opportunity to accept it. The Jews' failure to embrace the gospel is not due to ignorance or lack of clarity, as both Moses and Isaiah had clearly prophesied the inclusion of the Gentiles and the Jews' rejection. The Jews' primary errors were their reliance on their status as God's chosen people, their possession of the law, and their own works for salvation. These misconceptions blinded them to the true way of salvation, which is entirely the result of God's election and grace.

Paul emphasizes that salvation is not a result of human effort or merit but is solely God's action. The Jews' rejection of the gospel is rooted in their disobedient and gainsaying hearts. They were not only unpersuaded but also unwilling to be persuaded, demonstrating a stubborn resistance to the truth. This condition of the heart is the ultimate barrier to faith, as belief is not merely an intellectual issue but a moral one. The Jews' pride and desire for human honor prevented them from accepting the gospel's humbling message.

God's persistent outreach to the Jews, depicted as stretching out His hands all day long, highlights His grace and patience. Despite their repeated rejection, God continued to offer salvation, demonstrating His love and mercy. The Jews' final condemnation lies in their rejection of this grace, leaving them without excuse. This message underscores the dual truths of God's sovereign election and human responsibility. While salvation is entirely of God, those who reject it are fully accountable for their unbelief.

Key Takeaways

1. The Jews' rejection of the gospel was not due to ignorance but to their reliance on status, law, and works, which blinded them to the true way of salvation through God's grace. This highlights the danger of trusting in human credentials over divine grace. [03:07]
2. Salvation is entirely the result of God's election and grace, not human effort. This truth humbles us, reminding us that our salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our own merit. [06:09]
3. The Jews' disobedience stemmed from a heart condition, characterized by a refusal to be persuaded and a resistance to the truth. This illustrates that belief is a moral issue, not merely intellectual, and challenges us to examine our own hearts. [20:33]
4. God's persistent outreach, depicted as stretching out His hands all day long, demonstrates His grace and patience. Despite repeated rejection, God continues to offer salvation, emphasizing His love and mercy. [36:52]
5. The dual truths of God's sovereign election and human responsibility are central to understanding salvation. While God is responsible for our salvation, those who reject the gospel are accountable for their unbelief. [45:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to Romans 10:18-21
[01:10] - The Inexcusable Rejection by the Jews
[02:16] - The Negative Argument: Misconceptions
[03:07] - The Jews' Threefold Error
[05:16] - The Positive Argument: True Salvation
[06:09] - God's Election and Grace
[07:18] - Salvation Beyond Human Effort
[09:04] - The Unity of Scripture
[12:09] - The Whosoever of Salvation
[13:15] - Jesus' Teachings on Election
[16:19] - The Parable of the Wedding Feast
[19:19] - The Jews' Wrong Notions of Salvation
[20:33] - The Condition of the Heart
[36:52] - God's Persistent Outreach
[45:10] - Election and Human Responsibility
[49:58] - A Call to Self-Examination
[51:20] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the three main errors of the Jews regarding salvation, as discussed in the sermon? [03:07]
How does Paul describe God's outreach to the Jews in Romans 10:21? What imagery is used to convey this message? [20:07]
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase "I was found of them that sought me not" in understanding God's grace? [07:01]
How does the sermon explain the Jews' rejection of the gospel as a heart issue rather than an intellectual one? [20:33]

Interpretation Questions

How does the sermon interpret the role of God's election in salvation, and what implications does this have for understanding human responsibility? [45:10]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that pride and the desire for human honor can prevent individuals from accepting the gospel? [29:38]
How does the sermon use the parable of the wedding feast to illustrate the Jews' rejection of the gospel and the inclusion of the Gentiles? [16:19]
What does the sermon suggest about the nature of belief as a moral issue, and how does this challenge common perceptions of faith? [26:53]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Are there areas where you might be relying on your status, knowledge, or works rather than God's grace for your salvation? How can you shift your focus to rely more on God's grace? [03:07]
Consider a time when you resisted a truth because of pride or a desire for human honor. How can you cultivate humility to be more open to the gospel's message? [29:38]
How do you respond to God's persistent outreach in your life? Are there areas where you have been resistant or gainsaying? What steps can you take to be more receptive to His call? [36:52]
The sermon emphasizes that belief is a moral issue. How can you examine your heart to identify any moral barriers that might be hindering your faith? [20:33]
In what ways can you demonstrate God's love and grace to those who might be resistant to the gospel, similar to how God persistently reached out to the Jews? [36:52]
How can you balance the understanding of God's sovereign election with the responsibility to share the gospel with others? What practical steps can you take to engage in evangelism this week? [45:10]
Reflect on a specific area in your life where you have been non-persuasive or gainsaying. How can you work on being more open to persuasion and truth in that area? [21:04]

Sermon Clips

The Jews' rejection of the gospel was not due to ignorance but to their reliance on status, law, and works, which blinded them to the true way of salvation through God's grace. This highlights the danger of trusting in human credentials over divine grace. [00:03:07]

Salvation is entirely the result of God's election and grace, not human effort. This truth humbles us, reminding us that our salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our own merit. [00:06:09]

The Jews' disobedience stemmed from a heart condition, characterized by a refusal to be persuaded and a resistance to the truth. This illustrates that belief is a moral issue, not merely intellectual, and challenges us to examine our own hearts. [00:20:33]

God's persistent outreach, depicted as stretching out His hands all day long, demonstrates His grace and patience. Despite repeated rejection, God continues to offer salvation, emphasizing His love and mercy. [00:36:52]

The dual truths of God's sovereign election and human responsibility are central to understanding salvation. While God is responsible for our salvation, those who reject the gospel are accountable for their unbelief. [00:45:10]

The Apostle proves beyond any doubt at all or any possible reply that the Old Testament Scriptures both Moses and Isaiah both the law and the prophets and between them made it quite clear that the Gentiles were to be called and a way to be sharers of salvation and that the Jews were going to reject the message. [00:01:56]

The true way of salvation can be summed up like this: it is entirely the result of God's election. Where do I find that? Well, I find it like this: let me give you the evidence here again there is a threefold evidence provided by the quotations. [00:06:03]

The emphasis you notice is all along upon the action and the activity of God, but secondly, it is made equally plain and clear that salvation is not the result of any activity in our path. I was found of them that sought me not; they haven't sought it. [00:07:12]

The person who is hopeful is the person who listens and who asks questions in order to be helped and in order to understand, but you're familiar with the other type of person, aren't you, who always gives you the impression they're just waiting for you to stop in order that they may say something against. [00:24:23]

The man who rejects is self-condemned; the man who is saved realizes that he is saved only and exclusively by the grace of God. Where the Apostle Paul, he says, by the grace of God, I am what I am. I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and incurious. [00:48:32]

The doctrines of election and predestination do not say that man is not responsible. Man is responsible, but salvation is entirely of God. So I put it as I put it so many times in doing chapter 9: we are not responsible for our salvation, but if a man is damned, he is responsible for his damnation. [00:45:45]

The Jews' final condemnation lies in their rejection of this grace, leaving them without excuse. This message underscores the dual truths of God's sovereign election and human responsibility. While salvation is entirely of God, those who reject it are fully accountable for their unbelief. [00:45:10]

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