Five Things About Faith I Learned from Romans 9

Five Things About Faith I Learned from Romans 9

We can learn a lot from simply reading the Bible, especially about the importance of faith. In Romans 9 we can see how important our faith (or lack of it) can be. And, how we must rely on Jesus to supply and sustain our faith so that we can live by faith. Here are Five Things About Faith I Learned from Romans 9.

One: 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “ through Isaac your descendants will be named.” 8  That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. Romans 9:7-8

This goes all the way back to Genesis 21:12. Abraham had tried to have children, but his efforts were just that: HIS efforts. God told Abraham to trust Him, to rely on Him, and that his wife Sarah-who was old, barren, and could not have children, would give him a son. And from that son, after thousands of years, a Savior (in other words, a Messiah) would come. But Abraham had to trust God.

Two: 13  Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Romans 9:13

Does God hate people? No, but He is not happy about what we do. Abraham was called to follow God by faith-to obey and trust God. He gave us the pattern to follow. So who is Esau? Abraham’s son Isaac had twin boys named Esau and Jacob. Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel, followed God, Esau did not. The descendants of Esau were called the Edomites, and they were enemies of the Israelites. This quote is from the prophet Malachi, who was speaking to the Edomites around 1,400 years after the life of Jacob and Esau. You can read all about this in Genesis chapters 24 through 33. It is a great story!

God is not speaking to Esau personally; He is speaking to what Esau did and its results-the people or nation that descended from him. Esau chose not to follow God and produced a nation of people who were enemies of God. Our actions have consequences; we must be careful of them!

Three: 23  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory…25  As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” Romans 9:23, 25.

This can be confusing, so let’s just read what the Bible says and stop there. In John 3:16-18 God says that He sent Jesus to save the world-that is all people-based on what they believe. Therefore, if we listen to what God is saying in John, people who appear separated from God by what and who they were born as can be saved by the work of Jesus. Jesus pours out His grace on us, and we are called to respond in faith. So, those who were “…not My people…” become the beloved people of God.

Four: 26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’  There they shall be called sons of the living God.” 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be  like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved”. Romans 9:26-27

Being a son of the living God is great! We are adopted into the family of God (Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:15, and John 1:12-13) and therefore have the same standing as if we were born into the family of God. This is based on faith-which means trusting God and obeying God. The nature and circumstances of our birth can never be enough to save us. But God overcomes them and we are called to be His children.

Five: 32  Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, Romans 9:32

Paul is referring to our faith. Our “good works” cannot save us, but they should follow us when we live by faith. We MUST rely on Jesus and His grace; we cannot tell God “Here is what I have done” to be justified. It is by grace through faith.

When we choose to follow Jesus we can do so by the grace of God, through faith. By grace through faith, our sin is removed, and we can stand before God as righteous. By faith our past loses its power over us. By faith we can truly know and follow Jesus. Not by what we do, but by what Jesus has done. That is the importance of faith. We can do nothing for ourselves as far as salvation goes, we must rely on God. And He comes through!

This is not an in-depth study of Romans 9, but it is what I learned about faith from reading it.  If we accept His gift, if we stop relying on our ability to follow a set of fixed rules and live by faith, we are  changed and saved by Jesus. And that is good news!