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Romans 9:19
The Apostle Paul brings up good and viable questions in which we all may ask after hearing the preceding teachings that we have been presented with in his letter to the Church at Rome. If God is in ultimate control and His will is final, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”, as he has stated in Romans 9:19 (NKJV).
This is an example of questions that we all struggle with as we seek God’s will for our lives and in giving our obedience to Him.
I believe that it is very important in this passage of Romans 9:19 to understand the difference between God’s sovereignty of knowing all things about us and how we will act and react throughout our lives, and the presence of sin in our lives that He did not force upon us but that was imputed through the first sin of Adam and Eve. We live in a sinful world and sin attacks us continually throughout our lives. Even as a Christian, the devil is striving to trick us into sin as he strives to pull us away from our salvation in Christ Jesus. It is only through our faith in Jesus and keeping our focus on Him that allows us to overcome the wiles of the devil, as the Apostle Paul speaks of in Ephesians 6:10-11 proclaiming, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Just because God’s will for our lives is to put Him first and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40) doesn’t mean that He forces us to follow it. God did not force Adam and Eve to disobey Him…and He will not force us to follow Him. I do however believe that He will call us all to Him. It is in that moment that we must make the choice to put our faith in Him or to deny Him. God has given us all the evidence we need to believe in Him as the Apostle Paul teaches us in Romans 1:20, but God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and love is offered – not forced, and love awaits your answer to accept or deny. In so is a relationship that completes the circle of love, faith, and salvation – in Christ Jesus – God’s gift to the world for all who will believe in Him.
Dear LORD,
It is human to question, but please help us to put into action the necessary steps in learning of Your word that we may learn of salvation in Christ Jesus and of Your great love for us in not sparing Your one and only Son, but giving Him to pay the price for all our sins that we may – in Christ – be forgiven of our sins and be adopted into Your eternal family in heaven. In Jesus name I pray, amen.