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Author: Will

Romans 9:29 – General God the Merciful

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Will

And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have become like Gomorrah."

Truth to Learn

The leader of Heaven’s army chooses to save only a few.

Behind the Words

The words “said before” are from the Greek verb proereō, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or position” and ereō, meaning “to say or proclaim.” Thus we see that proereō means “to speak in advance” or “to foretell.”

The word “Lord” is from the Greek word kurios, meaning “master or ruler.”

“Sabaoth” is not a Greek word, but a transliteration of the Hebrew word tseva’ah, which means “armies or military hosts organized for war.” It is a reference to the armies of heaven, the angelic hosts.

The word “seed” is translated from the Greek word sperma, meaning “that which is sown, containing the germ of life which will produce new fruit.” In Isaiah’s passage it is the Hebrew word sariyd, meaning “a survivor, or one who remains after a battle.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now quotes another of Isaiah’s prophesies from the Septuagint version of the Old Testament.

Unless the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)

He makes reference to the Lord of the hosts of Heaven, the great and powerful leader of the mightiest of all armies. As the leader of the most powerful army ever, He will do as He determines and none can stop Him.

Isaiah’s point is that unless the mighty God had chosen to preserve a small number of survivors of Israel, they would have been completely destroyed just as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for lack of 10 righteous people. This is a reference to the fact that Abraham negotiated with God for saving Sodom if only 10 righteous people were found in the city. As it turned out there were only Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. You can read all about these events in Genesis chapters 18 and 19.

Now, Paul’s point is the same as the previous verse, namely that God might cast off the entire nation because they have followed after other gods, saving only a few as His chosen ones. Thus, Paul demonstrates that God is ultimately the one who chooses who is destroyed and who is preserved. This is especially poignant given what Paul has already told us way back in Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,

The net effect of all this is that the Jewish Christians in Rome (and all of us who are God’s chosen ones) should fall to their knees and thank the Lord of hosts that he has not cut them off as they deserve, but has chosen to impute to them His righteousness and allow them into His eternal presence.

Application

Instead of complaining that it isn’t fair for God to destroy most of humanity and preserve only a few by His choice, let’s be eternally grateful that He opened our eyes to the truth of the gospel. He chose to save us even though we don’t deserve it.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:28 – God’s Determined Actions

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Will

For He is finishing the work and has cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth."

Truth to Learn

God has already determined what He is going to do with regard to mankind.

Behind the Words

“Is finishing” is from the Greek verb sunteleō, composed of sun, used as an intensifier and teleō, meaning “to finish.” So we see that this word means “to completely finish.”

The words “cut it short” are translated from the Greek word suntemnō, which is made up of sun, again used as an intensifier and temnō, meaning “to divide” or “to cut.” Hence, it means “to cut short.” With regard to words, it means “to make concise.” Figuratively, it means “to decide, determine, or make a decree.” You can see from the Hebrew translation quoted below that it is this figurative meaning which Paul intended.

Meaning Explained

This is a quotation of Isaiah 10:23 and is quoted in conjunction with the previous verse. Paul is reciting the Septuagint version of the Isaiah passage here. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament. It was translated from Hebrew into Greek somewhere between 300 and 200 years before the time of Christ. It was the version of the Law and the Prophets that many Greek speaking Jews read in the Roman Empire and, therefore, is the version that the Roman Jewish Christians would have known best. The Hebrew translation of this verse is:

For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a determined end in the midst of all the land. (Isaiah 10:23)

The Greek version preserves the basic intent of the passage but expresses it in a slightly different manner. It starts off with, “For He is finishing the work.” That is to say that God is about to end the work with respect to Jews (implied from the previous verse). The phrase “cut it short in righteousness” means that He will make a determination (a choice) and do so in a righteous manner.

So the effect of this passage is:

God is about to end His work with respect to Jews and He will do so by His own decision and do so in righteousness based on what He previously determined.

You can clearly see that this is in keeping with what Paul has been saying all along with respect to the fact that God does not save all and, in fact, has chosen ahead of time whom He will save and will do so in a righteous manner. Paul is also warning the Jewish Christians in Rome that God is about to end His dealings with the Jewish people (at least, until the time of the end as spoken by the prophet Daniel in chapter 9 of his book).

An interesting thing to note is that this letter was written sometime around 53 AD and Jerusalem was totally destroyed, with all the inhabitants being slain, by the Romans a mere 17 years later.

Application

God alone decides what He is going to do with regard to the lives of men. He did so with the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and He does so with regard to His adopted children. What God decides is not controlled by the will of man. God’s will is supreme. He is sovereign over all.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:27 – His Choice, Then and Now

Posted on June 19, 2018 by Will

Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved.

Truth to Learn

God chooses who will be saved from spiritual death just as He chooses who will be saved from physical death.

Behind the Words

The word translated “cries out” is the Greek verb kradzō, meaning “to screech” like a raven. It represents a loud impassioned scream or shriek used to get people’s attention.

Meaning Explained

Paul now quotes another of the prophets to show that God is sovereign regarding who receives salvation. In this case he clearly shows that not all of Israel will be saved. The quotation is from Isaiah 10:22:

For though your people, O Israel, is as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return; a destruction is decreed overflowing with righteousness.

Much of Biblical prophecy has an application to events occurring at the time the prophecy is given as well as a future application, especially to events of the end times. The prophecy of Isaiah here quoted applied to the preservation of a remnant of Israel from the destruction and desolation that was coming upon them by the Assyrian King Sennacherib and his army. In its future application, however, it is commonly understood by Jews as looking to the end times. It declares that God will abandon to ruin a great many of the seed of Abraham, and yet maintain his word of promise to Abraham through a chosen few, a remnant, who will be saved.

Let’s take a look at that promise God gave to Abraham. In Genesis 22 Abraham proved he was willing to be obedient to God by being willing to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac. Though God stopped him before the actual killing, He also proceeded to promise Abraham the following:

Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and He said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son — blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of His enemies. (Genesis 22:15-17)

Abraham did not live to see God’s promise fulfilled, but he believed it nonetheless. Eventually, the number of descendants of Abraham became too many to be counted as promised. But Isaiah clearly states that even though the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became as the sand of the sea, only a remnant, a portion of them, would be saved from destruction. This is a clear example of God choosing some of the Jews and rejecting many others.

If God chooses some Jews to be saved and allows others to be destroyed, it is just as valid that He chooses some of the Gentiles to be saved while the rest will be recipients of His wrath in the Lake of Fire.

Application

Those who were saved from destruction by Sennacherib did not choose to be saved any more than those who died refused to be saved. God did the choosing then, just as He does now.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:26 – Everywhere His Children

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Will

And it will be in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they shall be called sons of the living God.

Truth to Learn

God chooses people from around the world to be His children.

Behind the Words

“People” is translated from laos, which we looked at before. This implies that those who are spoken of in this verse had not been part of God’s family until He chose them.

The word “sons” is from huios. Strictly speaking, this refers to a male child. However, it is often used in the New Testament as a reference to a child without reference to gender.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been demonstrating to his readers that God is clearly sovereign in His choice of whom He will bless and who will be cast into hellfire. He has made it very clear that it is God’s choice regarding who will receive righteousness and who will receive condemnation. In the previous verse he quoted Hosea 2:23 in which God proclaims that He will call them His people who were previously not His people. That is, Hosea was prophesying that non-Jews would be proclaimed as God’s people. He now quotes another passage from Hosea. This time he is quoting Hosea 1:10 which says,

Yet the number of the sons of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which is not measured nor numbered. And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, you are not My people, there it shall be said to them, you are the sons of the living God.

One of the really significant things about Paul’s quoting these passages is the fact that Hosea was a prophet to whom God gave direction to marry a prostitute and to raise his children as if they were illegitimate children. This was done as a sign to the Jews that God was displeased with their following after other gods (which God considers harlotry). Here’s what God tells us in Hosea 1:2:

The beginning of Jehovah speaking by Hosea. And Jehovah said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of adultery and children of adultery. For the land has utterly gone lusting away from Jehovah.

Because of this warning from God, the Children of Israel were told that God would one day call those who were not His people (Gentiles) as the sons of the Living God. Paul is now demonstrating to the Jewish Christians in Rome that this prophecy is being fulfilled in the choosing of the Gentiles as well as Jews in the church age. In Hosea’s time the Jews were required to worship at the temple in Jerusalem on given occasions at prescribed times of the year. But now, because Hosea’s prophecy is fulfilled, we can worship God anywhere and do so through faith rather than deeds of legalism.

Paul will further show in the coming verses that this calling of the Gentiles will not be through the works of the Law or church rituals but by the justification through faith that he has talked about in the earlier chapters of this letter.

Application

The Jews were required to worship in Jerusalem and follow a prescribed set of rituals. Those who are chosen of God today must worship in spirit and truth, but they can do so anywhere. As those who are called the children of the living God, we are spread throughout the world to proclaim the gospel truth.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:25 – His Beloved Children

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Will

As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved."

Truth to Learn

God chooses people, not nations, and all of His chosen ones are His beloved children.

Behind the Words

The word “people” is from laos, which refers to “a people, nation, or a number of people joined together by common bonds.” Another word translated “people” is nēmos, which refers to one’s own populace. Paul is showing that God’s people are not just a single nation or ethnic group, but His own select group of people united in Him.

“Beloved” is from a form of agapaō which means “to esteem or love, indicating a commitment of the will and of finding one's joy in something or someone.” It is the kind of self-sacrificing love in which the lover is focused on the best possible good for the beloved rather than self.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul turned a corner in his dissertation on the doctrine of election. He left off his discussion as to why and how His choosing is true. He now goes on to show the Jewish Christians in Rome the fact that God has always had a plan for non-Jews (Gentiles) as well as the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Jews).

As we already pointed out, the Jewish Christians in the early years of the church believed that the Jews were a called nation. That is, the sons of Jacob had a special privilege in their relationship with God simply because God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since this previous verse would come as a shock to many of these Jewish Christians, Paul quotes from the Old Testament prophets to show that it has always been God’s plan to select from the Gentiles as well as from the Jews.

The quotation in this verse is from the book of the prophet Hosea in which he says

And I will have mercy on No-mercy. And I will say to Not-my-people, You are My people. And they shall say, My God. (Hosea 2:23)

Since the Jewish believers were so proud of the fact that to them had been entrusted the Oracles of God (see Romans 3:2), and they believed, as we do, that these Holy Scriptures contained the very words of God, this becomes a very powerful demonstration to these Jewish Christians that the church is to be made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Peter discovered this in a miraculous way in chapter 10 of the book of Acts. Paul makes a very powerful argument to the Gentile members of the church in the book of Ephesians that the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross broke down the wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles.

But now in Christ Jesus you who then were far off became near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, He having made us both one, and having broken down the middle wall of partition between us, (Ephesians 2:13-14)

Application

We who are not descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can rejoice in the fact that He chooses individuals to his family. And, as individuals we are to serve Him in joyful thanksgiving because He has chosen us to be His own children. Are you a true child of God?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:24 – Jews and Gentiles

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Will

even us, whom He also called, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles?

Truth to Learn

God chose us, Jews and Gentiles alike, to be His holy children so that He will receive praise and glory.

Behind the Words

“Called” is from the Greek word kaleō, which properly means “to call aloud to someone.” It represents the action of calling to someone to give them instructions.

The expression, “of the Jews” is translated from ex ioudaion, which literally means, “out of Jews.” And the expression “of the Gentiles” is from ex ethnon, which literally means “out of nations” or “out of Gentiles.”

Meaning Explained

As you will recall, Paul has written this letter to the Christian Jews in Rome. Part of his reason for writing this letter is to show them that this salvation they have does not come from being born a Jew, but from being chosen by God. The Jewish people, however, have always considered themselves the special chosen people of God. They believed that as descendants of Abraham they were chosen and set-apart. They also believed that by keeping the Law they were justified before God. In the earlier portion of this letter, Paul clearly showed that justification does not come from keeping the Law but, instead, it comes as a result of God’s free gift of grace. None of us deserve it because:

all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

But, because they believed that they were a chosen nation, the early Jewish Christians would likely miss the impact of what Paul has just said, namely that God has chosen the “elect” to receive His grace and only they would gain entrance into His glory in the hereafter. They believed they were the “elect” because they were descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That’s why the current verse would come as a surprise to a lot of them.

There are two very clear implications in this verse. The first is that not all Jews are called, only some of them. That is demonstrated by the fact that Paul said the called ones were “out of the Jews.” The second is that God called some of the Gentiles as well. This would come as a surprise to some of the Jewish Christians in Rome. These early Jewish Christians had believed that all Jews were called and only Jews were called. Paul, however, is clearly teaching them that being a physical descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has absolutely nothing to do with their being chosen to salvation.

In the next few verses Paul will amplify this statement with quotes from the Old Testament which demonstrate the fact that God does not shower His grace on Jews exclusively.

Application

Being one of God’s chosen called ones is not a reason for pride. It is a reason for humility. God has not chosen us because of what family we are in or what church we go to. He has not chosen us because we performed the proper rituals or because we chose to believe. He chose us because it will bring glory to Him. For that we should be thankful and humbled and we should give Him all the praise and all the glory.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:23 – Undeserved Glory

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Will

and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,

Truth to Learn

God chose some to know the glory of heaven for eternity.

Behind the Words

“Riches” is from the Greek word ploutos which refers to “fullness or abundance.” It is often associated with possessions or money and is thus often translated as “wealth” or “riches.”

The expression “had prepared beforehand” is translated from the Greek word proetoimadzō, which is composed of pro, meaning “before, in time or place” and hetoimadzō, meaning “to prepare” or “to make ready.” Hence, proetoimadzō means “to prepare beforehand” or “to predestinate.” It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating action that was done at a point in time in the past (a single action, not a process).

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we talked about one class of people, namely those who are sinners whom God has prepared for damnation. In the current verse Paul talks about the other class of people. This class of people also includes sinful people, but God has chosen them and has declared them to be righteous.

According to Paul, the reason that God did this is so that He might make known “the riches of His glory.” This is a Hebrew expression meaning the abundance or fullness of His glory. But what does this term “glory” refer to? It often refers to the glorious manifestation of his presence (called the shekinah glory). The use of the word in today’s verse, however, refers to the eternal state in the presence of Almighty God. This eternal state blends together everything that constitutes honor, dignity, purity, love, and happiness. All these attributes are in various places attached to the word “glory,” and all mingle in the eternal state of the righteous.

In the previous verse we noted that the “vessels of wrath” were “prepared for destruction.” The word “prepared” is translated from a form of the Greek word katartidzō, which means “to establish, arrange, or prepare.” In the current verse Paul says that the “vessels of mercy” (the saved elect) were “prepared beforehand for glory.” So we see that the Potter prepared the vessels of wrath for the damnation that they will receive as a result of God’s righteous judgment, but the vessels of mercy were prepared beforehand (before time) to be recipients of His gracious gift of salvation. The opening verses of Ephesians also speak of this preparation before time began:

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, for us be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as his sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (Ephesians 1:3-5)

That should be enough to make any born again Christian fall to his or her knees and thank our heavenly Father for choosing us and granting us His salvation, not because we deserved it or earned it, but because He chose to do it!

Application

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you for choosing me in spite of the fact that I am an undeserving sinner. I don’t know why you chose me of all people, but I praise you for it! You deserve all the praise and all the glory!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:22 – Unfair Grace

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Will

But if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

Truth to Learn

God endures the sinfulness of sinners so that His wrath and power will be seen and understood.

Behind the Words

“Show” is from endeiknumi, which means “to point out or to show forth something about oneself.”

The verb translated “make … known” is gnoridzo, meaning “to make something apparent or known to someone else.”

“Endured” is from the verb pherō, which means “to carry or bear like a burden.”

The word “longsuffering” is translated from makrothumia, which refers to “the ability to endure pain or suffering inflicted by others for a long time before getting angry.”

“Destruction” is from apōleia, which is based on the verb apollumi, meaning “to destroy fully.” The Complete WordStudy Dictionary says of this word: “apōleia refers to the state after death wherein exclusion from salvation is a realized fact, wherein man, instead of becoming what he might have been, is lost and ruined.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we saw that the Apostle Paul postulated that it is fair for God to declare some righteous (through His grace) and to allow the remainder of mankind to remain destined for Hell because of their sinfulness. But that implies that there must be two classes of people on the earth, unforgiven sinners and forgiven sinners. In this and the following verse Paul will show that, in fact, there are two classes of people, and God has a purpose in allowing both.

The first class of people is the class of unforgiven sinners. Remember, according to what Paul demonstrated back in Romans 3:23, all of us are sinners. There is no human being except for Jesus Himself who is without sin. We all deserve Hell. Paul here states that God is desirous of showing His wrath against sin and sinners and He is also desirous of making His power known. In order to do this, though, He is currently being long suffering, enduring the pain of the sinfulness of those who are not chosen, until the day when He will finally pour out His wrath on the sinfulness of all mankind.

God is continuing to endure the pain of the sins of the unsaved sinners in this world. At the same time, however, he knows the eternal damnation that they will receive when He finally slams down the gavel of His judgment on them. But what about our sins? Is God longsuffering with us? The answer is no, because our sins are covered by the blood of Christ and He sees us as sinless, holy, righteous vessels of glory. We are the second class of people, the forgiven sinners.

Application

On the surface this appears harsh and unfair, but keep in mind that God cannot allow sin to abide in His presence. The unfair thing is that He has declared us to be righteous and without sin (because the penalty for our sins has been paid by Jesus Christ on the cross).

Truly, that is not fair! Praise God for His grace!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:21 – The Master Potter

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Will

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Truth to Learn

God made us, we did not make Him. He has the right to make us and use us however He sees fit.

Behind the Words

“Potter” is translated from the Greek word kerameus, which refers to “someone who shapes clay into useful or artistic objects, that is, a potter.”

“Clay” is from pēlos, which means “wet muddy clay.”

The word translated “lump” is phuroma, which refers to “a mixture of liquid and solid that is kneaded.” The same word is used to describe a mass of clay and a mass of bread dough.

Meaning Explained

In explaining the previous verse we noted that what Paul said was, “Now wait a minute! Who are you to argue with God?” Do we have the right to tell God that He made a mistake? Do we have the right to tell the perfect, eternal, sinless, all knowing, all powerful God that He is wrong?

That is arguing from the human point of view. Paul now completes the argument by making it from God’s point of view. He does this by making reference to another Old Testament passage. This one is also quoted from Isaiah:

For all of us have become as an unclean thing, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy rag; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, who stirring himself up to take hold of You; for You have made us waste away because of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand. (Isaiah 64:6-8)

In making this argument Paul is clearly showing that God is the one who has made us and not the other way around. Since He made us, He is the potter and we are the clay. This in not just a metaphorical statement. We really are made of clay. Our father Adam was made from the dirt.

And Jehovah God formed the man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

In today’s verse Paul is declaring that God, as the potter, has the power and the right to make one vessel (man or woman) unto a dishonorable end and another one to an honorable end.

As we have said before, this expresses a big God, little man perspective. Unfortunately, today it is in vogue to believe in a big man, little God perspective, where we are the ones in control and we tell God what we want Him to do. But that’s not the way it really is! We have “turned it upside down.”

Application

Many Christians today would rather skip over this and the following verses because they don’t fit with their own image of who God is. Who are we to tell God how to act? God is the one who is in control, and He will do as He pleases. He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and whom he wants to He will harden. He makes one vessel unto honor, pardoning him or her by His grace, and He makes another vessel unto dishonor, condemning him or her to Hell for his or her sinfulness and impenitent heart.

Who are we to tell God, “That’s not fair!”?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 9:20 – It Is Fair!

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Will

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

Truth to Learn

We have no right to tell God who should be saved and who shouldn’t.

Behind the Words

This verse starts of with an unusual Greek word. It is menounge, which is a compound word made up of men, meaning “indeed,” oun, meaning “but, now, or therefore,” and ge which is an emphatic particle, making this an emphatic exclamation which basically means, “but indeed!” In today’s vernacular we might say, “Now wait just a minute!”

The Greek word translated “reply” is antapokrinomai, which is a compound of anti, meaning “against” and krinomai, meaning “to reply or to answer.” This word means “to make an argumentative reply against someone” or “to dispute a statement just made.”

“The thing formed” is translated from plasma, which is the noun form of the verb plassō, meaning “to shape or form something as with clay or wax.”

Meaning Explained

What Paul is saying is, “Now wait a minute! Who are you to argue with God?” Do we have the right to tell our maker that He made a mistake? Do we who are imperfect and sinful have the right to tell the perfect, eternal, sinless, all knowing, all powerful God that He is wrong? I don’t think so.

In this verse Paul is quoting from Isaiah who says,

Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"? (Isaiah 29:16)

Isaiah is chastening the Jews for making themselves and their actions more important than God. He says, “You turn the order of things upside down, putting yourselves in place of God.” That is the same message that Paul is declaring to the Jewish Christians in Rome. They had made their desires and intentions to be of more importance than God’s; they had accepted a little God, big man theology just as many Christians have today.

Similarly, who are we to tell God who is to be saved and who isn’t? It’s His choice, not ours! He chooses us, we don’t choose Him. Wait just a minute! We have no right to tell God that He can’t decide who is to be forgiven their sins and declared righteous and who should suffer the agony of Hell.

As we discussed a few verses back, God is righteous, which means that He always does what is right, and He is holy, which means that He is without sin. Therefore, He always does the right thing without even a hint of sinfulness in it. If He chose to allow most of humankind to go to Hell because of their sinfulness and chose to save some of mankind from that fate by declaring us righteous, then we have no right to question Him in doing so. He is God!

Application

In the final analysis it really is fair for God to allow most of mankind to go to Hell and save a few from that fate. It is fair for Him to make that choice! After all, God did it that way and He is sinless and He is always right!

In God's service, for His glory,