Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

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;

²⁸ FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY.”

²⁹  And just as Isaiah foretold,                                                                                                                               “UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY,
WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH.”  Romans 9:25-29.

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The sovereignty of God over salvation is not only over individuals (“Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”  Romans 9:13);  the sovereignty of God over salvation is also over peoples.  In today’s Scripture, we read in verses 25 to 26 the description that God saved many Gentiles, and we read in verses 27 to 29 the description that God only saved a remnant of Jews. 

Before we, the Gentiles, get proud and careless, we should remember “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP” that there was nothing more attractive about us that induced God to save so many of us Gentiles. 

Even though “IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED”, there is the hope that there are some Jews who were saved and some Jews who will be saved.  We know that Jesus’ disciples and most of the earliest Christians were Jews, and we read in this same chapter:  “And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”  Romans 9:23-24. 

There is also this warning and promise in Romans Chapter 11:22-24.  “Behold then the kindness and severity of God;  to those who fell (Jews), severity, but to you (Gentiles), God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness;  otherwise you also will be cut off.  And they (Jews) also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.  For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches (Jews) be grafted into their own olive tree?”

Here is what The Canons of Dordt state about the need to humble ourselves and be diligent to walk in the ways of the elect: 

Article 13.  The sense and certainty of this election afford to the children of God additional matter for daily humiliation before him, for adoring the depth of his mercies, for cleansing themselves, and rendering grateful returns of ardent love to him, who first manifested so great love towards them.  The consideration of this doctrine of election is so far from encouraging remissness in the observance of the divine commands, or from sinking men in carnal security, that these, in the just judgment of God, are the usual effects of rash presumption, or of idle and wanton trifling with the grace of election, in those who refuse to walk in the ways of the elect.

With that warning of the severity of God and that promise of the kindness of God, let us go back to the main point of this Scripture for today to make sure it sticks with us.  God is sovereign over salvation not only for individuals but also for peoples. 

Let us also consider and cherish the three intimate descriptions of love for those Gentiles that God saved:  “MY PEOPLE”, “BELOVED”, and “SONS OF THE LIVING GOD”. 

When we thus consider both the extent of the sovereignty of God over salvation and the love of God for those whom He saved, what should be our response?

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!  For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?  Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN?  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”  Romans 11:33-36.