We Are Beautiful Letdowns

Scripture: Romans 11:4 "But what does the divine response say to [Elijah]? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

Observation: Many people consider Chapter 9 of Romans to be the major passage supporting "sovereign election," the doctrine that holds that God has chosen some people to inherit eternal life and the rest He has left in their rebellion against Him.

But here is one of the most convincing evidences to me that God intervenes in the salvation of people - His repeated promises throughout the O.T. and N.T. that there would be (at least) a small, faithful contingency of believers. Multiple times He guarantees it. I find this to be impossible for God to promise unless He is involved directly with the faith of those people.

Some may respond that God can do this because He foreknew that there would be a remnant (it's used just two verses earlier) but that betrays God's own words: "I have reserved... ." God claims full responsibility for their faith. And Paul spells it out again in verse 5, "Even so then, ... there is a remnant according to the election of grace."

People who oppose the idea of God selecting some people while not choosing others generally point to three things:
1. all the verses where we're given a choice to accept salvation.
2. all the commands that we're to follow.
3. verses that say that God wants all people to be saved.

They fall on those as evidence that people have the ability to choose salvation.

I say while those passages are certainly present (I don't deny it), passages such as these are scattered throughout all of Scripture, too. We have to accept both as true and deal with Scripture interpretation on that level. If we do not, we will find ourselves doing all kinds of theological gymnastics trying to make God not say what He says.

When I finally accepted both to be true, God then began to reveal how both things could be true and I have found it to be one of the most beautiful doctrines in all of Scripture.

Application:
I was chosen by God.

That statement would make some feel boastful.

The Christian should not think so.

The only response that I find right is, "Why me?" God's simple answer is, "I have saved You for My glory. (Is. 43:7) Through you I demonstrate My goodness, grace, mercy, righteousness, patience, wisdom, power and so much more. (Romans 9:23) And through your testimony the world will see and know of My love. Dale, you know yourself and you know that My word says that no one seeks Me - not one person pursues a relationship with Me. If anyone was to be saved at all, I had to be involved."

Prayer: Father, I am undeserving of Your mercy, Your grace and Your salvation. And I desperately want those around me to know of Your love, too... to know You as I do. Help me to witness to You and Your Son, Jesus and help me to clearly proclaim the great news of Your hope through Jesus. I love You! Amen.