Romans 11:32: For God Has Consigned All To Disobedience, That He May Have Mercy On All.

Romans 11:32
[32] For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. (ESV)

I enjoy going to "consignment" shops. Many of the things found there are at a price that I can afford. Can you imagine going to a consignment shop full of items that were all marked, "Disobedience"? Not exactly the kind of store that would attract many shoppers. Paul says that God has consigned all to disobedience.

What does it mean that God consigned us all to disobedience. Quite simply, God allows every man and woman to pursue their disobedience. Instead of stopping us, he allows us to sin freely as our sinful nature is wont to do. I may wish that he would stop me of all my disobedience, but that is not part of God's plan. The reason why is found in the remainder of the verse.

"That he may have mercy on all." Imagine if you will, that God is out shopping. It is not as if he needs anything, but he pokes his head into the humanity store and asks the store owner, Satan, how much all of the humans cost. Each one of them have been tagged, "disobedient." Satan looks them over and says, "It will cost the life blood of your own son for the whole lot of them."

In this illustration the Lord says to Satan, "Deal." Jesus went to the cross so that God the Father could offer his mercy on those who were consigned to their own disobedience. In the end of it all, God gets all the glory because he did all that was necessary to purchase us and make us his own. We have gone from "disobedience" to "received mercy."

What tag is on you? If you have been consigned to disobedience I would like to invite you to come to the Lord. He will give you a new tag (received mercy) and a new life.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

Search This Blog