October 1, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: Praise God for His Work of Redemption | Romans 11:33-36
Prayers of St. Paul: Praise God for His Work of Redemption
Romans 11:33-36
Throughout the Epistle to the Romans, Paul has spent eleven chapters outlining, illustrating, and defending God's plan of salvation. God has closed a door: it is impossible for any person to please God, have a whole relationship with God or communion with God on the basis of his/her personal righteousness as he proclaimed – "There is none righteous, no not one" (Rom.3:23). God has opened a door: it is possible for a person to please God, have a whole relationship with God, and communion with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – "3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit" (Rom.8:3,4). God has ended an Old Covenent relationship: The Jews, though historically God's people, cannot come into a relationship with God by keeping the law, even though they are precious to Him and have a historical relationship to Him, they are hopelessly lost and under God's wrath. Gentiles cannot come into a relationship with God by becoming Jews or keeping the law. They are also hopelessly lost and under God's wrath. God has initiated a New Covenant relationship: Through Christ's atoning death and victorious resurrection, both Jews and Gentiles can come into a righteous relationship to God, but only through belief in the saving work of Christ's death, confessing Him as Lord and expressing belief in His resurrection from the dead. All of these mercies were accomplished before we were even aware that they existed: “1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Rom.2:1-3). This act of grace took place so that God alone might receive the glory for His kindness toward us. Only by grace can we enter. Only through the door, Jesus Christ. Paul now turns to offer a prayer of glorious thanks and praise to God for His work of redemption.
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