A Study Of The Book Of Romans Lesson #23 Series

Book of Romans

Lesson #23

Romans 9:27- 9:33

By Rev. James May

Someone said recently that what our world needs is another Isaiah, or a Jeremiah, or an Elijah; a man that is called of God to speak into the face of the leaders of America and the world, and proclaim the gospel in an effort to turn this world around for Jesus.

I thought about that and I have come to an inevitable conclusion. You might call this a lack of faith, but I must say that I do not believe that there will be a worldwide revival of repentance, at least not to the degree that we would like to see. There will be a revival, and there is a revival going on right now. People are being saved all around the world. There aren’t many signs of this revival in America, but by the grace of God, some are being saved even in this nation that has turned its back on God and embraced idolatry in many forms.

There have ever been those who thought that it would make a big difference if God was to allow his prophets to speak with the power and authority of the Holy Ghost, and that if such men were called and anointed, and stepped out, that it would cause many to be turn to God.

Though there have been times when the words of the prophet would strike to the heart of the people and cause whole cities to repent as it was with Jonah and the city of Nineveh, the overwhelming result of the preaching of the prophets has had a less than desired effect.

When Jeremiah preached, the nation ignored him and went into captivity in Babylon. When Isaiah preached, the Jews didn’t hear his words and chose to force God to use the Assyrians and the Babylonians to chastise the nation.

In the Book of Revelation we see that God even sends two prophets back to witness of the gospel and have the power preach the word to the whole world, but the world will not repent and will instead throw a party when the 2 witnesses are finally killed.

There are some prophets and preachers in America today whose voices will not be silenced and they preach a pure gospel on TV and in their churches and conferences, but can we see America turning to God in repentance?

The fact is that we must accept the idea that this world will not repent, and that in the end, there will only be a remnant saved, even of those who claim to be Christian.

It takes much more than just head knowledge of Jesus to be saved. It takes more than just joining a church, or shaking a preacher’s hand, or being baptized and christened by the church. Salvation is of the heart, not just the mind.

There are many who have relied on the “law” by living morally and being good, for their salvation, but they’ve never repented of sin or accepted Jesus as their Savior. There are many who obey the law of tithing; attending church and helping their fellowman, and they are counting on those good works of the law to make it into Heaven, but it’s just not going to happen that way.

Jesus told us that many would cry out in the Day of Judgment that they prophesied in his name; cast out devils in his name and had done many mighty works. They have visited the sick; visited those in prison; worked hard at reaching out to those in need; and those works are commendable. But in the end, they are nothing but works and have no power to save. Jesus says, “Depart from me. I never knew you. Your good works don’t count for anything now.” The only thing that matters is whether you repented and accepted Jesus into your heart.

And though we may see God moving and we hear so many claim to be a part of God’s kingdom, in reality, it’s just a remnant, only a few in comparison to the large number who claim to have salvation, who will truly be saved.

This is what Isaiah is crying out concerning the nation of Israel in Romans 9:27.

Romans 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

Israel had the promises of God. They had everything going for them. But they refused, as a nation, to repent of their rebellion and sell out to the Lord! God’s promise to Abraham had been fulfilled. The Jews were a people as numerous as the sands of the sea, but though they were many, only a remnant of the nation would survive; and very few of them would truly be people of faith who would inherit the full promises of God. The majority would fall prey to their enemies and be destroyed because of their rebellion.