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How God’s Election Can Heal Racial Tension

What does election mean?

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? ROMANS 8:33 ESV

…In order that God’s purpose of election might continue. ROMANS 9:11 ESV

God elected Israel to bring us Jesus 

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad- she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” ROMANS 9:1-13 ESV 

God has elected Jesus to bring us to him

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. ROMANS 9:14-16 ESV 

…If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ROMANS 10:9-13 ESV

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” LUKE 23:35 ESV

And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” LUKE 9:35 ESV

God has not elected you to salvation, he has elected Jesus as salvation.

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a place and a time where you can best focus on God. Turn aside from the daily concerns and concentrate your mind and heart on God alone. When you are ready, enter into a conversation with him. Meditate on the statement that election does not limit who can be saved, but ensures that all can be saved because Jesus is the elected one. How does it make you feel to know that God has or wants to show his great mercy to you, no matter what you have done? If you have experienced God’s mercy and are saved, what feelings surface as you recall your experience? If you have not experienced his saving mercy yet, what is stopping you? Look again at Romans 10:9-13, and consider the promise of God that he will grant you mercy and salvation if you call on him. If you have asked for God’s mercy and forgiveness for the first time, be sure to tell a Christian friend or reach out to the church to let us know! If you are already saved, share God’s mercy and salvation with another person this week. Every person needs God.

Discussion Questions

  1. What have you been learning about yourself, God or others in your personal Bible reading time? What stood out to you this week?
  2. When have you experienced a polarizing issue (ethnicity, politics, sexuality, the Middle East, etc.) that separated you from someone you care about and do you think the ideology was worth the relationship? 
  3. On the other side of the equation, in what ways has your relationship with Jesus allowed you to find common ground with someone who is on the other side of a polarizing issue and in what ways does that give you hope for reconciliation in other relationships? 
  4. Read Romans 9:14-16. As you look back over your life, when have you thought that God was being unfair and have you ever had a “who are you to question God?” type moment as a result?
  5. Read Romans 10:9-13. Election and salvation can be tricky concepts. In what ways does this passage later on in Romans help you see a clearer picture of God’s plan for salvation and election? 
  6. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5. According to this passage, assurance of our salvation can be found in our actions. Would your friends and family say that  your actions show that you have chosen Jesus? Why or why not?