Is God Truly Faithful and Reliable?

“Is God Truly Faithful and Reliable?”- Romans 9:1-24

How could God have mercy on me? I have a hard and angry heart. How could God love me? I have lived such a sinful life. How could God be gracious towards me? I have always done things on my own.

These and many other questions are posed by both the unbeliever and believer at many times in our lives. Paul addresses all these questions and concerns in Romans 9, and even though he was speaking to the nation of Israel, we can see ourselves reflected in this passage and in the words he has written. He speaks to the Jewish people telling them that he needs to tell them some things, but to not believe that he (or God) are anti-Jewish because God loves everyone; Paul also reminds them that were is not for the Jewish people, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, would not have come to be. Many times we think that because of our background or because of our culture that we are not worthy of the saving grace and mercy of God, but Paul shows us that God loves EVERYONE, not just the gentile or just the Jewish person. God may have to change some things in us when we become believers, things that have come to be a part of us as a result of our society, culture, upbringing, or other circumstances, but none of that keeps us from being loved and embraced by the Father.


Many times our logic and society try to tell us that God’s word must have failed; they also say we do not need to be faithful to this God because we have come this far on “our own.” The fact of the matter is that we are never outside of the hand and will of God! God’s sovereignty is absolute, and we must realize that the faithfulness and reliability of God is not hindered by man’s unfaithfulness. One prime example is that of Pharaoh not letting Moses and his people leave Egypt. We are told that Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, but regardless of how hard his heart was, Moses and his people were released in the end. God was completely, unquestionably, in control. He knew what Pharaoh would say, but He also knew they would leave!


It is an awesome thing to see the sovereignty of God, but we must not become so arrogant to believe that we must not stay humble before the will of God. Paul speaks of not questioning the Lord and His plan, but also knowing that we have a personal responsibility to walk out the Lord’s plan for our lives. Paul speaks saying in Romans 9:20, “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” God is completely in control, knowing exactly for what intent and purpose we have been created, but even if we try to walk outside of His will, His plans will still be accomplished regardless of what we may say or do. Even though this is all true, we must still remember that God’s sovereignty NEVER negates man’s responsibility. To look at it from a different angle, we should feel great allegiance and responsibility toward the will and plans of God when we would not be here were it not for Him! His mercy, grace, and love is the reason we are here, and as believers, we should not take God’s faithfulness and reliability for granted.