Chosen and Beloved

GETTING STARTED

Paul referenced a unique love story from the Old Testament in this passage: Hosea and Gomer. God told the upright prophet, Hosea, to chose Gomer, a prostitute, as his wife. Though she was unfaithful, Hosea loved her. Though she wandered, he redeemed her. Hosea and Gomer mirrored God’s relationship with Israel. Paul then carried this redemptive perspective forward to the Gentiles of his day, and really to us. We who were not God’s people have been chosen. We who have wandered are called beloved.

  • Recall a time when you were chosen for something special. How did it make you feel?

READ THE WORD: ROMANS 9:24-29 (ESV) 

24  [Even] us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. According to this passage, whom does God call to salvation?
  2. List the character qualities of God you see in these verses.
  3. Why would Paul use two Old Testament quotes to teach about salvation?
  4. How does it give you confidence, knowing that you are chosen and beloved by God? How should you respond to him, knowing that he chose you, not based on your merits, but by his mercy?

RESPOND TO GOD

Chosen and beloved describes those whom God calls to be a part of his family, to be a son or daughter of the living God. By his grace, God brings us to a place of belonging; we become one of his people. And what a cost he paid to redeem our wandering selves, for our inclusion—the blood of his only son, Jesus. Oh, there will be a righteous remnant from Israel, reminded Isaiah. But, praise God that he redeems us and we become his people, his beloved as well.

  • Praise and thank God that he has called you and that you belong to him.
  • Read from the Old Testament book of Hosea, Chapters 1 and 2, and meditate on God’s merciful and redemptive ways.