Grace does not run by blood.

Grace does not run by blood. Romans 9:6-18.

But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." Romans 9:6-13 (NKJV)

You have heard it said that we are to fear God. The word "fear" is used to expound to us that we must use much reverence towards God because He has the ultimate power over our life. It is God who can say, "Heart stop" and we fall to the ground. God can bless us or curse us. Though God loves, God will wield His power to prosper and to admonish depending on our reaction to Him. Either we are submitted to God or need to submit to God; for each of our actions towards God triggers a reaction from God.

Paul here lands a very tough statement that will be tough to explain; yet there must be much care in understanding this truth about God; for God holds the last word on who enters the Kingdom of Heaven. In this truth, futures are at stake.

In the Middle East today are many nations and people. In these cultures, many trace their lineage back to Abraham. Jewish and Islamic people both trace their lineage back to Abraham and they build their lives based on promises that God made to Abraham; therefore they consider themselves God's people.

Though there is a promise to Abraham being fulfilled in their lives, this does not safe guard them from being judged by God for their personal actions.

The Arabs took the promises to Abraham and developed a religion that worships God; however, in their religion there is no atonement for sin and neither is there a push to atone for ones sin; therefore they do not look for a savior from sin.

If they believe in Abraham as their father, they have to believe the same scriptures that speak about Adam, Eve, sin, and the punishment for sin. These scriptures teach that there is punishment for sin, regardless of what good people do and the penalty for sin is death.

The Jews have the same conditions applied to them also. They too have created worship of God and as of today, they do not offer blood sacrifices for their sin as instructed in the Law. They too know that sacrificing animals was not enough to save them and they stopped sacrificing; however, they made rituals to replace sacrifice and did not look for God's savior.

And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." Romans 8:10-12 (NKJV)

To disprove the thought that being a descendant grants you privilege with God, Paul gives the example of Jacob and Esau. Both were children of Abraham. Both were born under the promise to Abraham; yet because of sin, God accepted the one and rejected the other.

It does not matter who your father is, each of us has to be responsible to God for our own sin. People have a problem understanding their personal responsibility to God when they are born into a culture and are never taught to think for themselves.

Though born into a family line, which can be traced back to Abraham, you are a descendant of Abraham; yet there is nothing to distinguish you as a child of God. "God accepted Abraham, but who are you?" that is the question.

The sad thing is that people do not truly seek to understand what their sin will do to them until they have made an irreversible mistake. Then it becomes apparent that God holds people accountable, no matter who their father was.

To put it in simple terms, "Grace does not run in the blood." God will not overlook a sin because of what a person does well, or for a person's ancestry. The penalty for sin is death.

This is true in Christianity also. Many people expect God to accept them because they grew up in homes where the parents honored God; however, grace does not run by blood.

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. Romans 9:14-18 (NKJV)

Paul poses the question, "Is there unrighteousness with God?" We all know the answer, God is not unrighteous; everything He does is holy, just, and true. His promise to Abraham will be fulfilled, yet acceptance into eternity is on an individual basis. Who are you with God?

God knows the heart and He knows the difference between sincerity towards the forgiveness of sin. He will have mercy on who He wants to have mercy on; no one can demand it.

Pharaoh tried to command respect because of his position as the leader of Egypt. He held the Israelites hostage, demanding that they work or suffer punishment+. Though God proved Himself by miracles, plagues, and hardship, Pharaoh would not honor God as God; therefore God hardened Pharaohs heart.

Pharaoh was a tough enemy of Israel, yet there is no difference between the people who demand God to honor them because of their ancestry; both do not fear God's ability to judge and both do nothing about atonement for their sin. Basically there is no repentance.

We cannot push our way into God's graces; nor can we expect Him to respect us because of who we are. He will never respect us for what we do and we will never work deals with Him. God will honor who He wants based upon the criteria of repentance and respect (fear) for Him.

Praying to the east three times a day, does not change the fact that people have sin and need atonement; neither does abstaining from things that bring you comfort. Your suffering does not make atonement, even if done to commemorate The Day of Atonement. The same can be said of Lent, Ramadan, and the Sabbath; though one participates, if there is no repentance from sin and there is no sacrifice for sin then God has not been honored.

Paul is telling people that there is only one way to be accepted by God and that is through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and accepting His death on the cross as payment for our sin. By grace are we saved through faith and not of works or who our relative was.