In recent visits we’ve looked in Romans 10 at the journey of those who believe.  We’ve focused on man’s part in the experience of salvation. 

We first looked at problems you will likely encounter on this journey.  Prayer has power to overcome these problems.  Proclamation of the good news is essential if sinners are to hear and respond to the message by faith.  The essential response is to believe that God has raised Jesus Christ from the dead and confessing with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord.  When someone genuinely calls upon God in this way Paul assures us they will be saved. 

He says this in an interesting way in Romans 10:20, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”  People find God and recognize Him, not because they sought or asked for Him.  They find and recognize Him because He made Himself known to them and drew them to Himself. 

Paul couldn’t finish chapter 9 on the sovereignty of God without saying, “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  He couldn’t finish chapter 10 on the journey of those who freely choose to believe without saying, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” 

This is what Dr. Packer calls an antinomy, that is, two seemingly contradictory truths which in fact compliment each other.  God chooses, but I too must choose.  When I choose to trust in Him I will find that God had chosen me. 

Praise God for the mystery and power of the Gospel by which we are saved.