You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 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.’”“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.’

Romans 9:19-26

Works don’t save your life, Jesus already did. So why do you chase down good works, and not Jesus Himself? The writer is distraught for the people of Israel. Why? So many do not walk in the faith but rather in works, as if works somehow save us. Israelites are God’s chosen people and yet even though God blessed them with land, lineage, and an eternal Kingdom through David’s lineage, leading us to Christ, somehow they think they are able to do what they want and get into good standing with God by their own willpower. In reality, God can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants. As the writer says, He can have mercy on one, and harden another heart. He is saying everyone is one a level playing field, Jew and Gentile.

God molds people as He desires in order to bring glory to the Kingdom of God. He is making a point to say that all people are the creation of God; each person according to His will. It is true that God will allow the hearts of many to be hardened against Him in order for people to see His wrath and power, so that His glory and great mercy shine even greater. What does this mean? God knows many will not choose Him and follow Him, but how much greater is His love and mercy on those who do walk in faith. Instead of Him throwing up His hands and tossing everyone to the fire, He welcomes everyone who desires to know Him and follow Him. He invites them in, to accept their inheritance as His Holy adopted children with the understanding we have a loving God who is also wrathful, but because of Jesus sacrifice will judge us fairly at the end of our time. So what do we pick? Relationship with our God who wants us to join in a daily walk and conversation with Him. Or do we try to earn our way completely missing the point?

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. 

Romans 9:30-32

Mercies of God ➡️ Living Sacrifice ➡️ Spiritual Worship

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:1-2

‭‭The writer is addressing the Roman church which he has yet to meet, but writes ahead to encourage them to live according to the work of Jesus, rather than self righteousness. Boy we can win that award regularly, so the writers words ring so true today. He brings up how we are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice in the midst of God’s mercy. 
Why? Because that is exactly what God did for us through the life and death of Jesus. The mercies of God, which are unsearchable and infinite, are referring to how God from beginning to the end of time He has remained steadfast in His mercy. All of the qualities of God are constant, meaning His love, mercy, patience, wrath, power, wisdom, etc all are present at the same time, all the time. His qualities are unchanging. So when he refers to the mercies of God, there is an infinite depth and rich quality to the constant and present mercy of God. 
The writer has been making a case throughout previous chapters of Romans leading us to this point as to why we should each walk as a living sacrifice. He begins by showing the sinful nature of each of us in our walk. In the midst of the sin, he reminds everyone that there is no distinction between us, we all fall short of the glory of God. 

“the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Romans 3:22-24

The writer goes on to use Abraham’s story as an example of God’s mercy because is his faith. The only way to be righteous before God, Holy and acceptable is through faith. 

‭‭“For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.”‭‭

Romans 4:13-15

The writer continues in chapter five showing us the mercy of God again through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus paid the price for all sin, for all time. Because of this we are found righteous and acceptable in God’s eyes through our faith. 

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Romans 5:18-19

‭‭Jesus is the only way we can be found Holy and acceptable in the midst of our sin. Our faith in God’s works through Jesus allow us to have a relationship with a loving Father. How do we live a sacrificial life as the body of Christ? The writer explains in 12:2. We are to walk like Jesus and should not blend in with the whims of the world. 

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

Matthew 6:22-23

‭‭Matthew speaks of our eyes being the lamp to the body. What leads us every day? Where are we looking when we wake in the morning? Where are our eyes physically and spiritually? The challenge the writer is laying out is, are we going to serve the world first or our God who has given us the riches of heaven? 
Matthew points out that this starts with our eyes. Eyes aren’t just physical, but also spiritual. The writer presses us to put on the eyes of Jesus who look to the Heavenly Father when we wake to physical eyes filled with the things of the Kingdom. If we focus our eyes to worship, scripture, prayer, and community, then we are filled with the light of the Holy Spirit. Discernment of God’s will for us on a daily basis becomes more clear. We begin to see the world with the heart of Jesus. Then we are living a sacrificial life and walk in the joy of a heavenly Kingdom in all seasons and circumstance. That is our spiritual worship.