The following two big ideas about God are drawn from Romans 10:17-21, which we studied Sunday.

1. God is passionate.

Verse 19 is a quote from Deuteronomy 32:21, which shows God’s passion for his people:

They have made me jealous with what is no god;
they have provoked me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are no people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

God is not cold and subhuman when it comes to emotions. He is molten hot and superhuman. When his people turn from him, he is not mechanical like a computer receiving invalid input. He is wild with jealousy and anger like a husband watching his wife cheat on him.

2. God’s arms are open.

Romans 10:21 says:

But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

You may have wondered how a loving God could send people to hell, as though he drags people away from his presence against their will. The truth is, people are running and diving into hell like it’s home base. (See Romans 3 for more on this.) No one has ever turned to God and found his arms crossed and his head shaking in refusal. His arms are open.