在旧约，以色列人是上帝的选民，虽然被拣选的人多如海沙，得救的却只是「剩下的余数」。到了新约，世上所有的人都被呼召成为上帝的儿女，但真正得救的有多少？

如同婴孩不能选择他的父母，我们能够成为上帝的儿女，不是因为我们选择上帝做父亲，而是上帝拣选了我们。我们能做的只有接受，当然，我们也可以拒绝，而且大多数的人都拒绝了。

先知以赛亚指着那些「剩下的余数」说：「若不是万军之主给我们存留余种，我们早已变成所多瑪，像蛾摩拉一样了。」是的，我们这些选择接受上帝儿女身份的人，正是上帝特别保存下来的。我们能跟上帝说「阿爸父」，是因为上帝拣选我们成为他的儿女。我们能够持续跟随耶稣，也是因着上帝的保守。

别忘了，我们是好不容易「剩下的余数」，是「存留的余种」。让我们珍惜上帝儿女这宝贵的身份，保守自己在上帝的爱中，直到见主的面。

简体圣经 | https://www.bible.com/bible/140/ROM.9.RCUVSS

繁体圣经 | https://www.bible.com/bible/139/ROM.9.RCUV

In the Old Testament, the Israelites were God's chosen people, although many were chosen, only a "remnant" was saved. In the New Testament, all people in the world are called to be God's children, but how many are truly saved?

Just as a baby cannot choose parents, we become God's children not because we chose God as our Father, but because God chose us. All we can do is accept or refuse, unfortunately most people refuse.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of the "remnant" and said, "If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah." Yes, those of us who choose to accept our identity as God's children are the ones God has specially preserved. We can call God "Abba Father" because God has chosen us to be His children. And we can continue to follow Jesus because of God's preservation.

Remember, we are the hard-won "remnant," the "survivors." Let us cherish our precious identity as God's children and keep ourselves in God's love until we see the Lord face to face.

Reading the Bible | https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ROM.9.ESV