Romans 9:14-29
Before we get started in this next section we need to look back at a verse from last week. Paul in this weeks verses is answering some questions that he feels may arise from a statement he made in verse eleven from last week.
11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls.
The twins that Paul speaks of here are the sons of Isaac (Jacob and Esau) and Paul tells us that before the twins were even born, that God had already chosen Jacob and not Esau.
Again Paul is talking about election, or being elected, or being predestined for salvation by God. And he says that it is not by works, works being anything that you must do in order to gain salvation, Paul says that salvation is by Him (God) who calls.
Romans 9:14-29 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ’Why did you make me like this?" 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
25As he says in Hosea:
"I will call them ’my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ’my loved one’ who is not my loved one," 26and,
"It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
’You are not my people,’
they will be called ’sons of the living God.’ "
27Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality."
29It is just as Isaiah said previously:
"Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah."
Since the fall of man, it appears to be a common thing for people to in some way try and blame God for everything. We are good at that; trying to blame others for our mistakes I know I am. We say if only God would have done this, or gave me that, or made this happen then everything would be different.
People look at this whole predestination backwards. Some think that everyone is good and deserving of heaven but mean old God sends some to hell anyway. That’s backwards.
People are sinners, born in to sin through Adam, and the great thing is that God even though we are sinners said, you know what? Even though you are sinners and none of you deserve to be with me in heaven I am still going to have mercy on some of you and send My Son down to earth and show you how its done. Christ will live that perfect sinless life for you and then by His death He will pay for the sins of those of you I have chosen to be with Me.
That’s not a God that is unjust, that is a God that is merciful and just.
Let’s take a second look at verses 14-24
Romans 9:14-24 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ’Why did you make me like this?" 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
Charles Spurgeon said this – I believe in the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love.
