Recipients Of God's Mercy Series

In Romans 9-11 Paul took the opportunity to address the thorny question of the Jews and their rejection of the gospel.

• He expresses his heart for the Jewish people. He hopes they will understand the salvation of God and be saved, and yet knowing that many would reject the Messiah.

This does not mean that God’s promise to Israel has failed. No, not at all.

• Paul explained that it was God’s choice for His salvation to be brought through the descendants of Isaac and not Ishmael, through Jacob and not Esau.

• In order words, a remnant would believe Christ and be saved.

• Not all children of Abraham will be the children of the promise (through Isaac) and not all Isaac’s descendants will be Jacob’s children, the recipients of God’s mercy.

9:15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

• God would have mercy to whom He would decide to show mercy.

• That’s the doctrine of election. That’s predestination, which is something difficult for many to accept.

• On the surface, it seems to be unfair and unjust, and it robs us of our autonomy.

• Paul seeks to address this in the next section.

Let’s read - Romans 9:19-24

19You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20But 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?” 21Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory — 24even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

What Paul said earlier will bring up this objection: “Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?”

• If it is all a matter of God’s election – choosing Isaac and rejecting Ishmael, choosing Jacob and rejecting Esau - then how can God find fault with me? I can’t even go against God’s choice? Is it fair of God to hold us accountable?

• These questions sound logical but they are the wrong questions to ask.

• They stamped from a distorted view of God and His nature, which Paul seeks to clarify.

UNDERSTANDING THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

He made THREE points. One, WHO God is.

• He set their perspective right by issuing three questions:

20But 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?” 21Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

Paul did not give a direct answer but the questions suffice. We know the answer.

• Paul sets the “accuser” in his place. He represents the many unbelieving Jews questioning the ways of God.

• They are unlikely sincere seekers trying to understand God because Paul says, “Who are you to answer back to God?” which is more like talk back (NIV), reply against (KJV), argue with God (NLT)

• They were charging God for His arbitrary decisions and for doing what He likes without fairness.

Paul puts him in his place: “Who are you, O man, to talk back to God?”

• It is inappropriate and improper, for a created being to call the Creator to account.

• He needs to get back to his place and know where he stands before a sovereign God. That’s the right place to start.

We may have questions for God but the right approach and posture is one of humility and a desire to seek understanding with a view to submitting to Him.

• We are a man and He is God. We are a creature and He is the Creator. He is the Potter and we are the clay.

• The truth is, even if God reveals it all, we would not understand fully with our finite minds and limited knowledge.

• The Lord has said, “8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8-9)

• God has complete authority and freedom to do what He wants. He is in a completely different league.