Predestined For Hell? Absolutely Not!

Introduction:

A. Paul had a sincere concern for souls (v.1)

- The disciples went out from among them and shared the gospel and turned the world upside down.

B. Paul had a steadfast concern for souls (v.2)

- “unceasing anguish”

C. Paul had a sacrificial concern for souls. (v.3)

- Jesus had a sacrificial concern for souls

D. This message should give you the same heart as Paul

E. I want you to see three things about God

I. God is the God of Sovereign Choices. (vs. 4-13)

- This passage in Romans 9 is about national and not personal (vs.4-5)

a. They were Israelites

b. They had the adoption

c. They had the glory

d. They had the Covenants

e. They were given the Law

f. They were given the service of the Lord

g. They were given the promises

h. They were given the Messiah

- They are God’s chosen people

- But God did not choose all the sons of Abraham but only Isaac (vs. 6-13)

- Again this is a national election not a personal election.

- The word election is about God’s choice not just about salvation

- God has sovereignly chose that the good seed should remain through Isaac and Jacob

- Not Esau (v.12-13)

- Gen 25:23 And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger."

- God is not talking about salvation God is talking about service

- “, the older shall serve the younger."

- This says nothing about saved or lost

- Also do not get confused over God’s use of the word hate here.

- "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

- Luk 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

- God is not asking you to sovereignly choose the salvation of your relatives

- Nor is Jesus telling us to despise our loved ones

- This is about preference not despite

- Esau was not predestined for hell

- God sovereignly elected or chose who would serve Him in this manner

II. God’s Spotless character (14-23)

- God is not fair but God is just

- God doesn’t owe us anything but judgment (v.14)

- God pardons based on his sovereign will (v.15-16)

- This does not say that God will refuse to give mercy if anyone asks

- But it does say that the giving of mercy is based on His will not ours

- Tit 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

- Psa 32:10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.

- This does not say the elect it says the one or in other words anyone who comes and trusts God

- Pro 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

- If you want mercy you can have it

- But not everyone wants the mercy of God (vs. 17-18)

- God raises up Kings and is glorified

- God takes down kings that He may be glorified

- Exo 9:16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

- God did not override the will of Pharoah

- Exo 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

- In fact 18 times scripture tells us that pharaoh hardened his own heart.

- God did not harden his so that he would never get saved.

- God hardened the heart of pharaoh because pharaoh had already done it.

- If we want mercy God will give it to us

- If we want to reject God God will let us

- Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

- Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

- What does it mean when God hardens your heart?

- Well we just read it, God turns you over to your sin to rule you for eternity

- In other words He stops offering grace

- And that is within God’s spotless character to do that and it is just (vs. 18-23)