Why Is It Important To Accept God's Solutions Rather Than Remain A Struggli

Why is It Important to Accept God’s Solutions Rather Than Remain a Struggling Skeptic? – Romans 9:22-33

In most America’s universities it is considered noble to be a struggling skeptic who is always in search of truth. However, a committed Christian needs to come to a point of submission and obedience to the absolute truths of scripture even when certain aspects of truth are yet to be understood. The following are some guidelines in helping us come to a point of resolution about difficult issues such as verse 22 where Paul writes, “What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath – prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory.”

Many skeptics read this and suppose that God’s chose some to go to hell and some to go to heaven. But consider some of the following aspects of that help clarify this teaching for us.

1. Our humble attitude toward the truth of the Bible is essential if we expect to have the true understanding of God’s revelation. Those who have an unsubmissive attitude toward God are insolently approaching Him without a learner’s mind. We have to remember that He is the Potter and we are merely the clay. It is wrong to say to God, “Unless you answer my questions to my degree of satisfaction I will not believe in you or your word.” An insubordinate attitude is something that God cannot accept since He is the Sovereign Creator who has the right to know all things with His infinite understanding. On the other hand we have finite abilities to understand certain concepts because then we have to depend upon the Lord for everything that is good, true and eternal. David wrote, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.” (Psa. 25:8-10) God guides those who are willing to admit that they are sinners and are in need of His Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth.

2. It is important to totally believe, trust and be willing to obey in God’s sovereign grace, truth and right to do whatever He wants with anyone. People who wrestle with bitterness, anger or worry are usually people who are yet to totally come to grips with God’s sovereign grace in all things.

Do not be like the people in 2 Tim. 3:7 who are always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Many of the intellectual philosophers in our American universities hold to existential, nihilistic or post-modern presuppositions about truth. As a result, they tend to believe that truth is what each individual conceives it to be – wrong. Jesus said, “Sanctify them in your truth, your word is truth.” (John 17:7) Jesus also said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me.” (John 14:6) We learn from Paul in Col. 2:3, “All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. When one has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that regenerates one, the Holy Spirit teaches us all the truth that we need for life and godliness according to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Peter wrote, “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything according to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence. (2 Pet. 1:3)

3. If you lack wisdom about certain passages of scripture ask God for wisdom and He will give it to you. (James 1:5) We have to realize that we are still looking through a glass darkly (I Cor. 13:12) but when we get to heaven we will see things with crystal clarity. Only God is able to do right with all of His judgments. (Gen. 18:25)

4. God’s foreknowledge of everyone’s eternal dwelling does not determine where they will go. He gives each person a free will to choose to accept or reject His truth in Christ. The Lord said to Jeremiah, “If they seek me they will find me, if they search for me with all their heart.” God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. God beckons everyone to turn from their sin and live. (Eze 18:32) Peter writes, “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:18) It is important to remember that God’s desire is for everyone to come to heaven, but Jesus knew ahead of time that many would not believe. Jesus said, in Matthew 15:13 -- "Every plant that my Father has not planted will be rooted up." Matthew 22:14 -- "Many are called but few are chosen."