Romans 9:19-29

                                                                 Romans 9:19-29

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But 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?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people, ’and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

It is important for us to know who God is.  We tend to imagine God according to our own thinking in ways that will be to our own benefit and are offended when we read about in ways that surprise us and confront our imaginations.  What we must remember is that God’s glory is His priority and not our imaginations.  We must also remember that our imaginations are always tainted by sin.  Our job is to worship God for who He is, not try to conform Him to our imaginations.  This passage reveals several truths about God that should inspire our worship.

 

GOD’S AUTHORITY AS CREATOR: God is the Creator of all.  As the Creator of the universe, He has complete authority and freedom to create as He sees fit.  The beauty and variety of creation is His handiwork.  The creation should cause us to observe and be awed by His creativity.  Just like any artist, He can do as He pleases.  Paul uses the illustrator of a potter who makes a diversity of utensils from the same lump of clay.  God makes a variety of people that have different purposes in His sovereign plan.  This should inspire our worship, not cause us to question His goodness.  

 

GOD’S WISDOM AS SAVIOR: God demonstrates the power of His wrath upon sin by judging those who reject Him and rebel against Him.  God has patiently endured the sinfulness of all mankind, but because He is holy, He cannot simply overlook sin.  In Christ He provided a way for all to have forgiveness of sin.  This path of salvation is available to both Jews and Gentiles.  However, due to man’s fallen heart, instead of repenting of sin and trusting Christ, many continue to love their sin and turn from Christ.  This act of rebellion and rejection must have consequences for a just God.  His wrath on those who reject Him is one means by which some are convinced to worship and follow Him.  He is wise enough to use the sinfulness of man to bring about the salvation of some to the praise of His glory.

 

GOD’S GRACE AS FATHER: Paul’s main argument in this passage is to demonstrate to the Jews that God has chosen both Jews and Gentiles to be His children.  Paul turns to the Old Testament Scriptures to prove this truth.  Hosea had said that God would call those who were not considered to be His people to become His sons.  God’s grace extends to both Jew and Gentile.  He has sons and daughters from every tribe, every nation and every tongue.  He will be worshiped in every language.  He is calling out of the nations children who will gather around the throne and sing praises to His name.  This is a demonstration of His grace and love for His children.  We should be so thankful that His grace was extended to us.   

 

GOD’S WRATH AS JUDGE: God is also a God of just wrath against the sinfulness of men.  He has consistently revealed this in the Scriptures.  Isaiah makes it clear that there will only be a remnant of Israel who is saved but that there is a majority who has rejected God and therefore they must be judged.  The Jews imagined that they would all be saved simply by their birthright.  Paul wants them to understand that this kind of thinking is nor biblical and will only lead to destruction and judgment.  God graciously saves some who become His children, but apart from His grace all would have fallen under His wrath and judgment like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that were completely destroyed.

 

APPLICATION: Worship God for who He is not for who we imagine Him to be.  Admire His creation and understand His freedom.  Observe His judgment and live to please Him.  Do not trust in your heritage or family but in Christ alone for salvation.  Warn others of the wrath to come upon all who reject Christ.