Romans 9 14 23 Paul Defends Gods Sovereign

Romans 9: 14 -23 Paul Defends God’s Sovereign Election by Eric Douma Gospel of Grace Fellowship August 27, 2017

Outline of Romans 9: 14 -23 Vs. 14 Is God unjust? Vss. 15 -16 No (focus on election) Vss. 17 -18 No (focus on reprobation) Vs. 19 Why does He still find fault? Vss. 20 -21 – God has the right! Vs. 22 God glorified in judgment Vs. 23 God glorified in mercy Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 1

God’s Right to Bestow Mercy Romans 9: 14 -16 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 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. ” 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 2

God’s Right to Bestow Wrath Romans 9: 17 -18 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH. ” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 3

The Hardening of Pharaoh Some claim: God hardened Pharaoh’s heart only after Pharaoh first hardened his own heart. Exodus 4: 21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go (Ex. 7: 3). Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 4

God Can Do As He Pleases! Romans 9: 19 -21 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will? ” 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this, ” will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 5

God Is Glorified by Both Vessels Romans 9: 22 -23 NKJV What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory… Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 6

Applications 1. We should know that God’s hardening does not imply that God is the instrumental cause of sin. 2. We must understand that while humans can resist God’s moral will, they cannot resist His decretive will. 3. We must accept God’s complete sovereignty in salvation. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 7

God Is Not Culpable for Human Sin James 1: 13 -14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Mark 7: 15 There is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 8

People Can’t Resist God’s Decretive Will 1. God’s moral will: God’s expression of what He demands and forbids. 2. God’s decretive will: God’s exertion of power to bring about exactly what He desires and plans. Acts 2: 23 …this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 9

Let Us Accept God’s Sovereignty John 6: 65 -66 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father. ” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. Gospel of Grace Fellowship ggf. church 10