Sovereign Grace Bible Conference
Tucson 2001
Romans {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."
With these words God declares His right to save one sinner and not the other. And that is exactly what He does. Our great God has elected to divide sinful, hell deserving, humanity into two lots, each one ordained to serve a particular purpose. One group, the Elect from every nation, will be saved and serve to display God’s glorious grace and mercy in Christ. The other, the remainder of humanity, will be damned for their sin, revealing to all, God’s justice and wrath.
To prove that God deals with men by distinguishing grace or election, Paul, in Romans nine, reminds us of how God dealt with two couples and their children. The first account has to do with Abraham's sons, Isaac and Ishmael. By the suggestion of Sarah, Abraham had relations with Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar, and thereby produced Ishmael. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah after God performed a miracle enabling the couple to conceive. Isaac was a miracle child, a gift from God not of works lest Sarah and Abraham should boast of their child creating abilities. The whole event, as we saw in the previous lesson, was intended to illustrate that salvation is a gracious, miraculous, act of God without any human contribution whatever. In addition the illustration shows, beyond any doubt, that the promises made to Abraham by God did not encompass all who were Jews by blood. For Ishmael was a flesh and blood son of Abraham but would not be a partaker of the promises. Therefore, Paul declares, "Not all Israel is Israel." There is a remnant, a people of God’s own choosing who will be saved, the rest will be lost.
The second illustration makes clear the truth and fact that God’s choice to save one man and not the other has nothing to do with that person’s behavior, past, present, or future. I speak of Jacob and Esau, the twins, one of whom God loved and one He hated. One He saved from the coming wrath of God while the other was left to perish in his sin. “Jacob I loved Esau I hated.” Here is the truth and fact of Divine Election. God chose Jacob over Esau.
Our good Father intends, by these illustrations, that we understand and bow before the fact that salvation is entirely of the Lord. That He is God and has the right to use one person for this purpose and one for that; to save one, through faith in Christ, and to leave the other in his sin. God intends that we recognize the doctrine of Election and accept it as the way God operates among men.
Paul speaks about election to help his contemporaries and us understand why some Jews believe and some do not, why some Gentiles believe and some do not. The answer is, "Not all Israel are Israel, not all men have been appointed to salvation, that is why, not all will believe. This is Divine Election. God chooses to save one person but not the other and their behavior has nothing to do with His choice. The election of grace finds its basis and motivation in God not man. Sinners are saved in spite of themselves not because of something God sees in them, now, or in the future. Verse sixteen of Romans nine says this: “It is not of him who wills or of him who runs but of God who has mercy.” {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."
Now, if the Jews are listening they now have the answer to why the whole nation had not and will not believe in Christ. If the Gentiles are listening they now have the answer to why all gentiles will not be saved. The answer is, men are dead in sin unable to comprehend, appreciate, or understand the gospel. Men are dead to God and will not seek Him. It is only when God chooses to grant the gifts of faith and repentance that men turn from their sin to trust in Christ. And God does not give these gifts to all men. He simply does not have the same plan and design for everyone. At the right time He intervenes in the lives of the Elect and they are saved to praise of His glorious grace. However, He leaves the rest of humanity in a state of natural rebellion to the praise of His justice and wrath. This is the Divine Prerogative, {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."
Therefore, when ones asks, "What can I do to get my son, daughter, husband, or wife, saved from the wrath to come?" We must answer, in the first place, nothing. It is impossible for you to save your loved ones. On the other hand you can and should speak to them about their need for Christ. You can and should explain the gospel to them for it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. God has determined to save His elect people through the preaching of the gospel, therefore, and by all means, expose your loved ones to the gospel, in hope that God will lead them to repentance and faith in Christ. Remember the words of Matthew 19:25-26 NASB.
"And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" {26} And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Praise be to His Holy and Righteous name! What is impossible with us is a piece of cake to Him, even the salvation of sinners dead in trespasses and sins. God has the power to raise sinners from spiritual death and to make them trust in Christ for everlasting life. He has chosen to show such mercy to millions, but He is not obligated to show mercy to anyone. He just chooses to do so for His own glory and honor. {16} “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
Earlier I spoke of each person's respective purpose for existence. Paul now offers an example of a man who God never intended to save but used for the declaration and display of His great power. I speak of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. This man was born for the sole purpose of demonstrating the power of God. This demonstration took place on Egyptian soil when God brought His people out of four-hundred-plus years of slavery and persecution. God sent Moses to command Pharaoh to let Israel go. He refused and with each refusal God brought a plague upon Egypt, thus demonstrating His power. We know that since Pharaoh was a son of Adam and Eve, as we are, he had a hard and sinful heart. However, God added to that hardness so that Pharaoh became extraordinarily unreasonable. So much so we look at him and scream, “Are you nuts, let God’s people go! Can’t you see your loosing the battle?” We ask, “Was this man simply stupid?” No! Were not looking at a stupid man. Neither are we looking at a man without natural skills, mental faculties, or common sense. Were looking at a man in the hand of God doing what he must do for the glory of God. What we see here is a prime example of the Divine Prerogative being exercised. Here is God doing with His creation as seems best to Him. Consider the words of Exodus 7:1-4 NASB.
"Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet, (spokesman) {2} "You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land {3} "BUT I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART (Why? So . . ) THAT I MAY MULTIPLY MY SIGNS AND MY WONDERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. {4} "When Pharaoh will not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments."
Pharaoh was a hard-hearted sinner but God hardened his heart all the more. He did so because Pharaoh had a job to do, He had a Divine assignment, which assignment is revealed in Romans nine-seventeen, {17} For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, (This is the reason I caused you to be born and put you in the place of rule and power.) TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." (This was why God gave this man life. And when he had served his purpose he was drowned in the Red Sea.) {18} "So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires,"
Again God the Holy Spirit heads off the objections of men who think themselves more fair or just than God. {19} "You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" A paraphrase of this might read, "If God deals with men as you say, using one for this purpose and one for that purpose without their permission, how can He condemn anyone for their sin and rebellion; for no one can, in the final analysis, resist His will?"
You see, Pharaoh was not given a choice. God did not ask permission to use him for this purpose. He didn't have to ask his permission, He is God. He is the God who has mercy on whom he has mercy and who hardens those He chooses to harden.
{19} You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" (You and I understand that every man resists the will of God. But the point is, no man overcomes the will of God. In the end God always has His way. (Daniel 4:35 NASB) "And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What hast Thou done?” All men resist the will of God but no man can overcome the will of God.) {19} You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" (Paul answers . . .) {20} On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? (How dare you call God to task for what He does or does not do with what belongs to Him?) The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? (Does a created thing ever have the right to question the Creator about its appearance and purpose?) {21} Or does not the potter (God) have a right over the clay, (humanity) to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, (salvation) and another for common use, (damnation)?
God makes one man for salvation and another for damnation, one for honorable use and one for common use. "Is this all right with you?" Is it alright with you that God is the potter men are the clay? Does it bother you that God has the right to and indeed does with all men as He pleases? Or do you believe and rejoice in the fact that He is God and we are not? That He owns and, therefore, has a right to do with us as is pleasing in His sight. The proper response to these grand truths is praise, worship, and thanksgiving. And if anything else comes to mind Paul says, in essence, put our hand on your mouth. Put your hand on your mouth and refuse to speak against God.
The next part of the Holy Spirit's answer to those who object to Electing grace is a, "What's it to you?" answer. It goes like this. {22} What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?”
What's it to you if God creates vessels of wrath destined for everlasting destruction and then endures them with much patience for many years upon the earth. What business is it of yours? Pharaoh stands as the representative of all such people. Though he deserved nothing but God’s wrath for sin and rebellion he received much of God’s mercy, kindness, and patience. He lived a long and luxurious life on earth. Being a son of Adam he deserved hell from the get go, and to hell he would go, but first, God would endure him with much patience while he fulfilled his mission. His mission, his purpose, the reason he was alive, was to serve as a stage upon which God would demonstrate His power, wrath, and love for His people. Yes, God’s treatment of Pharaoh and his army would serve to highlight or emphasize God’s love for His own which is Paul’s next point.
{23} And He did so (endured Pharaoh with much patience and then destroyed him) in order that He might make known the riches of His Glory upon vessels of mercy,
There are two kinds of people on the earth. There are vessels of mercy created by God for salvation. Then there are vessels of wrath, people created by God but not chosen for salvation. These will be left in their sin and cast into hell on the final day. Paul is saying that God's patience with the wicked and their final destruction is meant to emphasize or stand in a revealing contrast to His mercy toward the Elect, the vessels of mercy.) which He prepared beforehand for glory, (The vessels of wrath are created, tolerated, and then destroyed, to make bright and glorious the grace God shows toward the vessels of mercy.) {24} even us, (Christians, believing sinners) WHOM HE ALSO CALLED, NOT FROM AMONG JEWS ONLY, BUT ALSO FROM AMONG GENTILES.”
With the words, “whom He called, not from among the Jews only but also from among the Gentiles.” Paul applies everything he has said concerning Election to the original question. “Why has God not saved all the Jews?” The answer is, "Not all Israel is Israel." The promises never encompassed the entire population of that nation. The promises were to a spiritual nation, "The Israel of God", the Church made up of both Jews and Gentiles; the elect from every nation under the sun who trust in Christ alone for salvation. These are vessels of mercy destined for glory, for salvation on earth, and everlasting bliss in heaven. Paul concludes the chapter with an emphasis on the inclusion of all kinds of people in God’s plan of salvation and a reminder that only a remnant of humanity will be saved.
{25} As He says also in Hosea, "I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE,' AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED," {26} "AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,' THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD." {27} And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED:"
Only the elect within the physical nation would be saved, only a portion,
a remnant. Ishmael is passed by and Isaac is saved. Esau is cast off
and Jacob is saved. God makes a distinction between one man and the
other for reasons known only to Himself and we have no right to object
or call Him to task. "Shall the thing made say to the maker why have
you made me like this," God forbid.
{28} FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD UPON THE EARTH, THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY." {29} And just as Isaiah foretold, "EXCEPT THE LORD OF SABAOTH (the Lord of Hosts) HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY, (a remnant) WE WOULD HAVE BECOME AS SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH."
Without divine intervention and restraint, without the grace that comes with the election of grace we would all sink as low into sin as did the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, we would all be destroyed by fire from heaven. But God has chosen to save a remnant of humanity for His glory.
30} What shall we say then? (What does all this mean? What am I trying to tell you?) That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; {31} but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. (They did not achieve personal righteousness and therefore acceptance by God through keeping the law) {32} Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it (salvation) were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, (They failed to see that Jesus was the key. That righteousness could only be obtained by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the Messiah promised by the prophets but they could not recognize Him.) {33} just as it is written, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
The blind and hardened Jews stumbled over Jesus. They did not recognize Him or believe in Him as Savior and Lord. Therefore, they were lost. But, as the last phrase reveals, everyone who did then, or will now, believe in Jesus will not be disappointed. That is, they will not, at the end of this age, find they have believed in vain. For all who come to Christ by faith will be saved to the uttermost from an everlasting hell.
I ask you to respond carefully to doctrine of Distinguishing Grace as presented in Romans chapter nine. Do not come to rash conclusions and if you are tempted to rail against God put your hand on your mouth and refuse to speak. Do not accuse the thrice-Holy God of unrighteousness, for in Him there is no sin, no darkness of any kind, no possibility of unrighteousness. Our good Father was righteous when He destroyed millions of men, women, and children in the flood. He was righteous when He rained fire on every citizen in Sodom and Gomorrah. He was righteous when He destroyed Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. He was righteous when destroyed thousands of Jews in the wilderness for their sin. God was righteous when He commanded the wars and slaughtering in the Old Testament. We dare not say He wasn't! And I tell you this afternoon that My God was righteous when in eternity past He chose to save an undeserving portion of humanity and to damn the rest.
Why are all God's actions righteous? Because He is God! He is the Creator and owner of all and He alone has the right to do as He wills with what is His. "Is this alright with you?" Or will you accuse God of not being fair? Will you drag Him into your human court and call Him a sinner? It will change nothing if you do, for when your court is dismissed we will still hear Him say, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION."
The doctrine of Election must be recognized and dealt with by all Christians. It cannot be ignored. Why, because it is in the Bible, from cover to cover. You can say, “I don't like it.” You can say, “I don't understand it.” But you can't say, “It does not exist.” Take scissors, if you please, and cut out everything in the Bible that has to do with Divine Election and when you have finished half or more of its pages will be missing. And what will you have accomplished? You will have robbed yourself of a great blessing by refusing to bow before the word of God. You will have injured yourself spiritually and tainted your witness as you share with others your dislike of what God has to say in His word. If, on the other hand, you will bow before the word of God while striving to understand and apply this blessed truth to your life, you will do yourself a great and wonderful favor.
For in the doctrine of Divine Election the Christian finds much joy, comfort, and reason for praise. For though he was dead in sin, Election made sure his resurrection unto eternal life. Though he was blind, Election brought him sight. Though he was deaf to God's good news, Election gave him ears with which to hear the blessed Gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus. Though he was not willing and could not make himself willing to trust Christ, the Sovereign Electing Grace of God, made him willing by the exercise of Divine power. Though he was devoid of strength to break free from the Devil, Election set him free and made him able to run to Christ. Though he had no faith with which to trust Christ, Election created faith in the sinner's heart. Every believer owes his salvation and, everything connected to it, to God setting His love upon him in eternity past.
In addition, the Christian who understands and bows his heart to this aspect of God's truth will be comforted in reference to his unsaved loved ones. For the Sovereign, Electing, Grace of God is not in anyway hindered by the rebellious, hard, and evil, hearts of men. For when God calls a sinner to salvation he always comes, for he is made willing in the day of God’s saving power!
Throughout the book of Romans Paul labors to prove to Jew and Gentile alike that human works, ancestry, one's will, goodness, circumcision, or ceremony have nothing whatever to do with salvation. He strives to give God all the credit and glory for the redemption of sinners. It is by grace he declares, Sovereign, Electing Grace, and the application of the same to sinners in time that they are saved. Christians are all miracle children, born from above by a merciful, forgiving God, through faith in His dear Son.
It is by "His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, (everything necessary for salvation and the Christian journey) {31} that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."