All right, and amen. Please have a seat and take with me, if you will, as your copy of God's Word.
We certainly have been excited as we've studied through it over the past year.
I'm not really sure how long we've been doing this for now.
And we've been brought now to three chapters, which I've shared with you previously.
At moments in the past weeks, I kind of wish didn't exist in the Book of Romans.
There have been times where I wish we really just could have skipped to Chapter 12 and kept going on.
But to be faithful to the letter itself, to not allow the enemy to dictate for us what we teach on on Sunday mornings, here we are.
And we're dealing with some weighty truths, some things in Scripture that can be hard to understand.
As even Peter wrote of Paul's writings,
there are some things in them that are hard to understand,
which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do the other Scriptures.
And so as we approach things like this, we must do so reverently and humbly and maybe with a bit of fear that we handle them properly.
And so we've been looking together in Romans up to this point.
We've seen Paul make this great case for justification by faith alone,
that there's no thing that a human can do before God because we've all sinned.
We've all fallen short of the glory of God.
And it's by faith in Jesus Christ that we have right standing before Him.
And that now we have the Spirit of God which abides in us,
that helps us in our trouble, in our distress, in defeating sin.
And yet, that struggle exists.
That even as Christians, delivered from the bondage of sin,
we still carry the weight of our flesh.
And we strive against it by the Spirit within us.
Not only that, but from the exterior, we're going to experience trouble.
Chapter 8, verse 18, Paul says,
For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed in us.
And so He's lifted our eyes heavenward.
He's looking and casting an eternal perspective
so that as we struggle with the indwelling nature of sin
and with the persecution of the world,
even just the illness and the calamity that comes with the fallen world,
we might look to eternal things.
And then we're going to read, beginning in verse 28 of chapter 8,
through the end of chapter 9.
I hope that you'll follow along with me.
I'm using an ESV, so I'll try to read slowly for you in case you're not.
But let's begin in 8, 28.
And we know that for those who love God,
all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to His purpose.
For those whom He foreknew,
He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those whom He predestined, He also called.
And those whom He called, He also justified.
And those whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all,
how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?
It is God who justifies.
Who is to condemn?
Christ Jesus is the one who died.
More than that, who was raised.
Who is at the right hand of God.
Who indeed is interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
As it is written,
For your sake we are being killed all the day long.
We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
No.
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am speaking the truth in Christ.
I am not lying.
My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit
that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh.
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh,
is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever.
Amen.
But it is not as though the word of God has failed.
For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
and not all are children of Abraham, because they are his offspring.
But through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God,
but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
For this is what the promise said,
About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.
And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man,
our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born,
and had done nothing either good or bad,
in order that God's purpose of election might continue,
not because of works, but because of him who calls,
she was told, the older will serve the younger.
As it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
What shall we say then?
Is there injustice on God's part?
By no means.
For he says to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
So then it depends not on human will or exertion,
but on God who has mercy.
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh,
For this very purpose I have raised you up,
that I might show my power in you,
and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
So then he has mercy on whomever he wills,
and he hardens whomever he wills.
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 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 sands 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.
What shall we say then?
That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness
have attained it,
that is a righteousness that is by faith,
but that Israel who pursued a law
that would lead to righteousness
did not succeed in reaching that law.
Why?
Because they did not pursue it by faith,
but as if it were based on works.
They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
as it is written,
Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense,
and whoever believes in him
will not be put to shame.
Join me in a prayer over our time together.
Father, I pray that you will bless
the preaching of your word,
and I pray that it will be faithful
to the text's meaning.
I pray that my study, Lord,
and the words that you are filling me with,
that I pray will come out clearly,
will point people to the great truth
of the majesty of God
and the purpose of salvation
to this world.
I pray, Father, by your spirit,
you will help us to hear and understand
and apply
and to rightly understand these truths
so that we will be wise as we handle them.
And I pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
So I've broken for you down
beginning in verse 6,
the end of the chapter,
the chapter into kind of four sections,
and we're dealing with them in three weeks.
to say that the large rejection of the gospel
by the nation of Israel
does not discredit the gospel
because the unbelief of Israel
and therefore the subsequent salvation of Gentiles
is consistent, number one, with God's promises.
We talked about that last week,
verses 6 through 13.
It's consistent with God's promises.
Number two, that it is consistent with God's person.
We'll look at that together today.
And then three and four,
which we'll look at next week.
That it's consistent with God's prophecies
and with his provision.
And so together today,
let's look at how
the rejection of the gospel by the Israelites
and therefore the inclusion of the Gentiles,
God's sovereign plan,
is consistent with God's person.
Let me draw you to the second half of verse 11.
This promise has been given here by God
to Rebekah
for Jacob to be the one who's loved.
The promise is carried through.
And then Paul writes,
in order that God's purpose of election might continue,
not because of works,
but because of him who calls.
The promise was carried by Jacob
and the acting that he's referring to,
that it not being by works,
is simply them being born.
Jacob and Esau were twins.
Esau was the firstborn.
And in so doing,
he should have received the favor.
He should have received all of the blessing
as the firstborn,
as these two are twins.
But God,
so that his purpose of election might stand,
gave the promise to Jacob.
And we talked last week at length
about the doctrine of election.
And today we get to look further
at how that is consistent
with God's person himself.
And we see in our text today,
verses 14 through 24,
two objections.
So Paul's laid this case
for God's sovereign election of his people.
That not all Israel is Israel.
That he is saving now the church,
which includes us.
And there are objections that come up
in people's minds.
I would imagine that Paul has taught this now
a number of times.
And these have been common questions.
I would propose that it's even questions
in his own mind
that he's had run through his mind
and he's had to deal with
with the scriptures.
I remind you in chapter 9
that he uses 12 Old Testament quotes,
nine of which are first person God.
We know that all of the Bible
is inspired by our Lord.
All written by him.
But there are cases in the Old Testament
where God actually speaks.
It's the record of his voice
and what he actually says.
Nine of them are first person God.
Why?
This is what I want to say to you
to preface all of this.
Why does Paul use
these particular Old Testament quotes?
It is to quiet us.
God himself has spoken on these matters.
We will not understand all of it,
this side of glory.
The more I think about that,
I'm not even sure we'll understand it,
the other side of glory.
We may not care to understand it
because we'll be in the presence
of the Almighty.
But this side of glory,
we certainly will not
completely wrap our minds
around God's full sovereignty
and control.
What Paul is telling us is
listen to what the Lord says
of these things.
So the first objection in verse 14.
What shall we say then?
Is there injustice on God's part?
And Paul's answer
is the most emphatic no
he could give in the Greek language.
You could probably think
of some English versions
of the most emphatic no
that could have been given.
It's meginnoito.
It's impossible.
No, no, no.
King James has rendered it.
God forbid.
It would be blasphemy
to say such a thing.
This by no means
is forceful.
No.
God has sovereignly chosen
who will be saved.
Does that make him unjust?
No, no, no.
Exactly what Paul is saying.
And then he quotes
verse 15.
He quotes what God says to Moses.
I will have mercy
on whom I have mercy
and I will have compassion
on whom I have compassion.
But before we deal with
what's happening
with that Old Testament quote,
let's look together
just at a few texts.
Genesis 18.25.
Abraham says,
Shall not the judge
of all the earth
do what is just?
Zephaniah 3.5
says that God
does no injustice.
Malachi 2.17.
Listen to this.
You have wearied
the Lord
with your words.
But you say,
How have we wearied Him?
By saying,
Everyone who does evil
is good in the sight
of the Lord
and He delights in them.
Or by asking,
Where is the God
of justice?
Malachi says,
You have made God
grow tired of you
because you keep asking,
How is that fair?
As we look across the world,
we want it to be
a certain way.
God doesn't seem
to be working things out
the way we think
it should be done.
Where is the God
of justice?
Malachi says
he's growing weary
of those questions.
Paul says to us,
God's character
is not only defined
by justice.
What if it was?
What if God was
only completely just?
And He is.
But what if He was
only completely just?
And this is the proper
perspective we need
as we read through this.
The original audience
of this letter
would have had it
read to them
much the way I read
beginning in verse 28.
And that took a while,
didn't it?
But it would have been
read to them
beginning in chapter 1,
verse 1.
It would have been
a grand sermon.
It would have taken
hours to sit and listen to.
But they would have
just recently heard
in chapter 3,
verse 10,
there is none righteous,
not one.
No one seeks after God.
No one does good.
Paul has clearly
laid that case for us
that by no work
that we can do
will we be justified
before God.
And it comes to here.
They have no room
for self-righteousness
at this point.
Right?
They are lamenting
their own condition.
They know that apart
from God's work
in their life,
they are totally
and utterly lost.
If God were fully just,
if that was all
of His character,
all of us
would be damned.
All of us are guilty
in the original sin,
and we ourselves
have committed
so much sin.
All of us deserve
damnation.
It's ours.
We bought it
with our sin.
And that's the condition
that we read
about the glorious,
sovereign election
of God
to us.
When we begin
to think
that we deserve
things,
look at me
and my great life.
we begin
to read these things
in a much different
perspective,
but we are,
were enemies
of God
apart
from Jesus Christ.
Praise God
that Jesus' character,
God's character
is not just
wrapped up
in His justice.
Psalm 37.6
says,
He will bring forth
your righteousness
as the light
and your justice
as the noonday.
So God is
righteous,
perfect,
and holy.
Psalm 97.2
Clouds and thick
darkness
are all around Him.
Righteousness
and justice
are the foundation
of His throne.
And then add to that
Psalm 33.5
He loves righteousness
and justice.
The earth is full
of the steadfast love
of the Lord.
Psalm 89.14
Righteousness
and justice
are the foundation
of your throne.
Steadfast love
and faithfulness
go before you.
So God,
being fully
just
and righteous,
must
punish
sin.
There is no sin
ever committed,
ever has been,
being committed,
ever will be committed,
that will not be
punished by God.
So for those of us
that our
end is not destruction,
full and final,
eternal punishment
for our sin,
who was punished
on our behalf?
Jesus Christ.
Because God
is fully
righteous,
fully just,
and yet
He is love.
He has shown
some
mercy.
We did not
deserve it.
You cannot
think that way.
You have become
a God
in your own
mind
if you think
you deserve
the favor
of God.
Verse 15.
I will have
mercy
on whom I
have mercy
and I will
have compassion
on whom I
have compassion.
We often
don't understand
New Testament
text because
we don't
understand our
Old Testament.
We don't
know
where Paul
is quoting
from in this
case.
We know
he said it
to Moses
because he
says that.
That might
be the
extent of
our
understanding.
The original
reader knew
exactly what
he was talking
about.
He knew
the story
and the
condition,
the case
for this
language.
In Exodus
chapter 33
is where this
comes from.
We see
the people
of Israel
having been
led out
of captivity
in Egypt,
crossing the
Red Sea,
Pharaoh's army
destroyed.
They camp
at the
base of
Mount Sinai
and Moses
goes up
on the
mountain.
While he's
up there,
in this
brief time
he's up
there,
they get
bored
and they
say,
where has
Moses gone?
Where's our
leader?
This man
that represented
God.
And so
what do they
do?
They melt
down all
their gold
and they
build a
golden
calf.
Moses
gets news
of this.
God
informs him
of it.
He
pleads
their case.
He goes
back down
the mountain.
This is
when he
breaks the
tablets.
He's so
angry.
He breaks
the Ten
Commandments
at this
time.
God
commands
that
3,000
men be
killed
as a
punishment
for this
sin.
But he
doesn't
destroy
all of
Israel.
Moses
goes back
up on
the mountain.
A couple
of weeks
ago we
talked about
the parallel
between
Paul's
lament
for Israel
that he
desired that
he himself
could be
cut off
from Christ
in order
that Israel
would be
saved.
And that
was reflective
of what
Moses cried
out to
God.
Moses
said,
leave me
behind.
If you're
not taking
your people,
leave me
behind too.
You can
count me
accursed
if you're
not going
to save
your people.
God
promises
him that
he'll go
with him.
He'll
deliver the
people to
their final
destination
to the
promised
land.
And then
in verse
18 of
Exodus
33,
Moses
says,
please
show me
your
glory.
Moses
is amazed
already at
what God
is doing.
He says,
please
show me
your
glory.
And God
says,
I will
make all
my goodness
pass before
you,
and I
will
proclaim
before you
my name,
the Lord.
And I
will be
gracious to
whom I
will be
gracious,
and will
show mercy
on whom I
will show
mercy.
God
is
incredibly
significant.
Think of
where we
are.
We're on
the very
tail end
of this
story of
Israel
betraying
God,
deserving
destruction.
Not that
they had
ever deserved
to be let
out to
begin with,
but certainly
now,
God could
have punished
them.
Moses
pleads
with God,
and God
adds to
his name,
the Lord,
I am,
and says,
I will
be gracious
to whom I
will be
gracious,
and I
will show
mercy on
whom I
will show
mercy.
What a
great comfort
this would
have been
to Moses.
It didn't
cause Moses
to ask
questions.
Moses didn't
go,
wait a minute,
but how
was that
fair?
He said,
good.
I am
glad that
you are
the Lord,
and for
some reason
you are on
our side,
because we
do not
deserve it.
When this
name was
originally
given to
Moses,
chapter 3
of Exodus,
verse 13,
then Moses
said to
God,
if I come
to the
people of
Israel and
say to
them,
the God
of your
fathers has
sent me
to you,
and they
ask me,
what is
his name,
what shall
I say
to them?
It's the
first giving
of this
name.
God
said to
Moses,
I am
who I
am,
and he
said,
say this
to the
people of
Israel,
I am
has sent
me to
you.
God
also said
people of
Israel,
the Lord,
same Hebrew
word,
the God
of your
fathers,
the God
of Abraham,
the God
of Isaac,
and the
God of
Jacob,
has sent
me to
you.
This
is my
name
forever,
and thus
I am
to be
remembered
throughout
all
generations.
This
is the
name
that the
Hebrew
people
won't
say,
Yahweh.
It's
called
Y-H-W-H
in the
Hebrew.
This
is that
name,
and it
contains
in it
so much
amazing
truth,
but
essentially
what God
is saying
is that
I am
God,
and you
are not.
I am
God.
I answer
to no
one.
Everything
answers to
me.
I like
this.
Everything
plugs into
God.
God
plugs into
nothing.
He is
self-sustaining.
He is
self-existent.
all power
in the
universe
is in
him.
And so
this
God
says to
Moses,
I will
declare
before you
my name,
the Lord.
I am.
And I
will have
compassion,
on whom I
will have
compassion,
and I
will show
mercy,
to whom I
will show
mercy.
It's not
really a
complete answer
to the
question,
is it?
It's not.
If you
think as
logically as
I do,
it's not a
complete answer
to the
question.
Is there
injustice
then on
God's
part?
Paul says
no.
Couldn't
be.
That's
impossible.
You want
to know
why?
Because
God says
this is
how he
functions.
Because
God is
just,
and we
know that
to be
true.
So if
God's
doing
this,
it's
not
unjust.
That's
the answer
that we're
given to
this
question.
And it's
yours to
choose what
you do
with that.
I hope
that you
humble
yourself
to that
reality.
I hope
that you
won't stand
in judgment
over it.
So verse
16,
he goes
on,
so then it
depends not
on human
will or
exertion,
but on
God who
has mercy.
For the
scripture says
to Pharaoh,
for this
very purpose
I have
raised you
up,
that I
might show
my power
in you,
and that
my name
might be
proclaimed
in all
the earth.
So then he
has mercy
on whomever
he wills,
and he
hardens
whomever
he wills.
That's
interesting,
he actually
juxtaposes
Pharaoh
against
Moses.
Again,
contextually,
think of
the story.
So we
have Moses,
the adopted
brother of
Pharaoh,
both leaders
of large
groups of
people,
both
murderers,
Pharaoh,
many Israelites
were murdered
under his
hand.
You remember
that the
reason Moses
fled Egypt
was because
he killed
an Egyptian
who was
being harsh
to one
of the
Israelites.
Both
murderers
neither
deserved
the favor
of God,
and yet
one did,
and the
other was
destroyed.
To what
end?
God's
glorious,
magnificent
name.
That it
would be
proclaimed,
that he
might show,
exhibit,
and we're
going to get
here later,
his wrath
to the world
for sin
as well
as his
mercy.
Now,
Paul does
not deny
the necessity
of faith
on our
part.
Now,
see,
Romans 1,
16 and 17,
kind of the
whole thematic
verses for
this book.
For I am
not ashamed
of the
gospel,
for it is
the power
of God
for salvation
to everyone
who,
what?
Beliefs.
To the
Jew first,
and also to
the Greek.
For in it
the righteousness
of God
is revealed
from faith
for faith.
As it is
written,
the righteous
shall live
by faith.
So,
our salvation
is necessitated.
There's
necessity
for faith.
Ephesians 2,
8 and 9,
Paul writes,
For by grace
you have been
saved through
faith.
This is not
your own doing.
It is the
gift of God,
not as a result
of works,
so that no
one may
boast.
Is faith
required on
our part?
Absolutely.
Who works
the faith?
God Almighty,
to His
glorious praise.
The second
objection,
that was
amazing,
the second
objection,
You will
say to me
then,
why does
He still
find fault?
For who
can resist
His will?
How many
of you,
please don't
raise your
hands,
but how
many of
you,
when first
dealing
with
God's
election,
ask this
question.
Maybe not
in this
exact phrasing,
but ask
this question.
I did,
but I
wrestled
with it.
I can
remember the
first time
I read
Romans chapter
9,
with that
question in
my mind,
and I came
to this
point,
I was so
elated,
because I
thought the
answer,
like the
real answer
to the
question,
was right
on its
heels.
I thought,
here it is,
I'm going to
work it all
out now,
I'm going to
totally understand
the universe,
after I read
the rest of
chapter 9.
We don't
get the
answer,
do we?
Why does
he still
find fault
for who
can resist
his will?
And I
love Paul's
writings.
I think if you
read Paul's
writing,
dramatically,
you'll,
you begin to
kind of feel
the sarcasm
sometimes,
the rhetoric,
because his
response is,
but who
are you,
oh man,
to answer
back to
God?
Will what
is molded
say to
its
molder,
why have
you made
me like
this?
Now,
the evil
is not
in asking
the question.
It is
okay to
ask questions.
It is
okay to
wrestle with
doctrines.
Please
seek out
the truth.
the problem
is when
we answer
back to
God.
When we
stand in
judgment over
him.
Talking
back.
Have we all
gotten popped
for talking
back to our
parents?
You know
the difference
between
answering your
parents,
having a
conversation
with them,
and talking
back.
Much
different.
That's
what Paul
is correcting
here, that
we would
talk back
to God.
And he
uses this
analogy.
And it's
not a
specific text
that he's
quoting, but
there are a
number of
times the
same analogy
is used
throughout the
Old Testament.
So I just
want to show
you a few.
Isaiah
64,
verses 6
and 8,
says,
We have
all become
like one
who is
unclean,
and all
our righteous
deeds are
like a
polluted
garment.
We all
fade like
a leaf,
and our
iniquities
like the
wind take
us away.
There is
no one
who calls
upon your
name,
who rouses
himself to
take hold
of you,
for you
have hidden
your face
from us,
and have
made us
melt in the
hand of our
iniquities.
Don't you
catch all
that?
All of us
are utterly
sinful.
No one
comes to you,
no one
turns to you
of their
own accord,
because you
have hidden
your face
from us.
But now,
O Lord,
you are our
father,
we are the
clay,
and you
are our
potter.
We are
all the
work of
your hand.
Jeremiah
18,
verses 1
through 6,
Arise and
go down to
the potter's
house,
this is God
talking to
Jeremiah,
and there
I will let
you hear
my words.
So I
went down
to the
potter's
house,
and there
he was
working at
his wheel,
and the
vessel he
was making
of clay
was spoiled
in the
potter's
hands,
and he
reworked
it into
another
vessel,
as it
seemed good
to the
potter to
do.
Then the
word of
the Lord
came to
me,
O house
of Israel,
can I
not do
with you
as this
potter
has done,
declares
the Lord?
Behold,
like the
clay in
the potter's
hand,
so are
you in
my hand,
O house
of Israel.
So in
the positive,
God can
take us,
who are
utterly
spoiled by
our sin,
and he
can rework
us.
He can
change us
because we
are pots.
He is
the potter.
And then the
most striking
one,
back in
Isaiah,
chapter 45,
verse 9,
it says,
Woe to him
who strives
with him
who formed
him,
a pot
among
earthen
pots.
Does the
clay say
to him
who formed
it,
what are
you making,
or your
work has
no handles?
Are we,
those people,
woe to him
who strives
with him
who formed
him,
who answers
back to
God?
What are you
making?
Or,
your work
has no
handles.
If you're
one of these
people,
as I have
been,
so I'm
not standing
in judgment
over you,
I have
been arrogant,
I have stood
in judgment
over God's
word,
he's calling
you really
silly.
Does a pot
ever say
to the potter,
how come
you haven't
given me a
handle?
It would
be insane
for something
like that
to happen,
right?
Paul is
pointing out
the insanity
of you
standing in
judgment
over almighty
God.
So he says,
has the potter
no right
over the clay
to make out
of the same
lump of clay
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?
So he makes
a statement
in a rhetorical
question.
God,
desiring to
show his
wrath,
made known
his power
with much
patience.
He made
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.
glory.
This is
us,
even us,
whom he
called not
from Jews
only,
but also
from Gentiles.
Remember
where Paul
is in the
book,
right?
We talked
about how
it seems
really random
at the
beginning of
chapter 9
that Paul
laments over
Israel.
Those who
were given
many of the
blessings,
the privileges
of God,
that they
had turned
their back
on the
Messiah.
He laments
over that.
They're his
people.
Right?
Don't we
do the
same sometimes
when we
approach the
doctrine of
election?
We lament
over those
who are not
saved.
Paul's in
the same
place.
Paul's not
high and
mighty,
casting
judgment.
God is
God.
God is
wrathful.
God judges.
Right?
Paul himself
is broken
over this.
But like
Moses,
he ultimately
has the
right
perspective.
Verse 24,
he says,
even us.
We're all
aware of
how filthy
and vile
we are.
Are we
not?
It's really
easy,
really easy
to look at
somebody else
and think
that they
are polished
and put
together.
To think
that they
don't sin.
Look at
them.
They're
phenomenal.
We do
that.
Very often
we elevate
people in
that way.
Christian
artists.
It happens
all the time
with them
because they
sing emotional
songs about
God.
They must
be perfect.
Preachers,
that happens
a lot with.
I hope
that I
talk honestly
about myself
enough that
you don't
do that
with me.
I struggle
with sin
the same
way you
do.
I need
a gracious
God to
help me
live every
day the
same way
that you
do.
God is
so we
should
connect
with that.
Even
us,
the worst
of sinners,
he has
called not
only from
the Jews
but also
from the
Gentiles.
Praise
him.
Now let's
be sure we
pause here
as we see
the potter
making objects
of destruction
and objects
of glory
to recognize
that God
is not
the source
of evil.
James 1.13
says,
let no one
say when
he is
tempted,
I am being
tempted by
God for
God cannot
be tempted
with evil
and he
himself
tempts
no one.
And
Habakkuk
1.13
says,
you who
are of
pure eyes
than to
see evil
and cannot
look
at wrong.
These are
one of
those
apparent
paradoxes
of
scripture.
And I
say that
carefully
because there
are no
paradoxes
in scripture.
There are
no
inconsistencies
in scripture.
But it is
an apparent
paradox.
For God
to be fully
sovereign over
all things
and control
of all
things,
doesn't God
then also
have to be
the creator
of evil?
Would the
scriptures say
no?
He is
not.
No.
I have a
little mind
and I cannot
work out that
in its entirety.
But I trust
that the
Bible is
true
and that
it's
sufficient,
that it's
enough.
God has
given me
all that
I'm
supposed to
know
and I'm
finally coming
to a place
in my life
where I can
just rest
in that.
I don't
have to
work it
all out
all the
time.
I want to
give you an
example of a
man in
scripture that
wrestled with
the sovereignty
of God.
I want you
to turn with
me to
the book
of Job.
We're
going to
start in
chapter 32.
This is
bringing us
to a
closing for
those of
you who
are getting
concerned
about that.
Now Job
began his
great struggle
in the world
in a very
positive way.
We know
Job had
found favor
in God's
sight,
which means
when you
read that
in the
Old Testament,
that means
God had
given him
grace.
Read that
properly.
God had
blessed him
with many
children and
great lands.
The devil
came to
God and
said,
I see that
Job serves
you, but
what if we
stripped away
the blessings?
Peace by
peace, the
family was
taken away,
the land
was taken
away, his
health was
taken away.
And he
begins to
deal with
it in a
very healthy
way.
But then
his friends
come to
visit.
Job in
the book
of Job
has three
friends that
come to
visit him
to convince
him that
this calamity
has been
brought on
him because
of his own
doing.
Because the
way God
deals with
people is
those who
do right,
he shows
favor to,
and those
who do
wrong,
he does
not.
And there's
this back
and forth
in the
beginning,
31 chapters,
back and
forth between
his friends
and him,
where they
basically say,
there is no
way you are
righteous in
God's eyes,
because he
wouldn't deal
with you this
way if you
were.
And Job
responds,
yes I am,
let me tell you
all the things
that I do,
let me tell you
how I handle
my affairs,
let me tell you
all these
things.
And he
continues to
build himself
up as
righteous in
their eyes.
And then a
guy comes on
the scene
named Elihu,
who I love,
and I really
wanted to name
Judah Elihu,
but we
decided against
it.
But Elihu
comes on the
scene and
begins to
speak some
sense into
the situation.
And if you
look in
chapter 32,
verse 2,
it says that
Elihu, the
son of
Baharel,
the Buzite,
of the family
of Ram,
burned with
anger.
He burned
with anger at
Job because
he justified
himself rather
than God.
What Job was
doing was he
was making
himself in
the right at
the expense of
God's character.
He was saying
to his friends,
no, no, no,
but I am
righteous.
I am
righteous.
And then the
nagging question
beyond that is,
why is God
dealing with you
in this way?
Why is it
then that
God is being
unjust?
Wasn't that the
question they
were asking?
Is there no
justice on
God's part?
If you're
righteous in
his eyes,
why does he
deal with
you in
this way?
The Lord,
God,
confirms that.
That's what's
going on in
Job's heart
in chapter 40,
verse 8.
He says,
will you
condemn me
that you
may be
in the
right?
So go
with me
here.
Let's
listen in
on what
Elihu said
to Job
beginning in
chapter 34,
verse 16.
Chapter 34,
verse 16.
This is
phenomenal
stuff.
Elihu,
six chapters,
he speaks to
Job,
and then God
picks up where
Elihu leaves off
and keeps
after him.
Chapter 34,
verse 16.
If you have
understanding,
hear this.
Listen to what
I say.
Shall one who
hates justice
govern?
No.
Will you
condemn him
who is
righteous and
mighty,
who says
to a king,
worthless one,
and to
nobles,
wicked man,
who shows
no partiality
to princes,
nor regards
the rich
more than
the poor,
for they
are all
the work
of his
hands.
God,
righteous
judge,
who governs.
That's what
Elihu is saying.
Then
chapter 36,
verse 22.
Behold,
God is
exalted in
his power.
Who is a
teacher like
him?
Who has
prescribed for
him his
way?
Or who
can say,
you have
done wrong?
The charge
that Elihu
brings to
Job.
And then
God gets
on board.
Chapter 38,
verse 2.
God says,
Who is this
that darkens
counsel by
words without
knowledge?
Dress for
action like
a man.
I will
question you,
and you
make it
known to
me.
Where were
you when
I laid
the foundation
of the
earth?
Tell me,
if you have
understanding.
Who determined
its measurements?
Surely you
know.
Or who
stretched the
line upon
it?
Or on
what were
its bases
sunk?
Or who
laid its
cornerstone
when the
morning stars
sang together
and all
the sons
of God
shouted
for joy?
You hear
what God
says to
the man
who
questions
him?
Who are
you,
O man?
To answer
back to
God,
what he
says.
Job
responds,
chapter 40,
verse 3.
Then
Job
answered the
Lord and
said,
behold,
I am
of small
account,
and what
shall I
answer you?
I lay
my hand
on my
mouth.
I have
spoken
once,
and I
will not
answer
twice,
but I
will proceed
no
further.
See Job's
humility?
God
says to
Job,
I am
God,
and you
are not,
and you
are to
be quiet.
What's
Job
saying?
Yes,
sir.
Yes,
sir.
And the
Lord responds
to him,
chapter 40,
verse 7,
dress for
action like
a man.
I will
question you,
and you
make it
known to
me.
God
says,
anyway,
you're
going to
answer me
just the
same.
Will you
even put
me in
the wrong?
Will you
condemn me
that you
might be
in the
right?
Have you
an arm
like God,
and can
you
thunder
with a
voice
like
his?
And he
goes on
for two
chapters.
And then
Job,
I would
just be
trembling.
God
were speaking
to me
directly
as he
speaks
to Job,
but God
speaks to
us by
his word
directly.
Right?
Listen to
Job's
response.
Job 42,
verse 2.
I know
that you
can do
all things
and that
no purpose
of yours
can be
thwarted.
Who is
this that
hides
counsel
without
knowledge?
Therefore
I have
uttered
what I
did not
understand,
things too
wonderful for
me which I
did not
know.
Hear,
and I
will speak.
I will
question you
and you
make it
known to
me.
I had
heard of
you by
the hearing
of the
ear,
but now
my eye
sees you.
Therefore
I despise
myself and
repent.
in dust
and ashes.
So here's
a man
who
questioned
the sovereignty
of God
in all
things.
And there's
where he
ends up
repenting
in dust
and in
ashes.
Where are
you in
this
today?
Do you
stand in
judgment
over God
or do
you humbly
submit
yourself
to his
word
which has
been brought
down
from above
to you?
Are you
talking back
to God
this morning?
Or are you
being quiet?
I hope
the latter
of those two.
Last week
I told you
that the
doctrine of
election
was not
meant to
confuse us.
It wasn't
meant to
make us
feel that
God's
character
has been
destroyed.
It's
meant to
serve as
a comfort
to our
souls.
As we
walk through
troubling
times to
know that
God is
fully
sovereign
over us,
our life,
our final
salvation.
As I
sin against
holy God
to know
that I
cannot
lose my
salvation
because it's
all of
him,
brings comfort
to my
soul.
It should
cause us
to praise
God.
We don't
deserve
his
salvation.
Church,
do we
believe that?
If you
believe that
your final
resting place
was absolute
and utter
destruction
forever,
you bought
it.
It was
yours.
But instead,
Christ took
it from you
and he gave
you his
righteousness.
If you
believe that,
it will cause
you to praise
him,
question him.
And it's
meant to
encourage us
to evangelism,
to know
that almighty
God goes
with us
when we
share the
gospel,
that he is
in control
of all
things,
and no
one can
stand against
the church
in the
advance of
the gospel.
It is all
God's
doing.
And all
of these
ultimately
are a result
of our
affections
being moved
toward him.
We will do
these things.
We will
automatically
praise.
We will
go and
evangelize.
Our souls
will be
comforted
when we
are wrapped
up in
who God
is.
When we
are pulled
from this
temporary
place to
heavenly realms
and we
understand who
we are
in Christ.
Charles Spurgeon
wrote a
sermon called
Love's
Logic.
It was
written on
1 John
4.19.
This is
actually our
closing.
So listen to
this quote
from that
sermon quickly
with me.
We love
him because
he first
loved us.
This is
1 John
4.19.
Love to
God,
wherever it
really exists,
has been
created in
the bosom
by a
belief of
God's
love to
us.
No man
loves God
till he
knows that
God loves
him.
And every
believer loves
God for
this reason
first and
chiefly,
that God
loves him.
He has
seen himself
to be
unworthy of
divine favor,
yet he has
believed God's
love and the
gift of his
dear son,
and he has
accepted the
atonement that
Christ has
made as a
proof of
God's love,
and now
being satisfied
of the
divine affection
towards him,
he of
necessity
loves God.
That is
the place
where Paul
writes from.
Not in a
place of
judging,
not in a
place of
asking,
is that not
fair?
But saying,
I'm glad
God isn't
fair.
If God
were fair,
I'd be
destroyed.
But he
loves me.
And remember
he's in the
middle of his
lament for
Israel,
and he's
going to
go on in
the next
two chapters
to talk
about how
he still
loves
Israel.
And in
all of
this,
at the
end,
this big
dialogue,
all of it,
chapter 11,
verse 33,
he says,
Oh, the
depth of
the riches
and wisdom
and knowledge
of God,
how unsearchable
are his
judgments,
and how
inscrutable
his ways,
for who
has known
the mind
of the Lord,
or who
has been
his counselor,
or who
has given
a gift
to him
that he
might be
repaid.
For from
him and
through him
and to
him are
all things.
To him
be glory
forever.
Amen.
That's where
he goes
with all
of this
conversation.
And that
is certainly
where we
should go
as well.
Let's pray
together.