Featured Romans 9

Doctrinal Truths of Rom 9 !

Other scriptures about God hardened a mans heart in order to destroy him..



Deut 2:30

30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.





Josh 11:20


20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.



So Paul again demonstrates through scripture and pharaohs experience That God has a right to be merciful to whom he will and not only that to, Hardened whomever he will..



Each person reading this, has either been the object of Gods mercy or His hatred and hardening..



Another anticipated Arminian humanistic response to Paul's obvious hard teaching of Gods absolute sovereignty over mens destinies,



note: vs Rom 9:19


19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?



Amen, isn't that the logical conclusion? Well God, if that's the real deal and that's How you work, then why find fault with men, you evidently made it so I cannot get to heaven, this is not fair God, I cant believe you are like this..



Notice Paul's respond..vs Rom 9:20,21:



20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?



Notice Paul did not back down , and say you are right, that would make God unfair, everybody deserves a chance to be saved..



Nope not at all , but he says, who are you that repliest against God ?


You got your nerve fellow, God has every right to do with you or anyone else as He pleaseth, because he is God and created you..You belong to Him..


For God has total authority and the right to make you or me for any purpose He wants to..for we are as clay in His Hand and for His pleasure ..



Paul was not a compromiser, and didn't care if the truth offended someone, he just told it like it was..



vs 21, God has a right to make a person for honor and dishonor..I believe this refers to the day of judgment, lets look at a proof text..



Dan 12:1-3



1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life,[honor] and some to shame and everlasting contempt.[dishonor]

3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.



God has designed each individual to meet with one or the other end..



Honor, life, immortality, to shine as the brightness of the firmament or dishonor and everlasting contempt..



There is no changing this purpose, we are either one or the other..By Gods set purpose and not mans freewill..



Rom 9:22


22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

God is Just, says paul..because the non elect were created by God to be punished for sin, their sin, that God was patient with, and through Gods forbearance, God fitted them[ by His Hardening] for their deserved destruction..



The word fitted in the greek is

katartiðzw and it means:

to render, i.e. to fit, sound, complete
to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair
to complete
to fit out, equip, put in order, arrange, adjust
to fit or frame for one's self, prepare
ethically: to strengthen, perfect, complete, make one what he ought to be

But its in the passive voice, meaning the subject [the vessel of wrath] was receiving the action [ Gods hardening] Just as pharaoh, and consequently renders their destruction deserved as pharaoh was deserved..



What a awesome God, one to be feared and worshipped..



A word on Gods forbearance. Those who deny eternal Justification and even the OT saints Justification until after the cross, like to use this verse to justify their claims..



Rom 3:25


25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;



They use this verse as to imply, that God was restraining Himself from dashing them [ the elect] to pieces until Christ died on the cross, thats just plain silly.



God's forbearance here is referring to the non elect and not the elect..



They say God tolerated the sins of David who gave us this psalm



PS 103:1-3,10,12,17



1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;



Evidently David was mistaken, for God was forbearing with him..



10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.



David must be hallucinating according to some Calvinist, for David sins were still on record in Gods mind until Christ dies..which was yet in the future at this point..



12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

again David, cannot be speaking truth regarding his transgressions , Jesus Christ has yet to die, so how can Davids transgressions be removed as the east is to the west ? Oh maybe he said they will be moved in the future ? Oh no he uses the past tense, so far hath he removed..



vs 17

17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;



How can the above be true if God had not already reckoned The blood of Christ already in effect ? For it is only through the blood of the everlasting covenant that David could have this revealation..



Heb 13:20



20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,



cp 2 Sam 23:5

5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.



David had received knowledge that he was a partaker of the blood of christ..and His salvation..though it was a future event that would consummate all what he now enjoyed..