Book of Romans - Ch. 9, Vs. 18-27 (11/07/2004)

The Purpose of Romans 9 and the Question of Why God Hates Sin

We are ready for Romans 9 18, but first I Want Myron to tell us? Why does God hate sin? Simple question. We know that he does. He demonstrates that he does what. Well good. Well That's what he does. But why does he do it?

Dennis can you help him out? Well, that's all correct, but that's what sin accomplishes. Greg why does God hate sin? Well that would fit everything. David you're all answering, but you don't know why you're answering now who's on the back row.

They all answer Paul. Well Paul tell me why does God hate sin? That's all correct, but that's not the right answer. Think about it. Yes, all right. All right. The rest of you think of it think about it for a week.

Alright, you got real real close. Now, how would you sum that up in one word? Well, you all build on that this week. Now God has done everything hasn't he through Jesus? Yes. Yes. Well, you can phone in your answer.

Well, let me ask this. I've asked it before but I don't know whether to this group. Does Myron tell me does time march forward into time. Oh, let me explain it. Does time march forward into time? Why well is the is this creation expanding into space.

Well, he was wrong. You'll get into trouble doing that. No time does not march forward into time because there is no future time and space is not. Expanding into space space itself is expanding now. God has done everything through Jesus Christ the Lord.

Why? Why is it that he has done everything? Greg. Why has he done all of this? What are we here for? Well, that's true. But Dennis did you ever think that? God put us here. So that he could be among us.

He is you know. He walks among us. He is a great great God and defies description. We ask questions. We have a good time asking them, but God has put us here. So he can walk among us. Think about it now.

God's Mercy and Hardening in Romans 9:18

Come to verse 18 if you will in chapter 9 therefore. Hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardness. This word hardness. Let's look at it. Off of the top of your head. Marvin or Mary Myron what does harden mean hardness?

All right. Those he will he hardness those that he will. What's that mean joy? Does doesn't it seem strange? Dennis that Here's a group of people that God has made to hate him. I don't believe that we'd ever do that.

I can't I can't comprehend it. But that I have no earthly idea. Why he would choose me or any of you? But he has he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy. He is the one that decides. Yet does God make decisions why all right to make a decision would Would include a certain amount of doubt on your part and There is no doubt with God.

Yes, well it. It wouldn't have Served his purpose. He wouldn't have Acted as he did. We would have had to rewrite history. John you want to say something he would have to what where did he go? Yes. Just a minute John found it.

So if he If he hardened Pharaoh's heart That means that he can soften your heart. Is that right? That's right. Absolutely, because if he hadn't you wouldn't be where you are. Yes, that's right. Absolutely mercy is the absence of hardening and you're right.

We overlooked that word. But let's go on and see what Paul has. God Does not save those whom he freely chooses according to his goodwill and pleasure but by justifying and sanctifying them by his grace his counsels in Saving them cannot Cannot seem unjust.

There is Not injustice in the everlasting counsels of God with regard to the destruction of Those whom he lifts to destroy. Because he hardens before he destroys. What does that mean David he hardens before he destroys?

That's right. Yes. That's absolutely right and we have to get in our mind and it's hard to do that. I Love the Lord and I really don't know why. But he loved me and I know that now Mr. So-and-so over here he hates the Lord and I don't know why.

But he does in our mind. It's it's shut off from God's mind. I can't Can't explain that really. He hardened before he destroys and He softens before he gives mercy. The hardening and the softening is Real to you.

Yet God is in control. This doctrine of reprobation, which Paul is dealing with consists in his word and In the word hardening we see it which is said against mercy hardening and mercy Presupposes the same things that mercy did.

That is a voluntary corruption. It's all voluntary and as far as man's concerned, it's not voluntary as far as God's concerned the reprobate or hardened and again corruption presupposes the perfect state of creation.

We have unbelief and sin which are the true and proper causes of the condemnation of the reprobate. Why does he then appoint to destruction it's because he wishes to I I Cannot explain why? Why does he harden?

Because he wishes to. I cannot explain why? Because they're corrupt. Why does he condemn? Because they're sinners. Where then is unrighteousness. If he would destroy All after this manner to whom would he do injury to whom it pleased him to appoint.

Human Responsibility, Imputed Sin, and God's Sovereign Will

To show his favor, and we don't know why verse 19 That will say then Unto me why doth he yet find fault. For who hath a resisted his will. The Reasons that God can justly judge is that man does that which he wants to do?

You must remember that Man does what he wants to do. Each one of you have done that that you wanted to do. This morning right now yesterday you have done exactly what you wanted to do now. I Know the younger the person the more they think they don't want to do that.

But they don't want the consequences if not doing it. So man does that that he wants to do and he does not know that it was ordained by God long before He did it. That's right. We have always belonged to him if God appoints to everlasting destruction Such as he wishes and If that which he has decreed cannot be hindered nor withstood.

How does he justly condemn those who perish by his will? How is it? Yeah. How is God justified in say hardening Pharaoh's heart, all right. Who is that speaking Clarence. You're absolutely, right. I wish you would repeat that.

That's right now in beginning when we begin when When you were born The sin nature was imputed to you. It was if if it had not been then you would have grown up neutral. But Adam saw to it that it was imputed to us.

Therefore That is the basis from which we all operate and what Clarence is saying is that When God removes his restate, it's nothing but evil with us. Because that's our nature the old nature. Now we say a lot about our new nature but that's not the.

In other words, we'd have to have one or the other if you remove the restraints we operate in the evil. It is God's restraint upon us that causes us to not operate in the evil. 20. Nay. But old man who art thou that I that replies against God.

Shall the thing formed to say to him that formed it. Why hast thou made me thus? The apostle Does not answer that it Is not God's will. Or that God does not either reject or elect according to his pleasure.

Which thing the wicked call blasphemy, but rather grants his adversary both the preceding that is that it is God's will and that it must be of necessity so Happen and we have to stop there. It is God's will That you were born again.

It's his will that Mr. So-and-so is never born again. He denies that God is therefore to be thought of as unjust or an avenger of the wicked for Seeing that it appears by manifest proof that this is the will of God and his doing.

What is it for man? Who is but dust and ashes? Now he made us with the ability to think the ability to talk the ability to blaspheme him all of this but We are made. And God made us we can't get away from the fact that we're we come into this world being made and God is the one that made us and as it were to call him into judgment.

Now if any man say that the doubt is so dissolved and Is not so dissolved. An answer I answer that there is no sure demonstration in any matter because it is grounded upon this principle that the will of God is the rule of righteousness and That's where we have to stop.

The will of God is the rule of righteousness. The clay cannot ever say anything about it. It appears that God's determinate counsel Is set by Paul as the highest of all causes. So that it depends not in any way on the second cause.

But rather shapes and desires them the first cause. The cause without a cause is the first cause. And that's God 21. Hath not the power potter power over the clay of the same lump to say One to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor.

Does God reason no? Does God make decisions no. Alluding to the creation of Adam He compares mankind Not yet made. But who are in the Creator's mind to a lump of clay Who afterwards God made and daily makes according as he?

Purposed from everlasting. Both such as should be elect and as should be reprobate. He made both. As also The word make shows that what if God willing to show his wrath and To make his power known Endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.

There are those people in the world that after their assigned work is finished For Satan Will go into hell forever. There are those people in the world that after their assigned work for Satan is finished Will go into hell forever.

You know we think we're running this world. We think that Bush is the president. We think that There are people that we have to kill because of what they believe and don't believe. And that's all true but every one of those people Are doing their own personal assigned work.

For Satan in Proverbs 16 for the Lord hath made all things for himself. Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil besides That he justly decrees whatever he decrees. He uses that moderation in Executing his decrees as is declared is singular merciful mercifulness even in the reprobate.

Even in the evil. He is working in that he endures them a long time and as them to enjoy many things in this world. He justly condemns them at length and that no good and and No good in and purpose. That is to show himself to be an enemy and avenger of the wickedness.

That it may appear what power he has by these Upon which he serves his judgment. We can see the hand of God. But just barely. So by comparison and contrary wise to set forth indeed how great his mercy is towards the elect.

Therefore again We may say with Paul that some men are made by God the creator for destruction. And that's true 23. And that he might make known The riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy. Which he has afore prepared unto glory.

The Vessels of Mercy and the Calling of the Gentiles

God also made certain ones for heaven now. Myron are they going to heaven? Maybe or Maybe not. That's right, and they can go no place else except to heaven now. Will it be one? That doesn't want to go.

There would be no one in hell or heaven because of you. Is that right or wrong? This means that no matter how poor a witness you are You will not send them to their predetermined Destination. I lived for many many years thinking that it made a difference.

But I've lived for many many years knowing it doesn't. I used to get all upset when the preacher put upon me a Guilt trip and if I didn't go out and if I didn't come to church and if I didn't talk to that person or this person and If I didn't seek them out.

They'd go to hell. But that's not true Russell. Now if you seek someone out, it's the will of God. Why can't we all? Just let God work in our life. Just take it easy not complain about anything. He does it all.

Dennis he is doing it all. Therefore I should not find fault with anybody. Sin is the composite of human effort and divine judgment 24. Even us Whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles.

Now they is us as he saith also in Hosea. I will call them my people which were not my people and Her beloved which was not beloved. Salvation is of the Lord. But most people believe that they must accept it.

You cannot accept salvation. It's impossible. You Will never be saved as long as you believe you must do something. Everybody intends to go to heaven. You believe that very very few people I've ever found.

I heard of a person in town. Brother Jimmy heard of him woman That told brother Jimmy To get away from her. She wanted to go to hell. She didn't know what she was saying 26. And It shall come to pass.

That in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people. There shall they be called the children of the Living God the salvation of any of the lost race of men Originates where with God the love of God and is accomplished by whose power by his power and grace showing them their need of Christ and Inclining them to believe in him.

He will make them to believe in him but David. We all do that that we want to do. I say also Christ concerning Israel. Though their number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea a remnant shall be saved.

Contrary to this neither any outward general calling. Neither any worthiness of our ancestors. None of that is sufficient to witness the election unless by faith and Belief we answer God's call which thing came to pass In the Jews as well as in the Lord.

As the Lord had foretold I've got to stop. We'll start with verse 28 of chapter 9. I want you to think about what? Why does God hate sin. And You will all turn in your answers except Marvin or Myron. And he'll call his in.

Is there any word from anybody. This has been a good class. Dennis dismisses, please.