“22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26 and, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’” - Romans 9:22-26
Today, we continue our study of Romans 9 where the Apostle Paul has been accentuating the sovereignty of God. The Apostle has been doing this because there have always been those who would try to reduce God to the status of a mere human because they do not want to be accountable for their sinful choices. So, the Apostle Paul has been dealing with the question of whether God's word failed and is it fair that some people go to hell and others go to heaven.
In v.22 of today’s passage we read, “What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?”
Throughout the scriptures it is obvious that God holds mankind responsible for believing in Him. God has never accepted fallen man through any other door than His righteousness. God always operates according to His perfect character, and, He always has purposes that are far beyond our abilities to even imagine. This is why He is so intent on the idea that we walk with Him in His ways. For centuries God has put up with man’s blasphemous and rebellious ways, and yet, He continues to woo mankind to Himself. He never gets exhausted in His attempts to get us to the place that causes us to cry out to Him. All of these attempts merely reveal to us His tremendously loving heart.
In v.23-24 of today’s passage we read, “23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?”
Given the spiritual inability of lost man, we must be “born again” in order to enter into a relationship with God. These verses shine a light upon an inscrutable mystery which I do not thoroughly understand. But I don't have to understand it for it to be true. John Nelson Darby once said, "These truths are darkness to my intellect but light to my soul." There are factors at work in life which only God understands and we must trust Him with the outcomes. One thing which is very clear is that without the display of God’s wrath which is the absence of His love no one would ever come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In v.25-26 of today’s passage we read, “25 As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26 and, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
Like the wives of the patriarchs, Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel, we are all barren. It does not even matter if we are Jewish, with all of the privileges that should have made it easier for them to see the truth. Or, if we are Gentiles and we didn't have as much light. We are all in the same boat: dead in our sins and separated from the life of God. Our only hope is found in trusting in the graciousness of God, as shown through His Son laying down His life for us.
It is the nature of God's grace to break our hearts, causing us to bow our wills in humble gratitude. But, not everyone wants to bow their wills. This is the problem. And, the problem with self-made men is that they tend to worship their creator. And that creator would be themselves. Throughout the scriptures we see this posture of the unredeemed man, whether it is Esau or Pharaoh. The unsaved man is not willing to let God be the supreme being in his life.
God has knowledge that man does not. Therefore, He has the right to do whatever He sees fit. And what if His objective is not only to display his power and his wrath by allowing and permitting man to oppose him and to resist him, but also to display his love and long-suffering? Even though we may be born again and even though we are assured of heaven on the authority of God’s word, we still lack complete knowledge and understanding. This is why we all need God so desperately. And to think that we could elevate our knowledge and understanding above God’s by accusing Him of wrong doing, well, we are gravely mistaken. This is the epitome of arrogance which is what inaugurated sin the first place.
The key is in the call of God upon our lives. And, whether or not we are Jewish or Gentile or whether God uses His wrath or His patience or His love, what does it matter, as long as it accomplishes the goal of rescuing us from the clutches of eternal damnation? Whatever means God uses to draw us to Himself, those means are a means of His grace. It is a miracle that He pursues us and therefore who are we to resist His will?
