Not as though the Word of God
had taken none effect, for they are not all Israel which are
of Israel." Now, the first part of that, not as though the Word
of God had taken none effect. Also, let's look again down at
Romans 9 and verse 14. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? Then look at verse 19. Thou wilt
then say unto me, Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted
his will?" Now, this evening, I want us to look at some objection
to the sovereignty of God in Romans 9. We have already seen
three of them. Verse 6, verse 14, and verse
19. There are many more inquiring
questions here in this place, and really these are more than
inquiring questions. They are actually hostile objections
to what Paul is writing or what he is teaching. They are not
an honest heart seeking for enlightenment, Rather, they are enemies of the
truth, seeking to suppress it. Now, we must know the reason
and the essence of the objection. Then you have to see the subject
that is under discussion. What are these objections raised
against? To what subject are these objections
made? Why are they raised? and against
what? Now before we answer, let us
remember what a master Paul was at anticipating and meeting the
objection that might be raised against his doctrine and against
his teaching and recognizing how that truth might be misconstrued
and twisted in another way. He does that in Romans 3, 1 through
5. And there in verse 3 and in verse
5. Shall the unbelief of some make
the faith of God to be destroyed? Well, that's a question that
some might raise by or because of his teaching. But here in
Romans 9, here we have a full plate. to consume more than we
can possibly handle. Now Paul's usual manner and order
in his epistles was doctrine first, the refuting of any error
and setting things aright, And then the proclamation and the
application of duty are the living of the Christian life. Now had
he followed this order in the epistle to the Roman, then chapter
12 following would have come at the end of chapter 8. How
be it? There is an urgent and a burning
question which Paul is compelled to deal with and he does so in
chapter 9 through chapter 11. And the Holy Spirit has given
him an irrefutable answer to the burning question. And that
question is, how to account for the unbelief of such a large
number of Jews? How is it? that children of Abraham
are perishing in their unbelief and in their sin. How and why
is it that such a large number of them are not blessed with
faithful father Abraham? Now, in light of the Word of
God and the promise to Abraham, how is it that so many of his
descendants, the Jews, are not coming to faith in Messiah, the
one that Abraham looked ahead and saw his day and rejoiced. Now, since such is the question
or the thought in the mind of those, is it because the Word
of God has failed, forsaken, taken none effect, come to nothing? Has God's Word absolutely fallen
to the ground in that so many of the Jews are perishing? Or is it according to the purpose
of God and election, that there are both Jew and Gentile, and
there are both elect and reprobate among both classes of them? Now notice in verse 6, Paul denies
the first saying, in verse 6, the first part, not as though,
not of course has the Word of God failed. This is not the case. This is not the answer. The present situation with regard
to the Jew could not be explained in such a way as cast doubt upon
God's faithfulness and His purpose and His Word. Now, this is an
unacceptable answer to why the seed of Abraham are perishing. For not God's promise, nor His
will, nor His purpose can fail and come to nothing. Instead,
the second possible answer is the right one, and that is, it
is after God's purpose of election. Look at the last act, verse 6,
if you would. And the word for, which introduces
the reason that it is not necessary to even consider that God's Word
and promise has come to know it. Which is, verse 6, they are
not all Israel which are of Israel. Here is a point that Paul will
prove from their history. And you look at that in verse
7 and in verse 8. Paul's contention comes to this.
There is, there was, an elect Israel within the ethnic Israel
so that a Jew by ethnicity need not be a Jew by election. And this becomes clear when we
put verse 6, And verse 7 together, we have, they are not all Israel
which are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of
Abraham are they all children. Now in verse 8, he clearly defines
what he means when he says in verse 6, the last part, They
are not all Israel which are of Israel. In that, so that the
fact is, in verse 8, they are children of the flesh, not children
of the promise. Now this can be seen in the case
of Ishmael and the case of Isaac. It can be seen in their case
as well. as the twins that will be mentioned
in a moment. In Isaac, in verse 7, "...shalt
thy seed be called." Verse 8, "...for the children of the promise
are counted for the seed." Now this same distinction is made
another way in the end of chapter 2 of Romans, verse 28 and verse
29. He is not a Jew, which is one
outwardly, but he is a true Jew which is one inwardly. And secondly,
true circumcision is not that which is outward in the flesh,
but true circumcision is that which is in the heart. And in
Romans 9, 7-13, Paul produces two examples from Abraham's family. Right out of Abraham's very own
history, he takes the case from Abraham to defend and prove the
point that he is making. First of all, he deals with Ishmael
and with Isaac. Ishmael was born after the flesh,
Galatians 4 and 29. Isaac, however, was the son of
promise. Because of their circumstances,
they had different mothers, they were born years apart, Ishmael
mocked Isaac and all of that. Some people say this is the reason
for the distinction that is made between them. But then in verse
10 through verse 13, the case of Jacob and Esau. Notice the difference. Born of
the same parent. They were twins. Esau was even
the firstborn. And yet, Jacob was loved and
Esau was hated according to the purpose of God according to election. But as one another put it, election
and reprobation is certainly not limited to these two examples. But one, it was practiced by
God in the whole nation of Israel. And two, Paul by these examples
proved that election and reprobation is an ongoing principle, that
it is present and outworking in all society. The point being
this, that election and reprobation is seen in the immediate family
of Abraham. And even in the first two sons,
Ishmael and Isaac. Now shall we say that again?
Election and reprobation is seen in the immediate family of Abraham. And then it is seen again in
his grandsons, Jacob and Esau. So that as soon as Abraham began
to propagate his family, there could be seen in that family
history two pairs of sons that appeared very early. And in them
election, and reprobation. In the case of Ishmael and Isaac,
Paul makes the distinction between children of the flesh and children
of the promise. See that in Galatians 4.29. Paul uses the distinguishing
terms regarding Ishmael and Isaac there in Galatians. Born after
the flesh, born after the Spirit. But in the case of Jacob and
Esau, is the clincher for Paul, being twins, born of the same
mother, of the same conception, same father, same mother, even
being twins, one the older being hated the younger, being loved
by God. Now Paul speaks of the purpose
of God according to election in Romans 9 and verse 11 as displayed
in Jacob and in Esau in that their states were fixed before
they were born, before they had done any good or evil, not just
upon a foreknowledge or a foresight of the same, but a sovereign
determination by God. Paul called it the purpose of
God according to election. Hence, Paul has answered the
first question or objection, the word or the promise of God
has not failed because some of Abraham's seed are perishing. Now, this application concerning
the doctrine of Arminianism that God has intended, has willed,
and has promised to save all without exception. And yet, few
are actually saved, have ever been, and are being saved. What can they conclude but that
God's will and word and promise has been thwarted in some way,
has been hindered by man, that God has been kept from realizing
His desire, though they would not say that out loud, because
they lay the blame upon the creature, the man. But the second question
or objection in verse 14 is, is God, or God is unrighteous
to choose some and reject others simply by a sovereign act of
His will, and that before they were born, and that without regard
to any good or evil on their part." Now, first notice the
question or objection in verse 14. And the way Paul answers
it shows that he is teaching sovereign election and reprobation. He makes no effort to correct
any misconception or lessen the harshness of the doctrine. He
does not say, oh, what I meant to say is this, or I didn't mean
to say that. He makes no correction of any
misconception at all. And Paul denies emphatically
that God can be charged with the slightest injustice for fixing
the destinies of people from the foundation of the world before
they were born, apart from their personal character, they have
understood Paul right. They have understood what he
is saying. Paul does what he does best,
and that is to quote from John Piper, quote, Paul in his customary
manner raises a possible objection to what he had just said, denies
the objection and gives the reasons for the denial, unquote. First of all, Look in verse 15,
and Paul cites Exodus 33 and verse 19, when God told Moses,
I will have mercy and compassion on whomsoever I will according
to my pleasure as I please. I will mercy whom I will, I will
mercy and compassion according to my option, dispense as I please
on whom and where I please." Then notice Paul in Romans 9
and verse 16, he draws the inference. If God said this to Moses, then,
verse 16, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy. Again, look at verse 17 and 18.
They recited the case of God's words to Pharaoh out of Exodus
chapter 9 and verse 16. Quoted almost word for word by
Paul in Romans 9, Now note, since sovereign reprobation is harder
to digest than sovereign election, let's give ear to what Paul recalls
God telling Pharaoh by Moses. And you'll find that, as I said,
in the book of Exodus. We'll not turn there to read
it, and it is in chapter 9 and verse 6 and following. But I
had the purpose in raising you up, God says to him. I had a
fixed purpose in putting you on the throne, in making you
the king, in giving you this power. First of all, what was
it? to show my power in you. That is, to show or to demonstrate,
to exercise, to display in you. But how? In saving him? In making his heart mellow? In
causing him to look with favor upon the Lord Jesus Christ? No, I'm destroying him and his
armies in the Red Sea to show my power in thee. I'm overthrowing
your kingdom and bringing you to that end. And secondly, a
secondary purpose in raising up Pharaoh and destroying him,
that my name might be declared throughout all of the earth,
wherever this is proclaimed. far and wide and is glorified,
God, He is by means of the overthrow of the despot Pharaoh and the
deliverance of his people. He began in Exodus chapter 15
in the song of praise to God. after their deliverance out of
their Egyptian bondage. The drowning of Pharaoh and the
destroying of all of his armies in the Red Sea. Wherever this
is read, wherever this is preached, wherever it is taught, God is
glorified. Now some will hear this and recall
Inhara saying, Oh, if this be true, then God made Pharaoh only
just to destroy him. We add, he raised him up, he
destroyed him, but the purpose of such was not just the destruction
of Pharaoh, but to demonstrate his power and magnify his name
in a very powerful man upon the earth. Beside, look at the conclusion
that Paul draws in Romans 9 and verse 18. It is a double conclusion
from verse 17. So therefore, whom he wills he
has mercy, whom he wills he hardens, not just Pharaoh, but whom he
will. and not just allow them to harden
their own heart, but Paul describes it as an act of God's determinate
will in this particular place. We would not say in verse 18,
the first part of it, whom he wills, he allows to find or accept
mercy because it is put forth as an act of God's determinate
will here by Paul in this place. The parallel? must be maintained. Whom He willed, He hardened."
Now, the obvious reference is to those passages in Exodus 4-14
concerning the many mentions of the hardening of the heart
of Pharaoh. True, it is said that Pharaoh
hardened his heart in Exodus 8.15, 8.32, and 9.34. It is also stated simply in those
passages that Pharaoh's heart was hardened without mentioning
an agent. 8, 19 and 9, 7. And then another ten
times, ten times in those chapters it is stated that God hardened
the heart of Pharaoh, including the first time that is mentioned
in Exodus chapter 4 and verse 21. He sends Moses And he says
unto him, God says to Moses, I will harden his heart that
he shall not let the people go. And even after Pharaoh consented
to let the people go, in Exodus 12 and verse 31, God again hardened
his heart. Exodus 14 and verse 4, to pursue
them, to chase after them, to try to overtake them, and then
God destroyed him in the Red Sea. Thus, in Romans 9, Paul
declares, in verse 22 and 23, that there are vessels of wrath
and there are vessels of mercy. Paul teaches, God has hardened
and God has blinded many in Israel. Romans 11, 7 through 10, if you
care to read. And he played a large part, this
did, in the ending of Judaism and the establishing or the setting
up of Christianity. Now, let's come to the third
objection or question. in Romans 9.19. That will cause some to say. Paul said, you're going to say
this to me. You will say unto me, in light
of what has been said concerning sovereign mercy and hardening,
I know what you're going to say. You're going to say unto me,
If there is no self-determination in the matter, and if there is
no merit in Abrahamic ancestry, if our being children of Abraham
does not give us favor and save us in the sight of God, and if
God sovereignly fixes the state of everyone, It is but a running
and a willing, you know, as we mentioned earlier. Then verse
19, Why does he find fault? If all of this is true, how,
why? does God find fault? In other
words, how can He hold us to be guilty? How can He condemn
us if all you have said is true? If God's will is sovereign, if
God's will is irresistible, if He hardens some, how can we hold
them guilty and condemn them for not doing what God for doing
what God had ordained them to do. This is not again a sincere
inquiry. It is an impudent argument against
divine sovereignty where at first Paul would give it instruction. If it were a sincere asking,
if it were a sincere desire for knowledge, an inquiry after truth,
Paul certainly would have supplied that, would have told them. But
look how Paul meets this objection in verse 20. A rebuke. Who are
you to reply against God? Shall a man contend with God? The last part of verse 20 amplifies
the first part. Shall the thing formed, shall
the thing made, shall the thing created say to the one having
made it, why have you made me thus? Why have you done this? Here, compare some Scripture.
Isaiah 29, verse 16, put that down. Isaiah 45 and verse 9. This suggests to Paul a familiar
metaphor from the Old Testament, that of the potter and the clay. The potter having the full freedom
to form the clay, of the clay, whatsoever vessel he would, whether
a garbage pail or a beautiful boss or the Queen's mantle. It's his choice. But as Robert
Aldane wrote, the objector does not limit his objection only
to God's power to do such, but is disputing the justice of such
a procedure, the right of God to act in that way. He is calling
into question God's right to do with His own as He will, as
we read in Matthew 20 and 15. See the flow of thought, verse
21. Has not the potter power, the word is exousia, authority. Hath not the potter power, authority
over the clay? Then look at verse 22. What if
God, that God implies no The if implies no doubt or question. If God, since God, since God
is willing, and no, keeping the metaphor of the potter, Paul
in verse 21 speaks of the same lump, the same lump, that's very
important, out of the mass of mankind. Now, it's not two different
lumps, you know, that these people come from. They come out of the
one same lump of clay. And the potter reaches that one
lump, he might make a garbage pail or a spittoon, he might
reach again and he might make a beautiful vase or something,
a tray, a glass, something of that sort. So, it is God's sovereign
right to do exactly as He will. And from the same lump. We'll not get into whether God
did this from the view of the fallen or the unfallen. We don't
have time to look at that today. But notice, they are vessels
of wrath fitted to destruction, vessels of mercy aforeprepared
unto glory in verse 23. Now some would weaken Paul's
words by saying they fitted themselves to destruction or it's God's
reaction to man's action. It's a result of their own self-determination. This is not only foreign to the
spirit of the passage, but it does not contrast well with the
vessels of mercy who fit not themselves, but are foreordained
as vessels of mercy. So Paul has met these arguments. He knows they're coming. He has
met them head on. So let's make some closing applications
very quickly. These objections are impossible. They are irrelevant by Arminian
teaching. If all Paul is teaching here
that in the final end it is a matter of free will, these objections
are not necessary and they are ridiculous. If the sinner is
the cause of his reprobation, the objections are not relevant
to these passages of Scripture. If these things are in the final
determined by men, what ground for the objection that call answers
and anticipate. The objections are only made
because of the sovereignty of God. Secondly, notice in Romans
9 10 and 11, how heavily Paul draws from the Old Testament
Scripture for the sake of the Jew, that such things have their
roots in the Old Testament canon of the Scripture. Paul uses them
to prove the reprobation of Abraham's descendants after the flesh. Right there in their Scripture
he shows them these things are written. And finally and lastly,
the Word of God. The promise of God shall not
fall to nothing or fail. And this gives the lie to Arminian
universalism, just as it did to Jewish universalism. That everyone who is the descendant
of Abraham is in the favor of God and is in the covenant with
Abraham as a child of God. This is a hard saying, but who
can understand it apart from the revelation of the Holy Spirit
of our great and mighty God. Yes, it's a hard saying. It's
a hard chapter. It's greatly perverted, greatly
neglected, twisted about, ignored. But here it lies. Paul's answer. Why are so many Jews perishing? And here it is. The sovereignty
of God. Chapter 9, chapter 10, and chapter
11. Read it in that light.