Sovereign Grace

Q: What does the Bible say about God choosing some and passing by others?

The Bible teaches that God's choice is sovereign and not based on human merit, as seen in Romans 9. In Romans 9, Paul discusses the sovereign choice of God in election, highlighting that God chooses individuals not based on their actions but according to His own purposes. This is demonstrated through the example of Jacob and Esau, where God declares, 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.' This emphasizes that God's election is rooted in His grace and purpose rather than human will or effort. The doctrine of election is essential for understanding the nature of salvation as entirely from God, underscoring that salvation is not earned but given by divine mercy.

Q: How do we know God's mercy is sovereign?

God's mercy is sovereign, as seen in His choice to have mercy on whom He wills, detailed in Romans 9. Romans 9:15 states, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.' This declaration reveals God's sovereign right to extend mercy based on His purpose, not on human merit. The scripture illustrates this with the example of Pharaoh, whom God raised up for His glory. It demonstrates that God's mercy is not a response to human faith or goodness but a proactive act of divine grace. This understanding reinforces the historic Reformed view that salvation hinges not on the efforts of man but solely on God's sovereign will, ensuring that all glory for salvation belongs to Him.

Q: Why is the doctrine of total depravity important for Christians?

Total depravity highlights humanity's inability to attain salvation on their own, emphasizing the need for God's grace. The doctrine of total depravity teaches that every aspect of humanity is affected by sin, rendering individuals incapable of saving themselves. This doctrine is crucial for Christians as it underscores the necessity of divine intervention for salvation. The recognition that we cannot turn to God on our own aligns with the Reformed understanding of grace. If humans were capable of righteousness, the need for Christ's atoning sacrifice would be diminished. Total depravity affirms that God alone must initiate the work of salvation, leading believers to dependence on His mercy and grace, as outlined in Ephesians 2:1-5.

Q: What does the Bible teach about the remnant of Israel?

The Bible teaches that though Israel as a nation rejected Christ, a remnant is chosen by grace. In Romans 11, Paul emphasizes that despite the widespread rejection of Jesus by the Jewish people, there remains a remnant who are elected by grace. This idea reinforces the concept that God's promises are fulfilled through His sovereign choice rather than national identity. The apostle asserts that 'the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded,' underscoring the grace extended to this remnant, which reflects God's faithfulness to His covenants. This highlights the notion that not all who are physically descended from Israel are spiritual heirs, but rather, those chosen by God are the true Israel.

Now, the Jews in this day of the scriptures,
and prior to that and maybe now, I don't know, but the Jews looked for a Messiah. They did indeed look for a Messiah. They had an argument over Jesus
Christ over here. Many of the people, therefore,
when they heard this saying, when they heard him speak, they
said, why, this is that prophet. Moses said God would raise up
a prophet. They said, this is that prophet.
Others said, this is the Christ. Others said, shall Christ come
out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said that
Christ cometh of the seed of David? and out of the town of
Bethlehem. So they looked for a Messiah.
But, now get this, they expected that Messiah, that prophet, that
king, to restore the nation Israel to world prominence. That's what
they expected. That's what they looked for.
They expected this coming Messiah to restore the great kingdoms
of David and Solomon, and to confer upon Israel great favor
again with God. Now that's what they look for.
And how do they feel about other nations? Gentiles? No hope. No hope for any other
nations. No hope. as proselytes, they came over
and became Jews. Now, that's what they believed.
That was what they were looking for. And it's perfectly obvious
that they did not understand the prophecies concerning the
Messiah. They did not understand the Word
of God and the prophecies concerning the Christ. They did not understand
the tabernacle. Oh, they went about the tabernacle
services, but they didn't understand it. They didn't understand the
priesthood. They didn't understand the sacrifices. Not at all. They didn't understand
the atonement. The Old Testament, you see, the
Old Testament speaks of two comings of Christ. The Old Testament
speaks of Christ coming as a lamb. as a redeemer, as a substitute. And the Old Testament speaks
of Christ's second coming triumphantly, when he shall come triumphantly,
King of kings, Lord of lords, written on his vesture to reign. But the Jews only saw that second
coming. That's all they saw. They saw
the triumphant coming, the glorious coming. They saw that coming
as King of kings. And they saw it as a Jewish kingdom,
to restore it right over their Jerusalem. Now listen, this is
what many preachers are preaching today. They look beyond his coming as
the lamb, as the priest and the prophet and the substitute and
savior. They didn't see this at all.
They didn't see it. They looked to the triumphant
coming. But our Lord came. Our Lord came as it was written
of him. He came as the Passover lamb.
He came as the smitten rock. He came as the kinsman redeemer.
He came the priest after the order of Melchizedek. He came the tender plant, the
root out of a dry ground. He came the man of sorrows acquainted
with grief. He came bearing our transgressions,
wounded for them, our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace.
He came as the Lamb, silent Lamb, the suffering Lamb, the crucified
Lamb. And how did these Jews respond
to his coming in that character? As Redeemer, as sin offering,
as Savior? With few exceptions, they rejected
him. He came unto his own, and his
own received him not. He was in the world, and the
world knew him not. In fact, over here, listen to
this. Paul was preaching. And the next
Sabbath day, the whole city came together to hear the word of
God. But when the Jews, when the Jews saw the multitudes,
they were filled with wrath. They were filled with envy. They
spake against the gospel which Paul preached, contradicting
and blaspheming. What was their response to the
coming Messiah, to the coming Christ, to the coming fulfillment
of all Old Testament pictures, prophecies, promises? We hid, as it were, our faces
from Him. He was despised and rejected
of men. We esteemed Him not. And as a result of this, now
hold on to your seat. I want you to turn to Romans
11. As a result of this, as a result of this, now listen to me, as
a result of this horrible, horrible sin, we will not have this man
reign over us, they cried. Old Pilate stood before those
Jewish leaders and Jewish people on that day and he got water
and poured it in a basin and washed his hands. He said, I
find no fault in this man. I washed my hands of any responsibility
for this man's blood, this man's death. You know what they replied?
His blood be on us and on our children. That's what they said. Now watch
this. Romans 11, verse 7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that
which ye seeketh for. but the election hath obtained
it, and the rest were blinded. According as it is written, God
hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should
not see, ears that they should not hear unto this day. And David
said, Let their table--" You know what their table is? That's
their ceremonies and sacrifices. "...be made a snare, stumble
over it, and a trap." and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them.
And let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow
down their back always." As a result of that great sin of refusing
the Messiah, rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ in his redemptive
character, the whole Jewish nation has been blinded, spiritually,
judicially blinded. That's right. And they remain in this day.
Now what God may do in the future is God's business. But this day,
up to this day, they're in blindness. And there's a veil over their
faces when the word of God is read. They cannot see it and
cannot hear it. This is the day of the Gentiles.
There's no question about that. And this is what was on Paul's
mind when he wrote Romans 9. Will you turn to my text now,
Romans 9? This is what was on Paul's mind.
Paul knew this. Paul knew all of this. In fact, he said there in Acts
13, as we were reading a while ago, he said, seeing, he said,
the gospel had to be preached to you first. But seeing you
contradict it and blaspheme it and turn from it, I'll turn to
the Gentiles. Wonder what he said? And when
the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and they glorified
God, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Now, this is what was on Paul's
mind. Look at Romans 9, verse 1. Here's a solemn vow. I say
the truth in Christ, I lie not. I'm not telling a lie. I speak
as a believer. My conscience bears me witness
in the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual
sorrow in my heart. I could wish that myself were
separated from Christ for my brethren, my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh. That's Israel he's talking about.
in blindness, in darkness, under judicial blindness, judged by
God, His blood be on us and our children. It will be. It will be. And they're blind. And it's rare, rare, rare. Oh,
there's a remnant, even in this day, that it's rare for one of
them ever to see the gospel. Verse 4, who are these Israelites?
I know that's not a question, but I made it one. He says, my
brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh, are Israelites.
But who are the Israelites? Well, this is speaking here of
national Israel. It's speaking of the descendants
of Abraham. It's speaking of the twelve tribes.
It's speaking of the Jews. Who are the Jews? Who are they? Well, verse 4, to whom pertaineth
the adoption? What does that mean? Well, it's
not spiritual adoption, because when God adopts a child into
his family, he's an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ.
But this is God adopted Israel from among all nations in the
Old Testament as a typical people, as a typical people. And God
said, I didn't choose you because you were more in number, you
were the fewest of all. But I chose you because I would
keep the covenant I made with your fathers." And God chose
Israel and said, this is my nation, these are my people. They weren't
redeemed, they weren't saved, the great host, the majority
of them didn't even know God. They were always a backsliding
people who rebelled against God. But to them pertained the adoption. That is, they were the typical
nation, they were the chosen. Also to them pertained the glory.
Where was the glory revealed? In Israel. For there was the
tabernacle, and there was the mercy seat, and there the glory
of God, the Shekinah glory of God. On this earth, where was
the glory of God manifested and revealed? Over Israel. The cloud
that followed them by day and the pillar of fire by night,
the glory of God. The glory of God, the Shekinah
glory of God. God said, I'll dwell between
the cherubim on the mercy seat in the tabernacle. Oh, who are
Israel? Who are the Israelites? And the
covenants. And the covenants, what covenants
are we talking about here? God made a covenant with Abraham. covenant with Abraham, father
of the Jews. God made a covenant with David. He said the scepter
shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh comes. That's right. God
made a covenant with these people. And not only the covenants, but
the giving of the law. To whom did God give the law?
Israel. Who was waiting down in that
valley below Mount Sinai when the lightning flashed and the
thunder rolled and the wind blew and the glory of God was revealed?
God gave them the law, gave them the Ten Commandments and gave
them the law of services and sacrifices. And now don't listen. To them belonged the service
of God. What is the service of God? This
is the service of the tabernacle. This is the acceptable worship
of God Almighty. There the heathen were, the pagans
out there, the Gentiles worshiping their stone and idols and sun
gods and all these different things, and here was Israel with
a tabernacle. with a veil, with a sacrifice,
with a high priest, with an atonement, with a mercy seat, with the glory
of God, and they were coming to God, worshipping God, offering
to God the atonement. Once a year on the day of atonement,
the acceptable service of God belonged to Israel. And the promises. All the promises of the coming
Redeemer were made through the prophets of Israel. Old Jeremiah
came saying, in that day God will send forth a righteous branch,
and his name shall be called the Lord our righteousness. Isaiah said a virgin shall be
with child. Thou shalt call his name Immanuel.
Oh, unto us a son is given, a child is born, his name is called Wonderful.
All the promises were made to Israel. Not only that, verse
5, theirs are the fathers. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David,
Moses, Abraham, all Jews. And not only that, look at verse
5, "...and of whom, as concerning the flesh, God came to earth."
He had a Jewish mother. That's right. He was born. of
the root of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, son of David. Born right down in Bethlehem
when old Herod made all the Jews go to their hometown where they
were registered. Their tribes made them go to
be taxed and Mary, great with child, nine months pregnant,
came to Bethlehem and there he was born. You think about that. Oh, Paul said, God is my witness. My heart bleeds for these people.
My brethren, I could almost wish myself separated from Christ
for my brethren. Who are my brethren? Well, they're
the people to whom pertaineth the adoption, the fathers, the
promises, the service of God. Even the people of whom Christ
came in the flesh, seed of David, Look at verse 5, God's King,
who is over all, who is God, God King of the earth. Watch it now, of the tribe of
Judah. Is that right, Steve? He did,
the tribe of Judah, in the flesh. Well, and they said no, that's
right, they said no. They said we won't have him,
that's what they're saying. They killed him and hung him
on a cross. And God blinded him. It's just
like turning off the light. It's just like pulling down the
shade. It's just like writing him off. God blinded him. And turned to the Gentiles. Well,
verse 6. Is it over? Has God failed? Will his eternal covenant be
annulled? Defeated? Oh, hold on now. Verse 6. Not as though the word
of God had taken none effect. Well, the word didn't do Israel
any good. Wasn't meant to. Wasn't meant to. Not that game. Now watch it. For they're not
all Israel which are of Israel. Oh, that opens the door, doesn't
it? Well, Israel, they had the promises
and the covenants and the fathers and the services and the sacrifices
and the priests and the tabernacle, and Christ even became a Jew,
and they turned it down, they rejected Him, they said, no,
we'll not bow to God, we'll not worship God. Then is God defeated?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. These people are not the people
of God. Never were the people of God. They were national people. They were typical people. They
never were the people of God. Some out of that nation were
the people of God. Abraham was. David was. Isaiah was. Caleb and Joshua
were. In fact, out of that whole two
million that left Egypt, God delivered Israel out of Egypt
and took them to the Promised Land. Oh no, He didn't. He delivered
them out of Egypt, he only took two of them to the Promised Land.
That's right, only two of them. Out of that whole outfit that
left Egypt, under the blood, under the leadership of Moses,
passed through the sea, passed under the cloud, drank of the
rock, out of that whole crowd, only two. Over 20 years of age
when they left Egypt, went into the Promised Land. And Canaan
is a type of heaven. They're not Israel. Everybody's
not Israel who... I got to tell you a story. I
flub up quite often, get real embarrassed, but I was down in
Louisiana preaching in a meeting one time and I was dealing with
this subject. They're not all Israel which are Israel. I said,
just because you got horn-rimmed glasses and a big nose doesn't
mean you're a Jew. Well, after the service, a lady
came up to me with horn-rimmed glasses and a very prominent
nose, and she said... Oh, she did, too. She said, you
used to talk about me, weren't you? She, full-blooded Jew. Well,
she said, thank God I know him in here. I know exactly what
you're talking about. She did. She knew what I was
talking about. You see, everybody who is a descendant of Jacob
does not belong to Israel. The true Israel of God is not
national Israel. The true Israel of God is spiritual
Israel, and I can show you that. Turn to Romans 2. I'll show you
three scriptures, Romans chapter 2. Listen to this, Romans 2. All Israel shall be saved, my
friends. Write that down. All Israel shall
be saved. Israel shall be saved with an
everlasting salvation. You write that down. And you
can argue, or anybody can argue and go around the world, but
all Israel shall be saved. Now you mark my words, when you
stand before God, all Israel shall stand before God. All of
them. Whether Jew or Gentile. Romans
2 verse 28, He's not a Jew which is one outwardly, Neither is
that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. He's a Jew which
is one inwardly. Circumcision is that of the heart
in the Spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but
of God. Let me show you another in Galatians. Galatians chapter 3. This is
so clear here in Galatians, the third chapter. Let's read verse
6 and 7. Galatians 3, 6 and 7, Even as
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,
know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the
children of Abraham. And that's all. Look at verse
29. If you be Christ, you belong
to him, then are you Abraham's seed, and your heirs according
to the promise. Heirs according to the promise.
Men are not children of God because they're Israelites. All right,
verse 7, now watch this. Neither are they children, neither
because they're the seed of Abraham are they children of God. But
in Isaac, shalt thou seed be called. You see, Abraham had
a son named Ishmael. Abraham had a son named Ishmael.
And Ishmael and Isaac are pictures of fleshly religion and spiritual
grace. You see, Ishmael was the son
of Abraham's flesh. Isaac was the miracle child,
the promised child. God said Ishmael was a product
of Abraham's covenant and agreement with Hagar and Sarah. Isaac was
the result of a covenant God made with Abraham. Ishmael was a child Abraham secured
by his own flesh and works. Isaac was a child that never
would have come, never would have been possible had not God
given him life, because he was born in a dead womb, a woman
over 90 years of age. Ishmael was naturally born. Isaac
was Supernaturally born. You see that? So then he's saying
here, men are not sons of God because they're children of Abraham.
Men are not sons of God because they're children of believers.
Men are not sons of God by the will and act of men. They're
sons of God by the supernatural will and power of God Almighty.
That's what it says here. Read it. Verse 7, 8 and 9. Neither
because they're seed of Abraham are they children. But in Isaac
shall thy seed be called, that is, they which are the children
of the flesh, these are not the children of God, the children
of flesh, the children of religious activities, the children of all
these ceremonies and sacrifices, these are not children of God,
the children of the promise. God promised Abraham Isaac, God
promised him an heir, God promised him a son, supernaturally, miraculously,
given by God, when there's no natural hope or no natural ability. That's the child of promise.
And that's what you are. That's what every believer is,
he's a child of promise. For this is the word, verse 9,
God said, I will come. At this time, I will come." Here's
Sarah and Abraham. He's 100, she's over 90. No hope. No possibility of life. There's
no possibility of conception. There's no possibility of a baby. There's no possibility whatsoever
by the wildest stretch of the imagination for these two to
have a son. But God said, I'll come. Oh, I wish we'd wait on Him. And churches and preachers today
are out here trying to bring children into the family of God,
sons of God, children of God, into the family of God. And they're
doing it by their wills. And if you will, God will. And
I come to you in the name of God. Now, you come to God. God
said, Abraham, Sarah's going to have a son, but it's when
I come, when I come, I'm going to come to Sarah. The power of
the highest shall overshadow thee. The power of God shall
come upon thee. And that's, I'll stand here and
preach this glorious gospel which is the seed of life. This glorious
gospel of Christ, this good news of Christ. I'll sow this seed,
plant this seed, put it out. But I know this, conception and
life will occur, begetting will occur when God visits you and
visits me. That's when she'll happen. That's when she'll have it. But,
now watch this. Someone will argue, yeah, but
preacher, both these sons had the same father. They may have
had different mothers. The miracle mother and the natural
mother. They may have had different,
they had the same father. In other words, God honored Abraham,
God took note of Abraham, God used Abraham. Oh yeah? Well,
alright. Paul said, I'll give you another
illustration. Verse 10. When Rebekah conceived by her
father Isaac. Alright, you with me? Same father,
same mother. Same father, same mother. Rebekah
conceived. And we're going to find out who
the children of God are. How the children of God have life,
how the children of God become children of God, how the sons
of promise are born. He's already given us the illustration
that Abraham had a son of the flesh and a son of God. But somebody
says, but they had the same father. All right, he said, I'll show
you an example where they had the same father and mother. And
not only that, they were in the womb at the same time. Same time. Same time one's conceived, the
other one wasn't, naturally. And, for they're born. They hadn't
been born, and for they'd done any good or evil. For they'd
uttered a word, a thought, a thought. That's the purpose of God in
this thing. Now God's people are the people
of purpose. God's people are the people of
promise. God's people are the people of purchase by Christ
on the cross. And God's people are the people
of divine regeneration. He gives them life. that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works in
any shape, form, or fashion, but of him that calleth. It was
said to Rebekah, you got twins in your womb, two boys. Now,
let me ask you something. These fellows had the same father,
had the same mother, conceived at the same time, in the same
womb, neither had done any good or evil, neither had been born,
They were exactly alike, weren't they? No, they differed in one
respect. One was older. One was older. And God cut that
out. By law, the older ruled. And God said, the elder is going
to serve the younger. I'm going to make this pure grace.
You're not going to have any part in this, not your rules
and regulations, not your intents or purposes, not your will. God
said, I'm going to cut you out totally. Salvation is of the
Lord. That's what you pray for. Now,
Dan, we're going to have to come to this. This is so, whether
we like it or not. I like it. Because I know how weak and infirm
and unable we are. But he said, They're not sons
of God because they're sons of Abraham. They're not sons of
God because they're sons of believers. They're not sons of God by the
will and purpose and acts of the flesh. They're sons of God
by His will, His purpose, and His doing, and His dying. And
he said, I'll show you an illustration that will seal it, sign it, and
deliver it. Two boys, born of the same daddy in the womb of
the same mother at the same time, begotten. having done any no
good or evil before they were born, that the purpose of Almighty
God, according to election, might stand, not of him that willeth,
not of him that worketh, but of God that showeth mercy. It
was said to her, The oldest will serve the youngest. Jacob have
I loved, Esau have I hated. I know a lot of preachers will
come along and say, that doesn't mean that, that means Esau have
I loved less. Well, maybe it means Jacob have
I hated less. Well, you can read it one way,
let's read it the other way. Jacob have I loved less, Esau have
I hated less. How does God do that? How does
an infinite, unchangeable God love less or hate less? Almighty
God either loves everlastingly and unchangeably, infinitely,
or He didn't love at all. God's not God by degrees. Okay, what are we going to say
to this? Verse 14. What shall you say? What shall we say then? What
are we going to say? Oh, I'll tell you this. The songwriters
answered for me. Deep in the everlasting mind,
the great redeeming purpose lay of choosing some from lost mankind
whose sins Christ would bear away. Them, loved with an everlasting
love to grace and glory, God ordained. God gave them grace
which cannot change and chose the means and the end. In them he has resolved to make
the riches of his goodness known, and them he accepts for Jesus'
sake and views them holy in his Son. That's what I say. Well, here's what some say. What
shall we say then in verse 14? Is there unrighteousness with
God? Is God unfair? How does Paul answer that? Is
God unfair to choose some and pass by others? How does Paul
reply? Well, he replies like he does
any time he's shocked. Paul has a a saying characteristic
of Paul, God forbid. He's the only writer in Scripture
that I hear saying that. But he says it several times.
And every time he says it, it's something that shocked him. Somebody
said, well, shall we sin that grace may abound? He said, God
forbid. God forbid. Well, God's not fair. God forbid, he said. And then
he answers it with Scripture. Listen. He said to Moses, verse
15, Moses says, show me your glory. He said, this is my glory. I'll have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. And I'll have compassion on whom
I'll have compassion. So then, it's not of him that
willeth. What is our will? You will not come to me. That's
the will. Suppose God left you to your
will. Now come on, suppose He did.
I don't want to be left to my will. You will not. You will not. How oft would I
have gathered? You will not. It is not of him
that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy, even Pharaoh.
God said, for this same purpose did I raise you up, that I might
show my power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout
all the earth. Therefore he will have mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he will harden. Whom he will, he'll hearten. All right, here's the third objection
to sovereign grace, verse 19. Well, they said, why does he
find fault? His will's going to be done.
You see, even the wrath of God, even the wrath of men will praise
God. His will's going to be done, that's what they say. That's
a good conclusion. Then who can resist him? Who
has resisted? You say, what are the three objections?
All right, back at verse 6. Has the word of God taken none
effect since Israel didn't believe? Is God out of business? Oh no,
he's right on schedule. Verse 14, God's unjust and unrighteous
to choose some and pass by others. God forbid. All right, here's
the third objection. None can resist His will. His
people shall be made willing. Even the wrath of man shall accomplish
His will. Then why does He charge us? Why
does He find fault with us? Why is He angry with the sinner?
And then Paul answers three distinct answers. He answers, he said,
now the natural man, this is not going to satisfy the natural
man, so you need to take it to the unsaved kin, folks. But it
will satisfy a believer. Here's the three answers. Here's
the three answers. They say, well, if the Jews rejected
Christ, then God's out of business. No. God chooses some places by
others. That's not fair. Well, if God's
will is going to be done, who can resist His will? And why
is He fine-fought with us? And Paul gives us three answers.
Here they are. Verse 20. First answer is this. Who are
you to argue with God? That's his first answer. That
satisfies a believer. Man, oh man, who are you? Puny,
frail, foolish, fallen, ignorant, sinner, arguing with the matchless,
majestic, eternal, almighty God? Shall the thing for him say to
him that, why did you make me like this? That's his first answer. You reckon that's sensible? No,
that's ignorant. Here's the second answer. Hath
not the potter power," what's the word power, the right, the
authority, to do with his own what he will? Does not the potter
have power over the clay, the right, the authority over the
clay, of the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another
to dishonor? Does he not have a right to do
with his own what he will? Now come on, does he? That's
Paul's answer. I say he does. All right, verse
22. God has determined to show this
universe two things, and I'll close with this right here, two
things. God's going to show the universe two things. You know
what they are? Now, this is foreign to most preachers today, totally
foreign. God's going to show this universe
His wrath against sin. And God's going to show this
universe the riches of His grace in Christ. That's what He's going
to show this universe. You see it right here in verse
20. What if God, willing to show His wrath, He's going to show
it. He said to Pharaoh, I raised
you up to get power and glory out of you. God show His wrath
to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering and patience,
those vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, made up for destruction,
delivered to destruction. son of perdition before he's
born." That's what the Word says, reprobate. He's going to show
his wrath. "...and that he might make known
the riches of his glory." Not the riches of your faithfulness
and your works and your goodness. One preacher said last week,
well, we're going to die someday and go get our rewards. He might make known the riches
of His glory on vessels of what? Mercy! Mercy! Which He, long time ago, prepared
for glory. I preached a sermon one time.
I brought it on television this morning. Anybody hear it on tongues? I went verse by verse from 1
Corinthians 14. Verse by verse. And brother,
I did that this morning on television, Dan. Dan came to me, and he moved
in these circles years ago, and was high up in these circles.
He said, nobody in those circles ever takes 1 Corinthians 14 and
goes verse by verse. They won't do it, because they
know it says that. I challenge anybody to take Romans
9 and go verse by verse, and not come up with sovereign grace. Now, there it is. There you have
it, Roger. God's salvation is of the Lord. Now, if you want to shuffle your
feet and look down and quit, whatever anybody wants to do
as a result of this tape or whatever, just go ahead. Because He's going
to show two things, this universe. He's going to show His wrath
on vessels before prepared. And He's going to show His mercy
on vessels of four prepared for glory. Vessels of mercy. That's
what this center is. A vessel of mercy, I hope. I
hope by His grace. Only one song I guess we can
sing, Mike, and that's Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound. 236. That saved a wretch like
me. I was lost. Plum lost. But now I'm not anymore. He found
me. I didn't find him, he found me.
He knew where I was all the time. And he found me. I was blind,
but now I see. All right, 236. Let's stand while
we sing.

Sovereign Grace

What does the Bible say about God choosing some and passing by others?

How do we know God's mercy is sovereign?

Why is the doctrine of total depravity important for Christians?

What does the Bible teach about the remnant of Israel?

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Sovereign Grace

What does the Bible say about God choosing some and passing by others?

How do we know God's mercy is sovereign?

Why is the doctrine of total depravity important for Christians?

What does the Bible teach about the remnant of Israel?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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