A Message by Pastor Michael Palmer
Given to
May 31, 2009
DON’T BE LIKE
Romans 9:6-30
Romans 9,
10, and 11 are three of the most difficult chapters in all of scripture. But because they are scripture, and
“all scripture is . . . profitable,” we will attempt to glean some of these
truths and make an application to our lives today.
In this
passage Paul speaks of
I.
Ø Abraham and Hagar -> Ishmael =
works
Ø Abraham and Sarah -> Isaac =
the promise by faith
Not all descendants of Abraham
were the children of promise.
Ø Isaac and Rebekah
-> twins – Esau = not chosen, and Jacob = chosen
Both children were undeserving,
but Jacob was God’s plan.
From the beginning of time, God called people to respond
to Him on the basis of faith (by faith Abel offered to God a better
sacrifice that Cain.) Just as God has
elected Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the racial or ethnic
Ø Ishmael’s descendants rejected
Yahweh as their God.
Ø
Esau’s
descendants became the nation of
And even Israel and its idolatry was also judged, proving
that the national or ethnic privilege was meant to be a demonstration of God’s
grace resulting in faith, proving God correct in His judgment on Israel.
II.
Here is the question that Paul is answering: “If God only chose some (and not
others) to be the heirs of promise, then doesn’t that make God unfair?” This is actually accusing God of being
unjust!
“May it never be!” = No No, a thousand times No . . . ain’t
no way!
Consider
the example of Moses and Pharoah (by John MacArthur
in Commentary on Romans, vol. 2, pp 35-36)
Moses was a Jew, whereas Pharaoh
was a Gentile; but both of them were sinners.
Both were murderers, and both witnessed God’s miracles. Yet Moses was redeemed and Pharaoh was not. God raised up
Pharaoh in order to reveal His own glory and power, and God had mercy on Moses
in order to use him to deliver His people
Hardens
translates skleruno, which literally means to
make hard and metaphorically means to render stubborn and obstinate. The Exodus account of Moses’ confrontation
with Pharaoh speaks ten times of God’s hardening that ruler’s heart (see, e.g.,
4:21; 7:3,13).
That same passage also informs us that Pharaoh hardened his own heart
(see, e.g., 8:32; 9:34), confirming God’s act by his own. Such passages point up the humanly unreconcilable tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s
will. Esau was rejected before he was
born, and, also before he was born, Judas was appointed to betray Christ (see
Acts 1:16, John 6:70-71). Yet both men
themselves chose to follow sin and unbelief.
During His
incarnation, Jesus clearly revealed that God’s choosing of men always preceded
their choosing Him. He told a group of
unbelieving Jews, “No one can come to Me, unless the
Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John
6:44). On a later occasion, He explained
to His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose
you, and appointed you” (John 15:16).
But He also said to unbelieving Jews, “You shall die in your sins; for
unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). In the familiar words of
John 3:18, Jesus said, “he who does not believe has been judged already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Because of men’s natural and willing
unbelief, God is just in condemning those who already deserve it.
A second question: “Why does God then still find fault? For who resists His will? . . . how can human beings be held responsible?”
This reasoning is actually a challenge to God’s person—His
justice and His holiness. Plus it is a
total disregard for the state of man apart from God’s grace—CONDEMNED!
(Quote by John MacArthur in Commentary on Romans, vol. 2,
pp 37)
It is not, of
course, that we can fully understand what God reveals about His sovereign
election and predestination. It can only
be accepted by faith, acknowledging its truth simply because God has revealed
it to be true. As believers, we know
that, in ourselves, we deserve only God’s rejection and condemnation. But we also know that, for His own sovereign
reasons, God has elected us to be His children and, in His own time and way,
brought us to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
On the other hand, we also know that our human will had a part in our
salvation. Jesus said, “All the Father
gives Me shall come to Me.” That is the choice of God’s will. But Jesus immediately went on to say that
“the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast
out” (John 6:37). That is the choice of
man’s will, which God graciously accedes to for all who believe in His Son.
III.
ISRAEL’S UNBELIEF
IS CONSISTENT WITH GOD’S PLAN – IT IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS PROPHETIC REVELATION
AND HIS PREREQUISITE OF FAITH (vss. 25-33)
IV.
DON’T STUMBLE
OVER THE STUMBLING STONE – JESUS
Salvation is based on Jesus’ work on the cross and the
sovereign (supernatural) call of God in and on our lives. And yet, man must respond in faith to Jesus
and His call to surrender.
The greatest obstacle to salvation is self righteousness
or trying to mix a little of our sincerity and our effort with the saving work
of God.
Jesus’ death on the cross is a statement that says there
is nothing good in me – no, not one thing – my works all fall
short of God’s righteous requirements.
The ones who stumble today are cultural Christians
versus genuine Christians.
1.
Christians
believe in Jesus Christ
·
Mental
– intellectual assent
·
Emotional
– we are moved by Jesus’ sacrifice for us
·
Volitional
– a yielding of the will – a release to Jesus’ authority over you!
2.
Christians
follow Christ (Luke 9)
3.
Christians
witness to Christ (Acts 1:8)
4.
Christians
learn more and more about Christ and from Christ . . . we become more like Him!
(Acts 11:22-26)