God Is Right In All He Does

Romans 9:14-18

By Pastor Craig Phelps, February 11, 2023

Introduction: Something that Paul has taught us earlier might be objectionable to some people. Here he will explain that God is righteous in His elective choices.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!

  1. Is God in carrying out his elective purposes?
  • Some views of what Paul is teaching:

    • Paul is teaching the election of the nation of Israel and not election.
    • Paul is not talking about election to but just election to certain positions and privileges.
    • God has chosen or elected these individuals based upon His that they would have faith in Him.
  • Why we don’t need to relieve the tension in the doctrine of election.

    • Paul doesn’t to do that,
    • An infinite holy God who can be fully by the finite sinner’s mind is no God at all.
    • Our goal is not to tension but to teach or learn the Word of God just as He has given it to us.

15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”

  1. God is righteous in being merciful and compassionate to even when he is not to others.

16 So then, it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

  1. God’s acts of mercy are not a result of the or of man.

17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”

  1. God has the right to people up and put them where He wants them.

  2. He does this that He might His power and that His name might be in all the earth.

18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

  1. God does not us sin but God can sovereignly and rightly harden the sinner’s heart.

Conclusion - His elective choices should not be a matter of controversy but a cause for worship as J.I. Packer once said. Because in those choices He has carried out His perfect plan to save and who will believe.