#1640 Romans 9 Part 3 Does Not Depend On the One Who Wills

 

14 What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and in order that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. Romans 9: 14-18 LSB

Romans 9: 14-18

V. 14 Is there injustice on God's part - If the wages of sin is death and all have sinned then all should receive this justice. In the case of those to whom God shows grace, unmerited mercy, it is based upon His right as the Creator, and yet He does not forgo justice. God is eternal, and so are His attributes. His holy and just nature demands fairness, so in the case of those who receive His wrath, it is what they are owed, and in the case of those who receive His mercy, the wages of sin are paid for by His Son. The Just God pays the price for sin. 

…24What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there? 25Far be it from You to do such a thing— to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” 26So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”… Genesis 18: 24-26

…18Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come. 19Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You? 20Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.… Psalm 71: 18-20

…136My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed. 137Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments. 138The testimonies You have laid down are righteous and altogether faithful.… Psalm 119: 136-138

…141I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts. 142Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true. 143Trouble and distress have found me, but Your commandments are my delight.… Psalm 119: 141-143

V. 15 I will have mercy on whom I have mercy - God declaring His divine right over His creation. This is a quote from Exodus 33.

…18Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.” 19“I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name— the LORD— in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 20But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”… Exodus 33: 18-20

V. 16 So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs - Sadly, there is an Arminian form of Christianity that I grew up with, which glorifies man's "free will", man who is called the bondservant of sin and dead in his trespasses and sins. The bible in no way teaches that "God will in no way interfere with man's free will", again, you are a slave to sin who needs to be born again. Human autonomy is a joke and an idol, for no one has ever called themselves into being. Even when man does will aright, chooses God, the Will beneath that will is God's own. Christ had to correct His own disciples on this, that He chose them, not the other way around. 

More on this from John 3

More on being born again

12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose. 14Do everything without complaining or arguing,… Philippians 2: 12-14

…36But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.… John 6: 36-38

…25I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.… Ezekiel 36: 25-27

V. 17 For this very purpose I raised you up - Pharoah and other rulers have always seen themselves as special, even self made, but some giving credit to the gods of their hands and imaginations. God is saying it is quite the opposite, like in the case of Nebuchadnezzar who praised himself against God's warning and was brought low. As some have pointed out, even the devil is God's devil, he can do no more than God allows.

5“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you. 6For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans— that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own. 7They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.… Habakkuk 1: 5-7

…5But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.” 6“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.” 7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.… Job 2: 5-7

V. 18 He hardens whom He desires - God judiciously leaves some men in their sin. They didn't want God, and so they didn't get what they didn't want, but they will receive justice. 

. He hardens: We know that Pharaoh did harden his own heart, according to Exodus 7:13, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, and 9:34. But “He does not so much as bother to indicate that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, an evidence of unbelief and rebellion, because he is emphasizing the freedom of God’s action in all cases.” (Harrison) - Enduring Word