The God Who Is And His Amazing Grace-Romans 9:14-18

What this episode covers

Introduction Last week my sermon was primarily dealing with those of you who are more introspective, and tend to always question yourselves. And we all fall into that category from time to time. Even if we don’t have a sensitive conscience we all fall into fear and doubt at different times in our lives. Well this week I want to primarily address not those who always question themselves, but those who tend to question God. C.S. Lewis once observed that the great difference between the ancient world and the modern world is that the ancient man stood before God awaiting judgment, while modern man imagines himself sitting in judgment upon God. Lewis called this putting “God in the dock.” The dock is the place where the accused stands in a courtroom. In previous generations men understood that they were the ones on trial. God was the Judge. God was the Lawgiver. God was the King. The question was always, “How shall I answer to Him?” But modern man has reversed the arrangement. He places God in the dock. God becomes the accused. Man becomes the judge. And so God is expected to explain Himself, justify His actions, and defend His decisions before the bar of human reason. This is the posture of the world today… But if we’re honest we often have this posture ourselves. We see it every time we find ourselves thinking or saying, in reference to God, “That’s not fair.” But if our view of God is right we would know that whatever He ordains is right… For He alone is the one who is right and good. And therefore everything He does and everything He wills is right and good. God is always just in all His ways. This is what I want us to see in God’s Word today. But with that I want us to see that we do not want what is fair… When it comes to us and God we do not want justice, we want mercy. For what is fair and just is for God to leave us to die in our sin, and condemn us to hell. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, has chosen us before the foundation of the world, made us alive together with Christ, and has saved us, is saving us, and will save us by grace. Therefore we should be, we must be… indeed, how can we not be amazed by God’s grace… So with that in mind, look with me at Romans 9:14-18. Context Remember our context here. After showing us his heart for his kinsman according to the flesh, back in Romans 9:6 Paul began defending the faithfulness of God. After laying out so many beautiful gospel promises in Romans 8, ending with the great promise that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus… Paul anticipates some pushback tied to Israel… Israel’s widespread rejection of Christ raised an obvious question: Has God’s Word failed? Has God’s covenant promise fallen to the ground? If Israel has been separated from the love of God in Christ how can we trust that we won’t be? Paul answers by telling us that the Word of God has not and cannot fail. God is always perfectly faithful to His true people, to the true Israel of God. Not all who are descended from ethnic Israel belong to the true Israel of God. God’s covenant purpose has always moved forward by grace through His sovereign choice. He chose Isaac and not Ishmael. He chose Jacob and not Esau. And He did so before either brother had done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose of election might stand—not because of works but because of Him who calls. God’s promises have never depended upon human merit, human effort, human bloodlines, or human faithfulness. They have always depended upon God Himself. And that immediately raises another question: If God’s saving purpose rests upon His sovereign choice, is God unjust? Is God unfair? And that’s where our passage starts today. Romans 9:14-18 Verse 14 says, “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!” What shall we say to unconditional election—to God choosing Isaac and not Ishmael, to God loving Jac

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