ROMANS 22


     We will begin this lesson in Romans 9:18 "Therefore hath he mercy
on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth."

     Sometimes it is very difficult to understand why God does a
specific thing. Remember we are His creation and He can do with us
whatever He wishes to do. God does not have to explain to us why He
chooses to do something. God looks at the overall picture and we just
look at the here and now.  Even the fact that sometimes God hardens a
person's heart; God has a really good purpose in this to prove
something in the overall picture. We find that especially in evil
people. Pharaoh is a very good example of this. God hardened Pharaoh's
heart until God Himself had discredited all the false gods of Egypt.
Exodus 4:21" And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return
into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I
have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not
let the people go."  We also see this very same thing in Joshua 11:20
"For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come
against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, [and]
that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the
LORD commanded Moses."  We are not to question God's motives. In both
of these instances, this taught us that God is even in control of
Satan and all his evil forces.  God can cause them to destroy
themselves.

     Romans 9:19 "Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find
fault? For who hath resisted his will?"

     II Chronicles 20:6 "And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art]
not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of
the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that
none is able to withstand thee?"  This is the perfect explanation
here, for who can withstand God? The answer is simple; NO ONE. Even
all the heavenly beings are subject to Him. Everything in heaven,
everything in earth, and everything under the earth are under His
control. We have no opinion coming, if it differs with God's opinion.

     Romans 9:20 "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against
God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou
made me thus?"

     Isaiah 45:9 "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!  [Let]
the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth.  Shall the clay
say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath
no hands?"  We can see in these verses above, that we are not to talk
back to God on any matter. We are not even to question the things He
has done.  Someone said to me a few days ago, if God speaks to you,
why does He not speak to me? I don't know. It is really none of our
business. God is the boss. It is His decision to do with His creation
as He wishes. That is the only answer I have for them.

     Romans 9:21 "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same
lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"

     Until we can say, not my will be done but thine O Lord, we are
truly not His. One of the first things a Christian must do is let God
cut away all the rough edges. We must get on the wheel and let God
form us into what He would have us to be. He has a perfect plan for
us, if we will just submit and let Him fulfill it. Isaiah 64:8 "But
now, O LORD, thou [art] our Father; we [are] the clay, and thou our
potter; and we all [are] the work of thy hand." II Timothy 2:20 "But
in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but
also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
II Timothy 2:21 "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall
be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use,
[and] prepared unto every good work." It is not our job to figure out
what we are to do for God. He chooses what position we are to have and
we must conform to His wishes.

     Romans 9:22 "[What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to
make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of
wrath fitted to destruction:"

     II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  You
see there is a day of God's wrath coming when men will gnaw their
tongue for pain, but God loves His creation and is waiting, hoping
some more people will come to Him before that terrible day.  Ephesians
5:5 "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God." Ephesians 5:6 "Let no man deceive you with vain
words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the
children of disobedience."  We deserve the wrath of God. Only those
who accept full pardon through the shed blood of Jesus Christ will be
spared the wrath of God which will surely come.

     Romans 9:23 "And that he might make known the riches of his glory
on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,"
Romans 9:24 "Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but
also of the Gentiles?"

     Ephesians 2:3 "Among whom also we all had our conversation in
times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even
as others." Ephesians 2:4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his
great love wherewith he loved us," Ephesians 2:5 "Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved;)" You see, the mercy of God is so great that He holds back His
wrath until all who will accept Jesus as Saviour have come into the
kingdom.

     Romans 9:25 "As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my
people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not
beloved." Romans 9:26 "And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place
where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people; there shall they
be called the children of the living God."

     I John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not." We see in all of this that
God is speaking of the Gentiles who become spiritual Israelites
through faith in Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be]
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise."

     Romans 9:27 "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the
number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant
shall be saved:"

     Romans 11:4 "But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have
reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to
[the image of] Baal." God has always saved a remnant. My own personal
opinion of this remnant of 7000 is that they have grown to the 144,000
mentioned in Revelation.  Many are called but few are chosen. Matthew
22:14 "For many are called, but few [are] chosen."

     Romans 9:28 "For he will finish the work, and cut [it] short in
righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the
earth."

     Psalms 9:8 "And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he
shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness." Acts 17:31
"Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world
in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; [whereof] he
hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from
the dead." We read of this in Matthew chapter 24. God is not slack,
but is longsuffering not willing that any should perish, but that all
would come unto righteousness.

     Romans 9:29 "And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of
Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like
unto Gomorrha."

     These 2 evil cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone. We know
that God will not always look the other way. Sin of the same nature as
that of Sodom and Gomorrah is rampant in the U. S. today. The day of
reckoning is coming.  America better stop homosexuality, lesbianism,
drugs, and all the other related sins of our nation or the wrath of
God will fall on the U.S.

     Romans 9:30 "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which
followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even
the righteousness which is of faith."

     I Corinthians 6:9 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves
with mankind," I Corinthians 6:10 "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom
of God." I Corinthians 6:11 "And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the
Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." The Gentiles are saved,
because they are not depending on their own righteousness to save
them, but the blood of Jesus Christ.

     Romans 9:31 "But Israel, which followed after the law of
righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness."
Romans 9:32 "Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as
it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that
stumblingstone;"

     Matthew 21:42 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the
scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become
the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous
in our eyes?" Matthew 21:44 "And whosoever shall fall on this stone
shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to
powder." We see in all of this that the Jews rejected Jesus as their
Messiah and He turned to the Gentiles who would accept Him. Faith is
what pleases God. By faith the elders received a good report.
Abraham's faith was counted unto him as righteousness. Our faith in
Jesus is what saves us. We can not be good enough to be saved and
neither could the Jews who had the law. We all need a Saviour and His
name is Jesus Christ the Righteous.

     Romans 9:33 "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a
stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him
shall not be ashamed."

     I Peter 2:6 "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he
that believeth on him shall not be confounded." I Peter 2:7 "Unto you
therefore which believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be
disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner," I Peter 2:8 "And a stone of stumbling, and a
rock of offence, [even to them] which stumble at the word, being
disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." And just one more
Scripture makes it very clear. I John 2:28 "And now, little children,
abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and
not be ashamed before him at his coming." There is little to add to
this, except to say that our faith in Jesus Christ is our salvation,
whether we be Jew or Gentile believers.

                                 Notes











                         Questions 22


1.  We learn in Romans 9-18 that God can do what 2 things without
    explaining to anyone?
2.  Why can God do with us whatever He wishes?
3.  What name immediately comes to mind when we think of someone whose
    heart God hardened?
4.  What lesson can we learn from the 2 instances of God hardening
    someone's heart?
5.  In 2 Chronicles ch.20 v.6 who can resist God?
6.  Can our opinion differ from God's opinion?
7.  Shall the thing ______ say to him that ______ it, Why hast thou
    made me thus?
8.  Woe unto him that _______ with his maker.
9.  In Romans ch.9 v.21, we find that God makes 2 kinds of people out
    of one lump, what are they?
10. Until we can make what statement, we are not truly God's?
11. Name the vessels that God made in 2 Timothy 2-20.
12. In 2 Peter ch.3 v.9, we find that God is not slack, but
    _____________?
13. Name the people in Ephesians ch.5 v.5 who will not inherit the
    kingdom of God.
14. Why is God's wrath going to come on the earth?
15. In Romans ch.9 v.24 we find that God not only called the Jew but
    the _______ as well.
16. Before we were saved we were by nature children of ______.
17. The people who come to God will be called what that we find in
    Romans ch.9 v.26?
18. Why does the world not know the Christian?
19. Who are truly Abraham's seed?
20. What one word describes the physical house of Israel?
21. Who does the author think the 7000 mentioned in Romans ch.11 v.4
    grew into?
22. Where do we find the Scripture (many are called, but few are
    chosen)?
23. How shall He judge the world (Psalms ch.9 v.8)?
24. What 2 cities were destroyed by God for the sins they committed?
25. How did God destroy them?
26. What were the sins they were guilty of?
27. First Corinthians ch.6 v.9 names a number of sins that will keep
    you out of heaven, what are they?
28. All have sinned and deserve death, what saves the Christian?
29. How did the Jews fail in their search for righteousness?
30. Who is the Cornerstone?
31. Abraham's _____ was counted unto him for righteousness.
32. First John ch.2 v.28 little children_____ in Him.

                            Notes