[God's Absolute Authority]
City Life Church
Pastor Sylvia
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26 and,“In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
1. **God's Absolute Authority**
"One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?'” (v.19) Since God has absolute authority, why does He still find fault? Who can resist His will?
" But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who
formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?" (Romans 9:20-21) Paul answers this question by emphasizing God's absolute authority: as created beings, we have no right to question the Creator about fairness, because it’s not a matter of fairness but of what God wills to do. God has the right to choose and the right to make us into whatever vessels He pleases, and we have no argument against it. Just as the potter can take a lump of clay and make one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use, the vessels themselves have no say in the matter.
Q:Have you ever complained against God? We are often self-righteous, asking: why doesn’t God
bless me? We should rather ask: why does God still allow me to live today? Because we sin against God daily, yet still live by His grace. We should not feel that God owes us anything; rather, we owe everything to God, and we must acknowledge His sovereignty.
**Discussion 1: How is His sovereignty expressed?**
God’s sovereignty is exercised in His love: in His choosing, promising, and showing mercy, not based on human effort, will, or heritage, because He knows that people cannot achieve the standard by relying on these things. His mercy exceeds what we deserve: "with much patience He has endured vessels of wrath prepared for destruction," and He makes His glorious riches known to the vessels of mercy. His supreme sovereignty exercised in love reveals His most holy and glorious nature, making Him praiseworthy and awe-inspiring.
2. **God’s Grace is Fair to All People (Jews and Gentiles)**
Verses 22-24 refer to two types of vessels: one, vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, includes those who refuse to humbly accept Christ’s salvation—both Jews and Gentiles. God has continuously shown them "much patience and forbearance"; the other type, vessels prepared for glory, refers to those called by God and who receive salvation, including Jews and Gentiles. In the same way, God reveals His abundant glory to those vessels prepared for glory, showing them much mercy.
**Discussion 2: How is God’s fairness revealed?**
It is revealed through faith: If the Israeli could be justified by their heritage and by following the law, how could the vast majority of the world’s population (Gentiles) be saved? Similarly, if justification were based on works, people’s intelligence, wealth, background, and culture would affect their performance—where, then, would be the fairness in judgment? Now God places all people under "justification by faith"—everyone enters salvation through the blood of God's Son. No matter one’s status, if a person wants to receive anything from God, it can only be through Christ and by faith. This is God’s higher fairness and transcendent wisdom. Therefore, "What then shall we say, ?" (v.30)
"As he says in Hosea:“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,"'” (v.25) The Israelis found it hard to accept that God would save Gentiles through Jesus Christ. Paul helped them understand that this was according to God’s sovereignty. Today, God chooses Gentiles to become His people—do the Israelis have the right to oppose this? Can God not show mercy to the Gentiles?
According to God's sovereignty and His holy standard, people deserve destruction. But by God’s mercy, they still live. Whether Jew or Gentile, God shows mercy to them all. When Jesus came, He said that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners. As long as people acknowledge themselves as sinners, they can be chosen by God.
3. **What the Potter Cannot Change, God Can!**
Romans 9:22-23 says: "What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory?" Although the potter has the authority to determine the use of the same lump of clay, once the potter finishes making a vessel for honorable or dishonorable use, he cannot change the identity or function of that vessel. A vessel made for honor remains honorable, and a vessel made for dishonor remains dishonorable. However, God is different from the potter. God’s great power can change the identity and function of the vessel. His view of a vessel’s role is not fixed or unchangeable, but flexible, all for the purpose of showing mercy and bringing salvation.
"He has called these vessels, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles." How does God remain faithful to both Jews and Gentiles? God has the sovereign right to choose us to be either dishonorable vessels or vessels of glory, but His choice is not random. God’s choices always fulfill His will. Romans 9:24 says: "even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? " Why shouldn’t He?
As it says in Hosea: "I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”and,“In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’there they will be called ‘children of the living God.'" (v25-26)
This demonstrates that God not only calls the Jews, but also the Gentiles. He turns those who were not His people into His people, and those who were not loved into the beloved.
God selects vessels from both Jews and Gentiles to display His mercy, so that they are justified by faith.
In fact, when God created humans—before they sinned—God’s sovereignty and election had already prepared redemption. Humans have free will and could choose not to sin, but God knew that they would fail, so He had already prepared salvation. Today, if people do not choose the Gospel and do not believe in Jesus, they cannot blame God for being unfair or for letting them sin.
4. **"The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 'Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.' So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do."** (Jeremiah 18:1-4)
Verse 4 says: "And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do." Our God is truly good. When we are "spoiled," He doesn’t throw us away, but remakes us into "good" vessels. In God’s hands, every piece of clay can be made into a useful vessel. Even though we may have once left Him, sinned, or failed, and suffered in our sins, God never gives up on anyone.
How do you view your relationship with God? Do you truly respect His sovereignty over your life? Do you consider God’s will in everything you do and fear offending Him? More positively, when you do something, do you consider whether it brings glory to God? If you are willing to bring God glory, you will put your whole heart into what you do. When you fear offending God, there are naturally certain things you will avoid doing.
