Romans 9:6-24
9:6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7 nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted." 8 This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise declared: "About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son." 10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac— 11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)— 12 it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger," 13 just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 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 human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?" 20 But who indeed are you--a mere human being--to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? 22 But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
Can anyone explain this passage of the Bible in a way where:
God is still just?
God is still love?
God is still good?
God is still merciful?
God is still beautiful?
God is still righteous
God is still impartial?
How can man’s freewill still exist if no one can resist His will? If freewill does not exist then how can a man be held responsible for his own sin? How can God be just if He holds a man responsible and sends him to hell in torment forever for merely existing in the form in which he was created, for fulfilling his designed purpose? How is God not deliberately creating people to be evil and to be tortured so He can look righteous and powerful by comparison?
The picture I get here is that of a psychotic puppet maker who deliberately creates a puppet who can feel pain. He paints it the color black, which he hates. Then he physically tortures it to an excruciating degree for all eternity for being painted black, for being the very color he painted it to be. The puppet is then scolded and even belittled for daring to ask why he was painted black instead of white, the puppet maker’s favorite color. Isn’t this puppet maker in essence really torturing and holding His own puppet responsible for what he (the puppet maker) alone has done. Would not the responsibility for this really rest with the puppet maker himself for the puppet cannot be in actuality anything other than what he was created to be?
How, indeed, then can God still find fault with us? How can this be righteousness and justice? This seems like a bad nightmare. My dog is treated better than this in my house. Is this really what is being communicated here? If not, then what?
This is not intended as an attack on anyone! These are sincere questions and I am looking for real and substantial answers. This is a sincere cry for an answer! What am I missing? Please tell me how I am wrong here!
Best wishes to all who read this!
Ken
9:6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 7 nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted." 8 This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise declared: "About a year from now I will return and Sarah will have a son." 10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac— 11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)— 12 it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger," 13 just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 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 human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?" 20 But who indeed are you--a mere human being--to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? 22 But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
Can anyone explain this passage of the Bible in a way where:
God is still just?
God is still love?
God is still good?
God is still merciful?
God is still beautiful?
God is still righteous
God is still impartial?
How can man’s freewill still exist if no one can resist His will? If freewill does not exist then how can a man be held responsible for his own sin? How can God be just if He holds a man responsible and sends him to hell in torment forever for merely existing in the form in which he was created, for fulfilling his designed purpose? How is God not deliberately creating people to be evil and to be tortured so He can look righteous and powerful by comparison?
The picture I get here is that of a psychotic puppet maker who deliberately creates a puppet who can feel pain. He paints it the color black, which he hates. Then he physically tortures it to an excruciating degree for all eternity for being painted black, for being the very color he painted it to be. The puppet is then scolded and even belittled for daring to ask why he was painted black instead of white, the puppet maker’s favorite color. Isn’t this puppet maker in essence really torturing and holding His own puppet responsible for what he (the puppet maker) alone has done. Would not the responsibility for this really rest with the puppet maker himself for the puppet cannot be in actuality anything other than what he was created to be?
How, indeed, then can God still find fault with us? How can this be righteousness and justice? This seems like a bad nightmare. My dog is treated better than this in my house. Is this really what is being communicated here? If not, then what?
This is not intended as an attack on anyone! These are sincere questions and I am looking for real and substantial answers. This is a sincere cry for an answer! What am I missing? Please tell me how I am wrong here!
Best wishes to all who read this!
Ken
. I hope this little bit of what God showed me when I was struggling helps you. I will pray for you Ken. May you find the answers that are in Christ.