Which Of You Will Contradict The Wisdom Of God?

The assertion that God is free to be merciful and free to exercise judgment, based solely on purposes that He finds within Himself, disturbs the very core of our human existence.  We know God has created us in His image.  We know God has given us intellect and choice.  Everything about the sovereignty of God seems to defy that.   The Bible is replete with assertions about the majesty of mankind as created by God and man's seeming unstoppable abilities and most certain accountability.

To assert that God is ultimately sovereign and we are not requires the most deflated humility.  So before Paul answers the question of this objector (“You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”” (Romans 9:19, ESV))   I like the Message paraphrase: “So how can God blame us for anything since he’s in charge of everything? If the big decisions are already made, what say do we have in it?”” (Romans 9:19, The Message).

Paul swings a pretty big hammer in response to this question.  He responds: “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? . . . ?" (Romans 9:20a, ESV).  "Answer back!"  What does that mean?  Does this mean we are not to ask questions?  Does this mean that we cannot pursue greater understanding with God on a particular topic?  No.   The Greek word that is translated "answer back" is ἀνταποκρίνομαι [antapokrinomai ]^[1] which carries with it the idea of contradicting the wisdom or refuting the judgment.

This word is used one other time in the New Testament.  It is found in Luke 14: “καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἀνταποκριθῆναι πρὸς ταῦτα.” (Luke 14:6, SBLGNT).  Note the context:

“One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”” (Luke 14:1–5, ESV)

The scenario of a man with dropsy in view of Jesus while he dined on the Sabbath was obviously a set-up. Our Master answered their question with profound wisdom.  Luke records that they could not answer back – they could not refute the wisdom of God.  Likewise Paul asks to us as readers of Romans 9, "Having been instructed in the wisdom of God, who are you to contradict God?"  At the end of this discussion in Romans 9-11, Paul is going to exclaim:

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33–36, ESV)

There is something else here also (note my emphasis): "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? "  Hear Paul's words: a mere mortal, a man, an finite, dependent, not to mention sinful creature will try to contradict the wisdom of the infinite, holy, righteous, eternal, self-existent, self-sufficient, all-wise God?   Normally when men hear the inscrutable wisdom of God they are dumbstruck.  When Job was in this position he replied to God, ". . . therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." (Job 42:3, ESV).

Once we are bowed low in genuine humility before the wisdom of God we are ready to hear his answer in the remainder of verse 20 and following.

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	The Truth. The Whole Truth. And Nothing But The Truth	Romans 9:1-2
2	How They Have Fallen!	Romans 9:3-5
3	Proceeding From or Belong To. The Difference is Life and Death.	Romans 9:6–9
4	It's Not Who You Are or What You've Done.	Romans 9:6–13
5	"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."	Romans 9:13
6	Is God Unjust?	Romans 9:14-16
7	God Is Free To Be Just. Would You Not Agree?	Romans 9:17-18
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9
10

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^[1] Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.

The Freedom of God

The most common objection that I receive regarding the sovereignty of God is that this doctrine stymie’s evangelism and makes prayer irrelevant.  I spoke once of the Five Points of Calvinism at a conference where a lady after my lecture on Unconditional Election stood in the aisle of the church and wept uncontrollably for her unsaved children and said, “If you are right why should I pray?”  The truth is that this doctrine is the hope of evangelism and pray, not its discouragement.  Andrew Wilson makes that clear:

“If the salvation of Israel, or Isaac or Jacob or you or me, depended on man, then it would not ultimately rest on the free, unconstrained, sovereign choice of God. You were not chosen because of your suitability for salvation, or even your pursuit of God; Yahweh is gracious to whom he will be gracious! Your current obedience or consistency is not the guarantee of God’s faithfulness; Yahweh will show mercy to whom he will show mercy! At each stage of Israel’s salvation history, and at every point in ours, a sinner’s status before God rests on God’s free choices, not man’s. Yahweh’s freedom means we can (and should!) give him all the credit for our salvation. It also means we can meaningfully pray for unbelievers, since his free choices outweigh theirs. It even means that no one, no matter how evil or resistant to him, is beyond his grace.”[1]

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[1] Wilson, Andrew (2013-05-21). Incomparable: Explorations in the Character of God (Kindle Locations 3126-3132). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition.

Is God Unfair And Am I A Robot?

Again, we need to remind ourselves as to what Paul has asserted up to this point:

1. Most of Israel is in unbelief and rejected by God (Romans 9:1-5).

2. This is not to be understood as God failing.  The promise of the eternal promises only applied to the elect (Romans 9:6-13)

3. God is righteous in His freedom to choose some and to harden (leave in their sin and rebellion) others. (Romans 9:14-18).

Now if you stop and think about it, what question does this bring to mind. God chooses some and not others?  Well the natural question would be: “You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”” (Romans 9:19, ESV). How can God judge people if He had the power to show mercy to them and He did not?  And if God has that much power, who can possibly resist Him?

So there are 2 questions here:  The first is important and often asked in one form or another.  This could be one of the leading objections to this teaching.  If God is in the driver's seat, how can He condemn those who seemingly have no recourse?  He is going to answer that in verses 20 and following.  What is important is to allow the weight of that question to sink deep.  Let me take you to another example and you will see what I mean.

In Isaiah 10:5–6 (ESV) we read: "⁵ Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! ⁶ Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets."  It was God's will that the Assyrians be brought into the service of His intentions.  They were to punish Israel, God's disobedient people.  If you were to read verse 7 you will see that Assyria had no intention to cooperate with God in His sovereign purposes.  They had their own agenda.  But apart from that Assyria is viewed as a rod and it is God who is wielding the rod (confirm verse 15 – see below).

Now once Assyria is used of God to do His purpose and will, God says, "I will punish him." (“When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.” (Isaiah 10:12, ESV)). 

Now let's look clearly at verse 15: “Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!”  Questions:

1. Who is the ax and who is swinging the ax?

2. Who is the saw and who is doing the sawing?

3. Can the Assyrian control God or alter His purposes?

4. Does a man use, control, or in any way thwart God's actions or purposes?

"Cut that verse any way you want and it always comes out the same way.  God moved and used the Assyrian to accomplish His plans of judgment, and the He punished the Assyrian for what he did simply because he did it with the wrong motive and with no thought of God at all. Does this sound unfair for God to use people and then punish them for what they do?"[1]

The Apostle is about to answer that question, but he raises another: "For who can resist his will?'^[2] This again is a common objection.  It is most often framed this way: "If what you say is true then we are all puppets."   The Scriptures will answer that, but again allow that weight of that question to rest heavily upon your mind by noting that that the implied answer to this rhetorical question is "No one"!

After experiencing the most excruciating and most inexplicable expressions of God's will, Job said this: ““I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2, ESV)  And in Isaiah 14:27 (ESV) we read, "For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?"

If God is free to be merciful to whom He wants and just to whom He wants, why am I accountable; for how can I resist a God like that?  Paul will answer that question.

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	The Truth. The Whole Truth. And Nothing But The Truth	Romans 9:1-2
2	How They Have Fallen!	Romans 9:3-5
3	Proceeding From or Belong To. The Difference is Life and Death.	Romans 9:6–9
4	It's Not Who You Are or What You've Done.	Romans 9:6–13
5	"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."	Romans 9:13
6	Is God Unjust?	Romans 9:14-16
7	God Is Free To Be Just. Would You Not Agree?	Romans 9:17-18
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9
10

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[1] Reisinger, John G., The Sovereignty of God in Providence, Sound of Grace, Webster NY, USA, Undated, Page 15

^[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Ro 9:19). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

God Is Free To Be Just. Would You Not Agree?

I tend to be a visual person and love graphs and diagrams.  If we were to chart the argument of Paul thus far, I think it would look like this:

	He is free in mercy	Example: Moses	Example: Jacob	Example: Isaac	Example: Children of Promise
Main Answer to the Question, "Is God unjust in election?" No, God is free to do as He wants.
	He is free in hardening (or free to act judicially)	Example: Pharaoh	Example: Esau	Example: Ishmael	Example: Children of the Flesh

A difficult question has to do with this issue of the hardening of Pharaoh.  We needn't argue that God is "free" to do that, but we should ask about what all this really means.  First of all we notice that in the text there is an equivalence between God showing His power through Pharaoh and God hardening Pharaoh.  Note:

“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Romans 9:17–18, ESV)

Why do I know that God is essentially saying that He exalted Pharaoh in order to harden him.  Well note these two passages from the Old Testament account:

Exodus 4:21 (ESV), ²¹ And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

Exodus 7:3–4 (ESV), ³ But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, ⁴ Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.

Now just as a note, there is often the response of skeptics to say, "Well yes, Pharaoh hardened his own heart and God just acted judicially in response to that."  As much as that attempt to make God seem unjust is a sincere intention that is not what the Bible says.  The Bible is clear that God hardened Pharaoh's heart and in fact He is just and free to do that.  What did that hardening result in?  It resulted in Pharaoh not listening to the voice of God. 

Now because we know that God is not the author of sin (2Chronicles 19:7), nor does He tempt men to sin (James 1:13), how does God harden a man's heart?  In the case of Israel, the prophet Isaiah records his appeal to God for Israel, “O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage.” (Isaiah 63:17, ESV).  That's a good question.  In the next chapter we seem to get a sense of how God hardened Israel's heart.  There we read, “There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.” (Isaiah 64:7, ESV).

I think it is right to say that God hardens the heart of a man, not by what He does, but by what He doesn't do.  In the case of Israel God turned His face of grace away from them and left them in the consequence of their sin. The Reformation Study Bible affirms this notion: "When God “hardens” Pharaoh’s heart (v. 18), He does not create fresh evil in it, but gives Pharaoh over to his already evil desires as an act of judgment, resulting eventually in God’s display of “power” (v. 22) in the destruction of Pharaoh’s army (Ex. 14:17, 18, 23–28)."^[1]

When God is said to "harden" the heart of a person, He is acting in divine justice.  Paul has already stated in Romans 1 that God's justice on the unrepentant human race is that "God gave them up."[2] I suggest that this act of justice is also called in Scriptures as "God hardening."  The end result is that those to whom God does not show mercy, He extends justice and that justice is leaving man in his own sin and rebellion resulting in a hardened heart.

We are either objects of God's mercy, or objects of God's justice.  God is free to be merciful to whom He desires and free to be just to whom He desires.  He is not unjust in either case. This brings another objection.

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	The Truth. The Whole Truth. And Nothing But The Truth	Romans 9:1-2
2	How They Have Fallen!	Romans 9:3-5
3	Proceeding From or Belong To. The Difference is Life and Death.	Romans 9:6–9
4	It's Not Who You Are or What You've Done.	Romans 9:6–13
5	"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."	Romans 9:13
6	Is God Unjust?	Romans 9:14-16
7
8
9
10

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^[1] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ro 9:14). Nashville: T. Nelson.

[2] “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:24–28, ESV)

Fighting For Free Will

In his defense of God's righteousness, the Apostle has established the freedom of God in election. This is profound.  For centuries and up to these days the doctrine of man's freedom of the will has been contested, defended, attacked, but more often it is been zealously protected. We are quick to embrace the so-called freedom of man, but fail to offer the same courtesy to our sovereign and absolute God.

"The freedom of God, also called divine freedom, designates that God is free and 'not constrained by anyone other than himself. He does what he pleases (Ps. 115:3), and therefore he is always free... He is not bound to the dictates of anyone else. He does make promises, to be sure, which obligate him to do certain things, but he makes those promises voluntarily.'"[1]

Having shown from God's revelation of his glory to Moses, Paul now moves to another example: Pharaoh. “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Romans 9:17–18, ESV)

Now, before we get into the specifics, it is important to see what Paul is doing here.  The choosing of Moses and Pharaoh is not arbitrary.  Let me explain:

Previously Paul showed God's elective decisions in the brothers of Jacob and Esau.  Now he chooses complimentary examples: Moses and Pharaoh.  One a Hebrew, the other a Gentile.  But both examples are used for a common purpose, that is, to show that God's elective decisions are accomplished in the freedom of God's will and for the glory of His Name.  If we went back to Exodus we would recall that Moses wanted to see God's glory.  God's response was to reveal His Name. (“And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Exodus 33:19, ESV)) [Emphasis mine]

Now in the example of Pharaoh God is saying the same thing.  His elective determination regarding this Gentile king that maintains His freedom, is all about the glory of His Name. (“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”” (Romans 9:17, ESV))  [Emphasis Mine]

Now we understand what is at stake here.  Now we understand why this is not just a peripheral doctrine that can be taken or left.  The glory of God, the Name of God is a stake here.  So God says to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16 (ESV): "¹⁶ But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth."  I will unpack that further in the next blog, but for the moment notice that Paul is using this occurrence to support two absolute principles:

“So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (Romans 9:16, ESV)

“So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Romans 9:18, ESV)

The "so then" identifies the point we are to take away.  The "it depends" is God's unconditional election.  It depends on nothing outside of God.  His will is ultimate.

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	The Truth. The Whole Truth. And Nothing But The Truth	Romans 9:1-2
2	How They Have Fallen!	Romans 9:3-5
3	Proceeding From or Belong To. The Difference is Life and Death.	Romans 9:6–9
4	It's Not Who You Are or What You've Done.	Romans 9:6–13
5	"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."	Romans 9:13
6	Is God Unjust?	Romans 9:14-16
7
8
9
10

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[1] http://www.theopedia.com/freedom-of-god

Ultimate and Secondary Choices.

Yesterday, August 23rd, as I preached on Psalm 119:33-40, I made this comment about verse 35 (“Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.” (Psalm 119:35, ESV)):

"The Hebrew here is "make me walk"; or "cause me to walk".  The songwriter shows us a couple things here.  First of all he reminds us who must ultimately work in our lives for us to be successful.  Yes, God uses our decisions and our choices.  But He holds the ultimate choice.  Our choices are necessary but it's His choice that gives them power.  And the greatest expression of Holy Spirit power is to happily obey."

Had I thought of this earlier I would have illustrated that point by taking the congregation to 2 Corinthians 8:16–17 (ESV) where we read:

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.

Notice 3 things:

1. The ultimate cause of Titus' concern and care was that "God put it into His heart."

2. The ultimate cause did not violate the will and the passion of Titus.  He went on "his own accord."

3. Not only did he go willing, he went with great passion and "earnest".

There is indeed a mystery here, but that does not negate its truthfulness.  Titus cared for the Corinthians because of his own will, neither coerced nor manipulated by anyone, including God; but he also went to them in compassion because God put it into his heart. One does not abrogate or negate the other.

Is God Unjust?

When we labor through a passage a bit at a time, we can easily lose sight to the big picture.  Let me recap.   Paul is defending the righteousness of God in the act of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone.  That's the theme of Romans. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”” (Romans 1:16–17, ESV)

In the 8th Chapter, Paul makes this astounding statement: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29–30, ESV)

Now if those to whom God chose will ultimately be glorified, this raises a huge question.  What of the nation of Jews whom He chose and now are seemingly lost?  Paul makes an earth-shaking assertion: “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”” (Romans 9:6–7, ESV)

Paul then offers a couple illustrations to show that.  Ishmael and Isaac were both sons of Abraham but only Isaac was the chosen one.  Another illustration is Jacob and Esau – both sons of Isaac.  "The value of the account of the two brothers is to make clear that in election God does not wait until individuals or nations are developed and then make a choice on the basis of character or achievement. If he did so, this would make a mockery of the concept of election, because it would locate the basis in man rather than in God and his purpose. God's love for Jacob, then, must be coupled with election rather than explained by some worthiness found in him (cf. Deut 7:6-8)." [1]

We have learned critical interpretative details in all this along with the basic truths. 

#1: Everything culminates in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Everything!

#2: The saving promises to Israel apply ONLY to believing Israel.

Now Paul anticipates some objections – objections we would and should have. Here's the issue: "What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part?"^[2] Why the objection?  Well think about it.  Paul just wrote, “though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—” (Romans 9:11, ESV).  God chose to bless one brother over the other brother, based on nothing they had done.  That sounds unfair.  That sounds unrighteous.  That sounds unjust.

So how does Paul answer?  First of all he writes, "By no means" -- μὴ γένοιτο (May it not be!). Over a dozen times Paul uses this phrase in his letters.  " This expression (Gr mē genoito) corresponds to the Hebrew chalilah which is translated the same in the KJV of Genesis 44:17; Joshua 22:29; 24:16; 1 Kings 21:3; et al. It is an expression which indicates a recoiling abhorrence, utter shock, and disgust. It has been variously translated as “good heavens, no,” “may it not prove to be so,” “perish the thought,” etc."^[3]  Of course God is not unjust!  Why?

God is not unjust “for he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (Romans 9:15–16, ESV). This quotation is from Exodus 33:19.  Moses asked God to show him His glory (v18).  Paul's point is that it is the glory of God to extend mercy to whomever He wills and not the result of any activity or merit found in human beings.  The purpose why God chose Jacob over Esau is found in God alone.

"When God shows mercy it is not a person receiving a reward earned by one’s own efforts, but God’s sovereign free grace extended to persons who are morally incapable of any acceptable effort (1:18–3:20). God owes mercy to none, so there is no injustice when mercy is not shown. Mercy is a divine prerogative; it rests on God’s good pleasure."^[4]  "Mercy, like grace, stands over against human worth and effort whenever salvation is concerned. It is free because God is not bound to show mercy to any."[5]

Ultimately the objection that is levied upon God for choosing one person over another is an objection based upon a gross misunderstanding of God Himself.  Moving from Moses, to Pharaoh, Paul will give another example of this glorifying freedom that God has.

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	The Truth. The Whole Truth. And Nothing But The Truth	Romans 9:1-2
2	How They Have Fallen!	Romans 9:3-5
3	Proceeding From or Belong To. The Difference is Life and Death.	Romans 9:6–9
4	It's Not Who You Are or What You've Done.	Romans 9:6–13
5	"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."	Romans 9:13
6

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[1] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Romans/Exposition of Romans/VI. The Problem of Israel: God's Righteousness Vindicated (9:1-11:36)/B. God's Choice of Israel Based on Election, Not on Natural Generation or Works of Merit (9:6-13), Book Version: 4.0.2

^[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Ro 9:14). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[3] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2216). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[4] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ro 9:14). Nashville: T. Nelson.

[5] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Romans/Exposition of Romans/VI. The Problem of Israel: God's Righteousness Vindicated (9:1-11:36)/C. God's Freedom to Act in His Own Sovereign Right (9:14-29), Book Version: 4.0.2

Innocence Thinks No Evil

"A childlike trust expresses itself most clearly by not thinking evil.  This is precisely what we mean when we speak of innocence of children. Though they are most assuredly infected and affected by sin, as a general rule, children are ready to believe the best about others.  Despite the evident sins even of their own parents, children tend to believe that their parents mean them well, that they are looking out for their children's best interests.  Why is this?  Because despite the reality of their own sin, children are not driven by crass motives, and they have a terribly difficult time understanding and accepting the crass motives of others." [1]



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1. R.C. Sproul Jr., The Call to Wonder, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Illinois, USA, 2012, Page 19.

Doctrine and Evangelism

This is excellent.  I read this in Dr. Schirrmacher's paper entitled An Appeal for Alternative Education Models for Church and Missions

In the paper he quotes his own work in the Book of Romans [1] 

1. Anyone who pursues missions pragmatically but ignores doctrine is ministering in his own commission; he is disregarding what God has said about evangelism.

2. Anyone who teaches "doctrine" not centered in missions and not aimed PRO MUNDIS is teaching his own doctrine and is disregarding God’s reasons for doctrine.

3. Biblical missions always begin with sound doctrine. Sound doctrine always leads to missions.

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1.  Der Römerbrief. 2 vol. Hänssler: Neuhausen, 19941; RVB: Hamburg, 20012; see also „Romans as a Charter of World Mission: A Lesson in the Relation of Systematic Theology and Missiology“. Reflection: An International Reformed Review of Missiology 4 (1993/94) 1/2 (Sept–Nov): 34–39 = International Journal of Frontier Missions 10 (1993) 4 (Oct): 159– 162 = Chalcedon Report No. 342 (Jan 1994): 43–47; reprinted in Thomas Schirrmacher. World Mission – Heart of Christianity. RVB: Hamburg, 2000.

"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

So far in this study of Romans 9 Paul has clarified that that eternal promises of God to Israel have not been revoked, nor has God reneged in any way.  The reason is that the promises were not made to Israel according to the flesh, but rather that part of the nation that was chosen by God according to election. The remnant, in other words. This election is not based upon foreseen actions, deeds or faith but simply by God's purpose.  And then we read this summarizing sentence as Paul wraps up the illustration of Jacob and Esau:

“As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”” (Romans 9:13, ESV)

"The citation of Mal. 1:2–3 also shows that God set his saving love on Jacob and rejected (hated) Esau."^[1] Malachi 1:2–3 (ESV) reads this way: ² “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob ³ but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”

When Israel was under the rule of the Persians, God raised up the prophet Malachi. The Temple is being rebuilt in Jerusalem but the people are apathetic and misdirected. "^[2] The book of Malachi focuses on the restoration of the covenantal relationship between God and His people."  Malachi uses such metaphors as marriage and divorce to describe the relationship between God and this nation. He speaks of a coming judgment but also promises survival by some through the advent of a Messiah.

In this first chapter of Malachi, God affirms His love for Israel and apparently the nation questioned God's affection by asking how.  This is a natural question in relation to the present conflict and the conquest and captivity of the nation.  God affirms His sovereign choice of Israel by comparing His treatment of Jacob's brother, Esau.  " God’s love for Jacob was shown in His choice and preservation of Jacob/Israel, and his hate for Esau is shown by Edom’s desolation." ^[3]  In demonstration of His hatred for Edom, God cites the fact that He " laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert."  Although Edom (Esau's people) say they will rebuild, God says, "They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’"^[4]

Israel's fortunes are much better.  Now Paul uses this text to show that God will be faithful to the promises He made and His faithfulness is based upon His sovereign election.  " God’s love for Jacob was shown in His choice and preservation of Jacob/Israel, and his hate for Esau is shown by Edom’s desolation."^[5]   " In this context loved refers to choice rather than affection, and hated refers to rejection rather than animosity." ^[6]  So in context we could paraphrase Romans 9:13 this way, "Jacob have I chosen, Esau have I rejected."  " The love and hate spoken of here are not related to the emotions; they are related to the will. God, by the act of His sovereign will, chose Israel, rather than Esau."^[7]

Now back to Romans 9: Both Jacob and Esau are legally offspring of the child of promise, Isaac. Yet Jacob the younger is served by Esau the elder.  This event occurred in keeping with God's elective purposes; and His election is based not upon emotion, but simply because He chose to.

Jesus once told a potential disciple that he must "hate" his father and mother if he would follow Him (Luke 14:26).  Obviously Christ was not advocating the emotion of hate.  In this biblical hyperbole Jesus is saying that the love a disciple has for Christ ought to be so great in comparison to human relations that a disciple ought to outright reject one for a choice of the other.  Paul is simply saying that "God has chosen Jacob to fulfill His elective purpose, but He has rejected Esau. The divine rationale for this action is simply the elective purpose of God in Israel.^[8]  At the same time, we must not minimize the weight of these words.  Malachi 1:1–5 shows us the rejection of Esau also is accompanied by God's judgment against Esau and his descendants.  And just as there are positive judgments implied in the rejection, there are positive blessings implied in God's choice of Israel.

At this juncture, the Apostle will now seek to answer the obvious objections.

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	The Truth. The Whole Truth. And Nothing But The Truth	Romans 9:1-2
2	How They Have Fallen!	Romans 9:3-5
3	Proceeding From or Belong To. The Difference is Life and Death.	Romans 9:6–9
4	It's Not Who You Are or What You've Done.	Romans 9:6–13
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^[1] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2173). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[2] Rob O’Lynn. (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015). Malachi, Book of. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1846). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Mal 1:4). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[5] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1846). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[6] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1774). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[7] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1846). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[8] Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Ro 9:13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.