The Potter's Wheel

 

We have just finished the Great Chapter 8, which summarizes the work God does on behalf of the Christian, we now enter one of the most difficult passages of Scripture in Romans 9. Studying the book of Romans is deep and can be difficult at times because there is so much to wrestle through as our human finite minds try to comprehend the redemptive plan of an infinite God (I find it fun). We find great comfort in the promise that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ” (Rom. 8:1), and “the suffering of the present time is not worthy of being compared to the glory to be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18), and “for those who love God, all things work together for good, to those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28), and “we are more than conquers” (Rom. 8:37), and “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Rom. 8:38-39) to mention a few.

 

The difficulty often arises with some theological words like foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified. (These are amazing and deep, and I encourage some good theological play in discussions about them.) Understanding these concepts has been a major discussion for over 2,000 years by some of the greatest thinkers and continues to be a topic worthy of wrestling through, so do not feel pressured to feel like you have it all figured out. How we interpret these texts depends on our faith background, theological influences, and our own spiritual development and journey. The most important thing in discussing theology is to remain humble, teachable, and loving. Most of the discussions regarding the interpretations of this text are among fellow believers, meaning it is a family discussion. The fact that these concepts and passages provoke emotional responses and pique our insecurities should remind us to remain humble in our discussion. When we come to Scripture, we will encounter truths too deep for us to comprehend because they reveal a God who is beyond our comprehension. Yet, what he has revealed to us is sufficient for us to place our faith in him. We are on a journey with our brothers and sisters to understand our God deeper and fuller. If you are excited about Romans 9 and love the chapter, or if you are confused by it and cannot understand parts of it, or if you would rather just avoid it, I hope that our discussion today will invite you into a deeper understanding of God and his plan for your life.

 

Read Romans 9:1-29

 

What stands out to you? What questions come to mind?

 

It’s good to wrestle through the text yourself before engaging in debates or commentaries. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the questions or answers you are seeking.

 

Let’s look at the bookends of our discussion today: Rom. 9:1-5 and Rom. 9:25-29.

 

This section starts with Paul’s passion for lost Israel.

 

Book End 1: Passion for the Lost: Rom. 9:1-5

 

Paul so desperately wanted his fellow Israelites to know Jesus that he had “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” in his heart for them. Do you ever have sorrow or anguish for the lost in your family, neighborhood, school, or workplace? What does that even mean? I was challenged by Francis Chan’sstory when he was preaching on this passage. He recounted a time when he watched his grandmother slip away into eternity without knowing if she was a believer or not. It wrecked him. He describes the anguish he felt from the loss and how it turned into a passionate plea to his brother about trusting Jesus. The lost are heading to a real Hell and eternity matters. That is why we must preach Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and risen.

 

Greg Stier, from Dare2Share ministries, talked about going to the mall to people-watch. Well, more than people-watch, he imagined a sign on their foreheads that said: “lost”. As he began to realize how many people walked by that were heading to hell it provoked a deep sorrow in his heart and an urgency to evangelize. That is how Dare2Share began, a young man developing a passion for the lost.

 

Paul’s zeal for the truth never eclipsed his passion for the lost. As you read Romans 9, understand it is written by one of the greatest evangelists of all time who traveled through hardship and pain to deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost of the world. It is through the message of Christ (Rom. 10:17) that God’s grace and mercy are revealed.

 

Bookend 2: God’s Grace and Mercy Revealed: 9:25-29

 

Have you read the book of Hosea? Do you know the story? Paul refers back to Hosea here, but we must understand what Hosea went through to understand the implications of these statements. Read Hosea 1- 3. I wish I could take time to unpack Hosea here, but you can read what I wrote about the story previously in An Outrageous Request and Better Than I Deserve.

 

Hosea was told to marry an unfaithful wife as an object lesson of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Their children’s names meant “judgment is coming,” “not my people,” and “no mercy.” These were children born from unfaithfulness and rebellion. Sin separates us from God and removes the blessings of God. But Jesus went to the cross to pay for the judgment we were owed. Being in Christ means those who were once not his people are now his people, and those who did not receive mercy, now receive mercy.

 

When Paul refers to this in Romans 9, he is telling us about the heart behind God’s redemptive plan and purpose for election. We see it both in Paul’s passion for the lost, which God’s passion is even greater than Paul’s (2 Pet. 3:9). And we see it in the grace and mercy for those who were once not his people are being drawn into his family (Rom. 9:26). This is God’s purpose for election.

 

God’s Purpose for Election: Romans 9:6-18

 

Election simply means to choose. Election, or choosing, is throughout the Bible. For our study tonight, we are just going to understand the fact that God has a chosen plan for history and redemption. We will not try to understand the mechanism but explore the reality. God chose Abraham’s family to be the people who carried along the promises of God for the redemption of all mankind. Although God elected Abraham, not all of his children were a part of the promise. Paul further demonstrates that not all who were born Israelites truly belonged to Israel, or people of promise. The description of those who do not belong are called “children of the flesh” and those who do belong are “children of the promise.” The evidence of election is based on faith in Christ and trust in the promises of God. Those who do not believe in God or try to work for their salvation are missing out on the promise. Paul refers to four examples to tease this out.

 

Four Examples

 

Abraham and Sarah – God promised Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age. Isaac is the son of the promise. God chose Abraham and Sarah for the promise, he chose Isaac, before he was born, to be a partial fulfillment of the promise and the one to carry on the promise through his family.

 

Isaac and Rebekah – God chose to carry on the promise through one of Isaac and Rebekah’s sons. Before they were born, God said the “older will serve the younger,” implying the younger son will be the carry of the promise (Gen. 25:23). Understand, Jacob did not outperform Esau for the right to carry the promise, God chose him before they were born. It was not because of works or worthiness. Just like when we come to salvation today, we cannot do anything to earn our salvation, it is only because of God’s free will to save us through the provision that he has made in Christ Jesus.

 

Jacob and Esau – When Paul says, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau I hated,” he is referring to Micah 1. As we consider this hard saying we do not hesitate with the “Jacob have I loved” part because God is love. It’s the “Esau have I hated” that we struggle with. We are talking about the promised covenant of God through Abraham being passed on through one family line, which ultimately will be the line that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is born into.

 

The word for “love” here in Hebrew means “choosing covenant faithfulness.” When looking back at Malachi and the rest of history, God has demonstrated a conscious willingness to act on behalf of Israel, repeatedly and faithfully. This does not mean that he did not punish Israel but that he will not give up on Israel.

 

Whereas the word for “hate” does not mean considered worthless but rejected regarding the promise. In Malachi 1, the prophet declares the word of the Lord to punish the nation of Edom (the descendants of Esau) for their sins and mistreatment of Israel. The destruction they would endure would demonstrate God’s greatness in the world (Malachi 1:5).

 

This phrase “Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated,” is used by Paul to demonstrate how God’s purpose of election has been passed on through Abraham, to Isaac, and then to Jacob, not to Jacob’s other son Esau. It should be clear that God’s rejection of Esau/Edom does not mean the individuals from Esau’s line cannot find redemption in the promises of God, but it is through the line of Jacob that Jesus would bring salvation to all who believe.  

 

Pharaoh – Paul’s fourth and final example we will look at is found in the ruler of Egypt, Pharaoh (Ex. 7-11). God told Moses that he would choose who to have mercy on whomever he pleases. As we read the story of the Exodus, Pharaoh refused to hear the message of the Lord through Moses. Seven times he had the opportunity to repent and obey God’s commands, but he refused and hardened his heart. Then, some of the saddest words in Scripture take place, “the Lord hardened Pharoah’s heart” (Ex. 10:20, 27; 11:10). Pharaoh was cut off for the purpose of showing the mighty name of God through all the earth (Ex. 9:16, Rom. 91:7). This leads Paul to declare that God has mercy “on whomever he wills” and God hardens “whomever he wills.”

 

This truth is played out throughout the Bible. Pause for a moment and create a list of those who were unlikely but received mercy and those who were hardened, some of them surprising.

 

Received mercy – Jacob, Rahab, Ruth, Nebuchadnezzar, the Centurion

Received hardening – Pharaoh, Judas, Herod, the Pharisees

 

In that short list, we see the examples of God’s choosing some and passing over others. This is a hard truth to understand.

 

This is Tough: Romans 9:19-24

 

As Paul is writing this teaching, he anticipates people’s pushback. This is hard to understand. Paul knew it would be hard but being hard to understand does not mean it is not true. If we were to try to iron out the mechanism of this teaching we can end up in very different camps, but we have to acknowledge that what has been said is in the Bible and has been recorded for us to humbly come to and trust God.

 

Paul follows God’s pattern in the book of Job (Job 38-42), by asking some rhetorical questions about the potter and the clay. Does the clay have the right to question the potter’s choice? Does the clay have the right to question the potter’s use of the clay?

 

I am thankful Paul uses this illustration of a potter and the clay. Have you ever seen the process of making a vessel out of clay? The potter first must soften the clay to make it formable. He then throws it onto the potter’s wheel and spins it at high rotation. As it is spinning, the potter can easily mold it into something. Trying to understand all of this and wrap our minds around these teachings can feel like we are spinning round and round on the potter’s wheel. Be patient and trust the Potter, for he is forming something in you for his glory and your greatest good.

 

Here is what we do know God has chosen a redemptive plan and purpose that he has been working out throughout history. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob. He has been faithful to that promise to bring to pass the birth and life of Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the Law, which Israel (and all mankind) was unable to fulfill. Jesus went to the cross to pay for our sins and provide a way of salvation for all those who believe. Thereby he is both the just and the justifier of those who believe. In God’s sovereign choice, he called the Jewish people, but he also called out some from the Gentile nations.

 

This chapter helps us see that in God’s redemptive plan, he has a passion for the lost, a plan for the lost, and he has grace and mercy on the lost who believe. Our humble approach to this tough topic is to be the clay that simply trusts the Potter to do what is best for his glory and our greatest good.

 

 

The Good

He saw the fear in their eyes as they took anxious breaths. They did not understand the significance of the events that had led to this moment. Sure, they tried to live good lives and make up for their past mistakes, but the one sin they all conspired to commit was huge. He empathized with their panicked pains and worries and was tempted to let it linger, however, he quietly thanked God for giving him an eternal perspective based on faith in the promises of God. Faith in God gave him hope that allowed him to persevere through rejection, servitude, and prison with a positive mindset and a faithful life. Hope is powerful! Not only were they mourning the death of their father, but they feared for their lives. He compassionately began to say, 

“Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:19–20).

In this vignette from the life of Joseph, we see exactly what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:28, and really the whole section. Joseph saw beyond his present circumstances to something beyond his own experience, believing God was working a bigger story than his own struggles. His statement to his brothers reveals his belief in the sovereign hand of God working behind the scenes to bring forth good for his people. Keep this in mind as you read through the passage.

Read Romans 8:18-30

Future Glory – Romans 8:18-25

In this section, Paul is calling us to look beyond this temporal, present time. To look beyond our current suffering. He is not dismissing the reality of suffering or the realness of the pain we feel going through it. However, in light of eternity, what we are enduring in this moment is like comparing one grain of sand with the beaches of the world. Having an eternal perspective transforms the way we think about hardship (2 Cor. 4:17). What we face today is not worth comparing to the hope we have in the future, which is yet to be revealed. I love this verse, Romans 8:18, and find myself quoting it and reflecting on it often. What is this glory to be revealed “in us”? 

It is the “redemption of our bodies” (v. 23) as adopted children of God. Paul is speaking of the “already not yet” aspects of our faith. In Christ, we are adopted and redeemed spiritually. Here Paul tells us that one day our bodies, and all of creation, will be redeemed. The curse will be lifted, and sin and corruption will be done away with. I find it interesting to read that “not only creation…groan” waiting for our adoption. The relationship that humanity has with creation is significant and worthy of exploring deeper than the few comments I will make here. 

God made all of creation a special place for humanity to live. God spoke creation into existence out of nothing (ex nihilo) and from creation he formed the first man, Adam. In Hebrew, the word for earth is adama and the word for man is Adam. From the dust of the earth, man was formed in a unique relationship. When Adam sinned, a curse was brought on all of creation, and since that time creation has groaned for freedom from the curse. The groaning of creation and our souls is likened to the groanings resulting from childbirth. That is deep, intense, visceral groans through pain that results in the birth of a child. Likening the groanings to childbirth also gives the implication that there is something being delivered, hope. Creation is longing for us to be in our glorified, adopted, and redeemed bodies, free of the curse. A return to Eden without sin, where once again God, man, and creation will be reconciled and restored. Just something to think about.

Present Help – Romans 26-27

An eternal perspective helps us through our trials, but God has given us more than the hope of final redemption in the future; he gives us His Spirit to empower our present. The Spirit helps us presently in our weakness. Right after mentioning weakness, Paul mentions prayer. Not only does he bring up prayer, but he says we don’t even know how to pray as we ought to pray. Pray is a wonderful gift God has given to us to commune with him. Elsewhere, Paul says we should pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16-18). I have to admit that I do not pray as often as I should or in the way I ought to pray. Most of humanity avoids prayer during the good times, but isn’t it amazing to see how people start to pray when things are difficult? I don’t fault them for that, for I am the same way. Pain reminds me to pray. Even atheists find themselves praying in the midst of tragedy. Prayer is an instinctual gift that God has given to us, but like any gift, it has to be developed to fully appreciate. 

Paul recognizes our weakness and reveals that the Spirit “intercedes” for us when we don’t have the words to say. Intercedes is to pray on someone else’s behalf. The Holy Spirit prays in our place. Notice how the Spirit groans (same word) for us. Creation groans, our spirit groans, and the Holy Spirit groans, longing for the delivery of redemption. This Spirit searches out our hearts and minds, knows what we need, and communicates to the Father on our behalf according to the Father’s will. So when you find yourself at a loss for words, just an internal groaning and longing for God to move, the Spirit translates the thoughts that we cannot even put together. In Christ, we confidently know that the Holy Spirit has our back. 

Perfecting Good – Romans 8:28-30

8:28 is one of the most quoted, misquoted, and misunderstood verses. It is one of the most hopeful verses but also has been used as a trite response to tragedy. I love, love, love 8:28, but we must be careful when and how we use it to encourage others with. When someone is in the midst of suffering, they may not be ready to hear “God’s working for your good in this” while that person is questioning the goodness of God. Do not use Scripture like a Band-Aid, which can be insensitive. Rather, we want to use the Scripture to bring healing from the inside out. 8:28 is true. Whether we quote it at the right time or not, it is still true. However, when someone’s family member dies and they are mourning the loss, just quoting 8:28 and walking away does not make the separation that death brings less painful. How is it good that my family member is gone? However, as a believer, understanding 8:28 will help you process life when you go through loss and struggle.

When we read 8:28, most of the time we have a misconception about what is “good”. I want to define what is good for Brad. I have dreams and aspirations and I begin to expect God to fulfill my vision of good, which leads me to disappointment when “my will” is not done. That is not what 8:28 is talking about. Let’s explore this deeper:

God is working (Phil. 1:6). God is working in all things, in all circumstances. God is working for good in all things, in all circumstances, for those who love him. God is for those who love him. God has called them that love him to a deeper and fuller good. What is good? God is good (Matt. 10:18). God calls you to his goodness, so that we will be like him. God created the world good and will restore the world to good in the end. Right now, he is working to recreate those who love him into the image of Christ. Every struggle and circumstance God uses to chisel away our brokenness and shape us into the image of Christ. Our good, that God is working in us, is to loosen our grip on this temporary world, and cultivate an eternal perspective that desires God’s glory and mission above the comforts of this world. 

I never realized how poorly I understood 8:28 until I was on sabbatical a few years ago and attended a church with my friend. The pastor had just returned from his own sabbatical and was preaching for the first time in weeks. His circumstances for his sabbatical was different than my own, for his was birthed from tragedy. Several weeks earlier, his child had drowned in a pool and died. No parent should have to experience the death of their child. And yet, this faithful brother had to walk through that experience with his family. How do you answer those questions? His first sermon back, he elected to preach on Romans 8:28 and said, “I thought I knew what good meant, but now I know what it means.” In his tragic loss, he experienced the goodness of God in profound ways and taught us that good means something different then we expect, harder than we anticipate, but better than we can imagine. 

I also picture this good from another story. Another pastor was nearing the end of his life and struggling with cancer. His body was not cooperating with the medicines and his end was looming. He sat with a man he was mentoring and talked about heaven and what God was teaching him, even on his deathbed. As he was coughing up and spitting out black bile, he said, “I finally understand what the Bible means by ‘they shall not taste death.’” As he was literally tasting death taking over his body, his view of the goodness of God and the joy of being in His presence took over, and this pastor died knowing he was truly alive. 

This is the process God is working in our lives. It is a process that we have to go through and we will all work through it differently and at a different pace. But God wants his children to know that they were meant for something more and every circumstance they face in this life is an opportunity for them to get ready for the next life. 

God is perfecting good in our life, perfecting meaning maturing. Those whom God has a loving relationship with are predestined. Unfortunately, I do not have time to fully unpack this thought, but I will try to make a few quick points. Predestination is not about a destination but about a purpose. Every time the word is used, it refers to a purpose. Here Paul reveals that those whom God has a loving relationship with are “predestined” to be “conformed to the image of Christ.” God foreordains that his children will become like Jesus. This means that in some way we cannot fully appreciate, God has chosen his own and has a purpose for everyone he calls. 

These ideas are some of the hardest ideas to wrestle with and understand. That’s ok. God is bigger than our perception of him. As we grow in our understanding of him, we will continually conform our thoughts to align with his reality. As we try to understand the Divine, take comfort in knowing that God loves you and has provided the way for you to be in a right relationship with him in Jesus Christ. He is working for our good and one day we will be with him forever. Until then, we pray and live in the Spirit.