Wrath or Glory?

[dave c]

simpletruth #138p Revisited 05May10 salicart@msn.com

HOSEA 10:12—Part Sixteen: Wrath Or Glory?

by rev. dave carter

Hosea 10:12, Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you (NKJV).

In order to discuss the nature of God’s mercy, Part 15 of this series was our first look into Romans, Chapter Nine, Verses 13-23. As stated in Part 14 of this series, we need to first, last, and always understand that “God is sovereign...that He is in ultimate and absolute control of all that exists and all that transpires...and that He is The God of Justice and Judgment.” Equally, from Part 15, we must keep in mind, “God is BIG and He can, and does, whatever He wills.”

Continuing with Romans Nine we read, 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him 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 noble purposes and some for common use? (NIV). I consulted a number of commentaries on these passages where I read opinions ranging from absolute acceptance of what Paul had to say regarding God’s will, sovereignty, and plan for humanity—to one theologian who said that Paul was unfortunately distraught when he wrote these passages and that we shouldn’t take them too much to heart [!].

I am struck by the similarity of these verses to First Corinthians 12:20...there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (NIV). I recognize that these verses refer to “jobs” within the Church universal and local, but the principle is the same. God makes some people for noble purposes and some for common use.

Finally, Romans 9:22&23 ask us, What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? 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 (NIV). On the surface these verses appear to support a fatalistic position that God designed some people for salvation, and others for damnation, with human freewill having little, if any, effect upon our eternal destiny. Nothing could be further from an accurate interpretation of these passages. The Nelson Study Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997, NKJV, p.1896) explains, “The grammatical structure of the first prepared, referring to the vessels of wrath, is different from the second prepared, referring to the vessels of mercy. The first literally means ‘prepared themselves,’ while the second is ‘which He prepared.’ If we are condemned, it is because of our rejection of God; if we are redeemed, it is because of the grace of God.”

Any God created character flaw in Cain was neither justification, nor license, for him to sin. Cain was not “doomed” to become a restless wanderer—he chose to murder his brother, and so he chose to bear the consequences (Ge 4). God does not send people to hell...He honors their decision to go there. While some people are created for “common use”, Second Timothy 2:21 tells us, If a man cleanses himself from [ignoble purposes/common use], he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work (NIV). God creates some people to be predisposed through biology and environment to be persons of integrity, valor, and generosity; others are created with sociopathic tendencies (just as God creates some to be tall, smart, talented, and good looking—and others to be socially challenged). Those of us who are born with, and/or who develop, anti-social behaviors learn that we need Christ desperately if we are to become an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Blessedly, Jesus chooses the weak things….”

When God first revealed Himself to Abraham in Genesis, Chapter 15, the Lord blessed the Patriarch and told him many things about his future, and the future of his descendents. In verse 16b he was told that his people’s occupation of the Promised Land would be delayed because, ...the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure (NIV). Far from God making the Amorites, or the objects of his wrath, or Pharaoh (as discussed in Part 15) to sin, all of these people were permitted to continue in the sin born of their own evil desires (Ja 1:14) until it reached it’s full measure—until it had reached the point of no return and they became detestable to God. Deuteronomy 7:26 tells us, Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction (NIV). If we bring hate, greed, envy, lust, and pride into the house of our heart, head, and hands...then, just as all sin is destined to be destroyed (Re 20:10-15), we have set ourselves apart for destruction. “Lord preserve us, strengthen us, and give us courage to allow the Holy Spirit to purify us through obedience to Your word. Amen.”