04/17/2025
Study of Romans 9:18-19
Verse 18 “Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.”
[Therefore He has mercy] This is a conclusion stated by the apostle as the result of all the argument.
[Whom He wills He hardens] This is not stated in what the Scripture said to Pharaoh, but is a conclusion to which the apostle had arrived, in view of the case of Pharaoh. The word “hardens” means only to harden in the manner specified in the case of Pharaoh. It does not mean to exert a positive influence, but to leave a sinner to his own course, and to place him in circumstances where the character will be more and more developed. It implies an act of sovereignty on the part of God in leaving him to his chosen course, and in not putting forth that influence by which he could be saved from death. Why this is, the apostle does not state. We should not dispute a fact everywhere prevalent; and should have sufficient confidence in God to believe that it is in accordance with infinite wisdom and rectitude.
Verse 19 “You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?’”
[You will say to me then] The apostle here refers to an objection that might be made to his argument. If the position which he had been trying to establish were true; if God had a purpose in all His dealings with people; if all the revolutions among people happened according to His decree, so that He was not disappointed, or His plan frustrated; and if His own glory was secured in all this, why could He blame people?
[Why does He still find fault?] Why does He blame people, since their conduct is in accordance with His purpose, and since He bestows mercy according to His sovereign will? This objection has been made by sinners in all ages. It is the standing objection against the doctrines of grace. The objection is founded,
(1) On the difficulty of reconciling the purposes of God with the free agency of man.
(2) It assumes, what cannot be proved, that a plan or purpose of God must destroy the freedom of man.
(3) It is said that if the plan of God is accomplished, then what is best to be done is done, and, of course, man cannot be blamed. These objections are met by the apostle in the following argument.
[Who has resisted His will?] That is, who has “successfully opposed” His will, or frustrated His plan? The word translated “resist” is commonly used to mean the resistance offered by soldiers or armed men. So, Eph. 6:13, “Take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand (resist or successfully oppose) in the evil day:” see Luke 21:15, “I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist;” see also Acts 7:10; 13:8, “But Elymas...withstood them.” The same Greek word, Rom. 13:2; Gal. 2:11. This does not mean that no one has offered resistance or opposition to God, but that no one has done it successfully. God had accomplished His purposes “in spite of” their opposition. This was an established point in the sacred writings, and one of the admitted doctrines of the Jews. To establish it had even been a part of the apostle’s design; and the difficulty now was to see how, this being admitted, people could be held chargeable with crime. That it was the doctrine of the Scriptures, see 2 Chron. 20:6, “In thine hand ‘is there not’ power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?” Dan. 4:35, “He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?” See also the case of Joseph and his brethren, Gen. 50:20, “As for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good.”
Pray for one another.
See you Easter Sunday,
Bro. Richard
