“Is there Injustice with God?”

(Romans 9:14-29)

Series: Romans – United in the Gospel [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

July 10, 2022

Introductory Comments:

Well, here we are back in our study of Romans 9. Today, we are looking at verses 14-29. Last week, we started our journey into this challenging, yet fascinating, chapter of the Bible. 

In today’s passage, Paul seems to anticipate that many of the readers of the book of Romans will want to question what God is doing when it comes to His sovereign work from Heaven that He is carrying out among His people. 

In fact, Paul begins the passage with these words, “What should we say then? Is there injustice with God?” That is the title of today’s sermon, “Is there Injustice with God?” [on screen] That’s a pretty serious question.

Just a couple of weeks ago, while we were working in Appalachian Kentucky, we were building a house for a missionary there. The house sat on a hill so as we cut metal sheeting for the bottom of the house we had to cut some at an angle. As I worked with a couple of young men I tried to teach them a bit about building things. I taught them that if your cut is at an angle your measurement could be off by just a bit at one side of the cut but by the time you get to the other side of that cut the measurement is way off. You have to get that measurement right or everything is really messed up. So also, understanding God’s sovereignty in the world is extremely important. If we misunderstand who God is, it messes up everything else in our lives. 

Indeed, this is an important passage of Scripture. So, let’s pray together and ask God to speak to us as we study His Word. 

(prayer)

So, just a bit of review: we were introduced last week to this idea of election. This idea that God chooses someone to be part of His promise. Paul mentioned Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

Paul also mentioned that God’s children are not necessarily those who are physically descended from Abraham but those who are “children of the promise.” 

These children of the promise are not chosen based on anything that they have done. Rather, Paul points out that they are chosen by God. 

We’re going to see in today’s passage that Paul will continue to pursue this idea and answer some objections that some of us may have regarding what He’s already said. 

First, let us see that . . . 

I. It is God’s choice (14-16) [on screen]

Again, we’re talking about God choosing certain people to be children of the promise, starting with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and continuing on from there. 

So, let’s see what Paul says about this. Look at verses 14-16:

14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.

Based on all that Paul has already said, this question arises: “Is there injustice with God?”

Since God is choosing Jacob over Esau, is that unfair? Since some people are children of the promise and some are not, is injustice happening? Is God unjust?

As Paul often does, he answers the question emphatically and then he gives an explanation to the answer. Paul says, “Absolutely not!” God is not unjust or unfair in any way!

In his explanation to his declaration, Paul references God’s showing of mercy to the people of Israel in the Old Testament. 

God showed great forgiveness to the people of Israel after they sinned greatly while Moses was leading them. Shortly after this moment, God met with Moses and He revealed Himself as the God who shows mercy to whomever He decides to show mercy. 

Listen, church: the people of Israel did not deserve God’s mercy. They had just made a false deity in the form of an idol and they were worshiping that manmade item (you can read about th