Does the Biblical illustration of the potter and the clay prove that God’s sovereignty cancels out human free will?

Does God create some humans for salvation and others for damnation?

What are we to make of this word picture when we read passages like Romans 9?

You may be surprised to learn that every instance of this illustration concerns nations, not individuals.

Pastor Gene Pensiero shares some thoughts on this issue.

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Itʼs been said that no other single book of the Bible is so responsible for transforming the lives of men than Paul’s letter to the Romans. We canʼt really know if thatʼs true but we can say that Romans has been responsible for transforming the lives of certain men God used mightily through the centuries. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

The apostle Paul wanted to go to Rome. It wasnʼt the Coliseum that interested him; it was the church. Not a building, but the people – whom he had never even met! (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

In biblical terms we would say that God has given all men everywhere for all time a witness of Himself in creation as the Creator. The next three verses in Romans chapter one (18-20) talk about that witness. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

We are going to see what happens when, instead of receiving the witness of God, mankind rejects it and God lets us go our own way. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

Since God is infinitely holy, God’s standard of righteousness is absolute perfection. It matters little in heaven whether one man is better in some ways than another because all still fall short of perfection. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

Donʼt forget that the point of these opening chapters of Romans is to establish the universal problem that all have fallen short of the glory of God, including the Jews. There is no one, Jew or Gentile, who is righteous. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

This next section of Romans, verses one through eight of chapter three, reminds me of a role play. We might call it an apologetics role play. Paul asks anticipated real-world questions then answers them. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

God looks down from Heaven upon the righteousness of men. Even if your righteousness was like that of Mt. Everest, reaching high above that of your fellow men, and you were one of the few standing on the summit of good works, you would still be level with the rest of the human race. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

The Jews were proud that they had Godʼs law. It made them feel special. It should, however, have made them feel guilty! The “law” wasnʼt a get-out-of-jail free card. It wasnʼt a talisman or a goodluck charm. The Jews, and Paul included himself saying “we,” were “under” it, they were subject to its standards. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)