Sunday, 25 August 2013
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” Romans 9:19
In the manner of anyone who wants to live their live in an unholy and self-centered way, Paul now proposes a question that would be fitting for such a soul. “Ok Paul, if everything you have said thus far is true, then why does God still find fault in me? Tell me then, If God works in a sovereign manner, apart from my decisions, then how can what I do be found as wrong? His will is going to come about, and if my actions only lead to the fulfillment of His will, then I am actually helping His plan come about… I’m not resisting Him at all.”
This is actually a common sentiment which is proposed around the world every day by folks who revel living in sin. The first problem with such a thought is that God is God. What we do doesn’t change that. The same is true with the law. Example:
The law says that horse thieves are to be killed. Someone steals Johnny’s horses and he chases them and kills them. The law judges Johnny as a murderer and sentences him to death. Johnny says, “I was merely fulfilling the law. How can the law find fault?”
The problem with his logic is that the law requires a judge and jury to sentence and convict horse thieves, not Johnny. Johnny has taken the law into his own hands and worked apart from the law to bring about justice. Johnny has forfeited his right to ask such a question.
What we do may in fact be a part of God’s plan, as Pharaoh’s actions were, but Pharaoh didn’t heed the word of the Creator in the execution of what he did (see Exodus 5:2 for one of many examples). He worked in a way contrary to the law, even though the end came out as God determined. God has no difficulty in securing His end, and He is doing it through the free-will of man.
When a person says, “I wasn’t resisting His will” he is proposing an assumption that God’s plans have somehow negated his own choices; an assumption that is both arrogant and one that thus attributes evil intent to God while looking for acquittal of their own wrong actions. It is an assumption that 1) cannot be proved, and 2) would indicate any crime or moral perversion must also be condoned.
When we hold up our puny little fist and shake it towards God, such an action is done in defiance of our Creator – willingly and with our own evil intent. God didn’t create us to blaspheme His name, but when we do, it was known to Him before the world was created that we would do so. We will not be excused by manipulating words to defend ourselves. In the end, we will only be seen as the fools we are.
Life application: Free will has been granted to man. How much better to use it to bring glory to God than to bring shame upon ourselves. Call on Jesus, be restored to God, and be cleansed of the poor free-will choices you have made in the past.
Lord, I cannot blame You for my own wrong actions. Even though You knew the things I would do and have used them to bring about Your plans, they were still my choices. Now, I’d like a new direction. I desire that my future choices and actions be used for Your glory. Forgive me of my past and guide me into the future for Your name’s sake. Amen.