Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
The objections raised against God’s sovereign right to have mercy on whomever He wills and harden whosoever He wills are not new. Paul dealt with objections to the doctrine of unconditional election and reprobation back in the first century, and his answer is in this text.
God truly does have free will in choosing whom He will choose unto salvation. Paul goes to the Old Testament prophet’s use of the analogy of the potter (Is 29:16, 45:9, 64:8, Jer 18:1-11) to describe God’s right of choice of whom He will save and whom He will pass over.
What is it in the human mind that can make such a charge against God that it would be necessary for God to answer in rebuke, “who are you O man?” It is certainly the greatest abuse of the very faculties which God gave us (our minds and mouths), to use them against the One who gave them to us. To delve into matters of God’s sovereign will, which He chooses not to reveal to man.
This sermon draws from the expositions of Jonathan Edwards to challenge the Christian and non-Christian alike who may be questioning the justice of God’s prerogative in bestowing electing grace unto salvation to some while passing over others.
