God’s Mercy and Sovereignty


Romans 9

15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”[f]

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

God will have mercy on whom he wants to show mercy. This is a declaration of Gid’s goodness and sovereignty. There are times we act like God owes us something. He doesn’t owe us anything. We are the ones who owes our life to him because of our sin. In fact, we cannot demand of God because we deserve punishment and hell but out of His mercy, He chooses to save us.

It is a win-win situation for mankind. He has the full rights to show us His wrath but instead He shows us His grace. But what about the others who hasn’t heard the gospel or has rejected the gospel. “God must also save my relatives!!!”

I think that is something we can pray for but not demand from God. Again, He owes us nothing. He is not answerable to us. He is infinite and sovereign. He will have mercy on whom He wants to show mercy. Let us be glad that He extended His mercy on us even if we don’t deserve it and let us intercede that He also extends mercy to the others who are not deserving of it.