“Willing to Show His Wrath” (Rom 9:17-24)

“What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory” (Rom 9:22-23)

I have disturbing thoughts about God in His sovereignty: why did He create a world where MOST people will die eternally in hell? Why do believers have to fight against our natures and resist sin? Why must we do things God’s way, and they be so hard?

The answer I received is from God’s character: He is a God of LOVE and HATE, both (Rom 11:21-22). He is not merely love, but He WILLS to make His power and wrath known in punishing sin, so He created a world where man would fall by the hand of Satan, a fallen angel, and the elect only would be redeemed, while the REST of mankind and all fallen angels will be damned, having spurned mercy (Jude 1:6). God is in control and wants us to see His glory, which is love (heaven by grace) and hate (hell eternal by God’s rejection of sin and sinners), and we have TWO simple choices: believe on Christ and love God for mercifully saving you, or REBEL against the Light, find fault, and hate God for who He is. But, pain exists because God WILLED for there to be pain, to show His power and anger at sin. Heaven exists to show God’s glory in saving sinners by the sacrifice of His Son.

You and I can’t CHANGE God; we can be saved, or we can be damned, but this is who God is (Rom 9:21).

I’m comforted that I have an answer, for now, that helps me. I will believe, because I cannot overthrow Him, and He is BETTER than imagined and perfect. He will save ANYONE who wants salvation, even the most sinful of all sinners, and He will do EVERYTHING in this salvation, giving faith, strength, repentance, forgiveness, and all that we need.

Faith is THE EASIEST thing imaginable; it is DOING NOTHING; it is ONLY believing God to do what He has said - “But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness“, even as Abraham “was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what [God] had promised, [God] was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness“, so that BELIEVING God is believing all that He says, and He declares RIGHTEOUS those that do (Rom 4:5, 20-22). If you trust God to save you, the helpless and rebellious sinner that you are, then He will. If you SEE His glory in Christ Jesus, then He will put strength in you and me, both (Heb 11:11-12). God will make you and I do what we cannot do, simply by believing that Jesus and God‘s own word are SUFFICIENT for God to do as He has said, to all that believe. We don‘t need anything else, and we need not bring anything to the table. “Only believe“ is His counsel to us, and He is WILLING in heart, so that He yearns over you and DESIRES that you and I be saved (Mark 5:36). He is not far off, indifferent, or unwilling. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if ANY MAN hear my voice, and open the door”, receive me as who I am, both Lord and Savior, “I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20). He wills for you and me to be saved FAR MORE than we can imagine, & He delights to receive all that come, having paid for our sins and covenanted to save you from eternity. But, we CAN’T be saved by unbelief. He chose faith: you & I will believe God to be worthy of worship & praise FOR His mercies, or we will be vessels of wrath that He afore appointed & eventually perfected unto hell (Jer 18:15-16). The choice WAS God’s, and it is yours now. Your decision will manifest His decision for you.

I ask, are you willing to be saved by God who is willing to show both His love and hatred? If so, then you shall be saved, no matter how evil you are or how tempted. You shall be saved by God, as He says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:13).

Afflicted, Poor, and Believing (Zeph 3:12)

I will also leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. (vs12)

First, God’s people are afflicted and poor, and by this, we trust in the Lord. No one wants these two things (soul trouble and spiritual poverty), but they are needful, if we will have Christ. We won’t take the Savior, if we don’t need the salvation, so God gives us AFFLICTION and conscience POVERTY, so we can be saved. Those things you hate about yourself must be REVEALED, because He saves sinners – “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32). And only sinners need Christ.

Salvation is free, but sinners hates it, until we are taught our need - (Luke 14:23) “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled”. Then, we take freely what the Lord gives, because we can’t provide for self and have need. Need is necessary to Christ, for by this need being cured, we love God. Zacchaeus, that sinner who stole from others, was received by the Lord. The Lord said, “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down”, and He could have said, “For I have seen your sins, and I will punish you”. But, instead He says, “for today I must abide in your house”, so that salvation came, swept up the sinner, paid for his crimes, and then put LOVE in his heart as the result (Luke 19:5-6). Zacchaeus, a sinner called to repentance, “said unto the Lord”, not to impress people, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:7-8).

Secondly, this affliction and poverty remains in us. Zeph 3:12, says, “I will also leave in the midst of you”, so that these afflicted and poor remain. They don’t outgrow it, when they grow in Christ. It is not something that I was; I am is poor and afflicted, day by day. Paul said, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Rom 7:24).

God in grace keeps us trusting Christ, lest the gospel lose its luster. He keeps us believing by removing everything else that we have. I may not be afflicted outwardly by circumstance, and I may have much wealth in family, friends, and coin, but God will make me and you trust Him by REMOVING everything else that I would trust from my point of view. I can be rich like Bill Gates, but I will be poor in my own sight, helpless, and filled with sin.

Thirdly, along with the poverty, He gives healing. He says, “and they SHALL trust in the name of the Lord” (Zeph 3:12). We are not those that mourn without comfort or repent without change. God grants us GROWTH in Christ, love to people, and humility. But, He does these things by uprooting the flesh, destroying self confidence, and causing us to bring fruit of faith, rather than self. He REMOVES all hope in self, so I can bring the fruit of Christ.

Love comes from forgiveness, so He removes the sins that He’s revealed. Power comes from faith, so He disturbs us to make us believe (Eph 3:16-17). And, in all things, He works for our good, though He uses things that hurt. In Mark 6, the disciples forgot God’s power, so He sends a storm, walks on water, and reminds us again – “And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened (Mark 6:51-52).”

Lastly, don’t be afraid to admit your condition and hear the gospel. He keeps you and me poor and afflicted, so we can meet, hear, encourage each other, and serve in NEWNESS of Spirit, rather than the oldness of flesh – “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” (Rom 7:6). He removes hope in self, to give hope in Christ, to give the love that FAITH brings.

He is FOR you and me, when it appears that He should be against, because this makes us adore and honor Him.