Bill Acton :: Romans 9:14-18 - God Is Sovereign Over Everybody

Sermon Outline for Romans 9:14-18

God Is Sovereign Over Everybody

1. God’s Sovereignty Over Israel
2. God’s Sovereignty Over Jacob
3. God’s Sovereignty Over Esau
4. The Anticipated Question – “Is God Unjust, Unfair, or Unrighteous?”
5. The Dogmatic Answer “Absolutely Not!”
6. God’s Declaration to Moses
   1. God says, “I will have mercy (compassion) on whom I will have mercy (compassion).”
   2. It is His sovereign right
   3. It is His decree
7. The Biblical Summary
   1. The exercise of mercy and compassion – not in man’s will
   2. The exercise of mercy and compassion – not in man’s effort
   3. The Biblical fact
      1. Not all are elect
      2. Not all are loved
      3. Not all are given mercy and compassion
8. The Way that God Used Pharaoh – Rom 9:17-18
   1. God exercised His sovereign predestination with Pharaoh
   2. God is not unjust with Pharaoh
   3. God is sovereign in exercising mercy and hardening hearts
   4. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart – Exo 4:21, Rom 9
   5. Pharaoh represents all the wicked
   6. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that Pharaoh would rebel against God
   7. It is God’s right to use Pharaoh for His own purposes
   8. God raised Pharaoh up
      1. To become the King of Egypt
      2. To serve His purpose through rebellion
   9. Pharaoh is a predestinated vessel of wrath fitted for destruction
9. The Great Purpose for God Using Pharaoh
   1. To reveal who He is to man – “My Name”
   2. To reveal His power to subdue evil
      1. The wicked are His enemies
      2. They must be destroyed
10. God’s Enemies and Our Enemies Do Not Stand in Their Own Power
11. God Works in the Lives of the Elect and the Non-Elect
    1. To the elect He causes His Grace to enter
       1. Repentance
       2. Faith
       3. Response
    2. To the others He exercises His wrath and condemnation and hardens their heart in rebellion against Him
12. How the Lord Hardens Men and Yet Holds Them Responsible
    and Is Himself Free from Sin –
    1. Cannot fully understand because we are finite and He is infinite
    2. Nevertheless that fact stands on the basis of His own Word
13. The Process of God’s Work in Pharaoh
    1. God made His will known to Pharaoh through Moses – “Let my people go”
       1. It was a command to repent
       2. It was supported by God’s awesome power
       3. Pharaoh said “No”
    2. God gave Pharaoh great abilities
       1. Pharaoh knew it was wicked to oppress the people of God
       2. God gave Pharaoh strength of mind and will for greater rebellion
       3. Pharaoh should have used those gifts for righteousness
14. God Is Not in a Struggle with Pharaoh – evil
    1. The outcome is never in doubt
    2. God and His purposes are never in jeopardy
    3. God is not just stronger than Pharaoh – God is God
15. God Is Transcendent
    1. All creatures must confess that He is God – Phl 2:10-11
       1. Rom 11:33-36