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In His sovereignty God as our Potter has the authority to make the ones whom He has selected and called to be vessels of mercy unto honor and glory—Rom. 9:11, 18, 21-24:
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We were chosen by God according to His sovereign mercy; God’s mercy is the most far-reaching of God’s attributes, saving us out of our wretched position into a condition that is suitable for His grace and love—Eph. 2:1-4; Heb. 4:16; Matt. 5:7; 7:1; 9:13:
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According to our natural condition, we were far removed from God, totally unworthy of His grace; we were eligible only to receive His mercy—Eph. 2:4.
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Man’s disobedience affords God’s mercy an opportunity, and God’s mercy brings man to salvation—Rom. 11:32.
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We were created to be vessels of mercy to contain Christ as the God of mercy—9:11-13, 16, 20-21, 23; Lam. 3:21-24; Luke 1:78-79.
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Because of God’s mercy, we responded to the gospel when others did not respond, we received a word about Christ as life when others refused to receive it, and we took the way of the Lord’s recovery when others drew back from taking this way—Hymns, #296, stanza 3.
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“‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy’... So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy”—Rom. 9:15a, 16:
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Our concept is that the one who wills gains what he wills to obtain and that the one who runs gains what he runs after—v. 16:
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If this were the case, God’s selection would be according to our effort and labor.
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On the contrary, God’s selection is of God who shows mercy; we do not need to will or to run, for God has mercy on us.
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If we know God’s mercy, we will neither trust in our effort nor be disappointed by our failures; the hope for our wretched condition is in God’s mercy—Eph. 2:4.
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If we would serve God in His New Testament economy, we need to know that it is wholly a matter of God’s sovereign mercy—Rom. 9:15-16; Heb. 4:16:
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If we know God’s sovereignty, we will thank Him for His mercy, realizing that we are under His sovereign mercy—Rom. 9:15.
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The expression sovereign mercy means that God’s mercy is absolutely a matter of God’s sovereignty; being a vessel of mercy is not the result of our choice; it originates with God’s sovereignty—v. 18.
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The only thing we can say to explain God’s mercy to us is that in His sovereignty He has chosen to be merciful to us—vv. 15-16, 23.
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In God’s sovereign mercy our hearts are inclined toward Him; because of His mercy to us, we seek Him day by day—Jer. 29:12-13; Deut. 4:29; Isa. 55:6; Psa. 27:8; 105:4; 119:2; Heb. 11:6.
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The more we see that everything related to us is a matter of God’s mercy, the more we will bear our responsibility before the Lord; however, even our willingness to bear responsibility is of God’s mercy.
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Regarding His recovery, God has mercy on whom He will have mercy.
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Romans 9 reveals the principle that everything depends on God’s mercy—vv. 15-16:
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The apostle Paul applies this principle to the Israelites, showing us that everything that happened to them was of God’s mercy—vv. 16, 23.
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There must be at least one time when we see God’s mercy and definitely touch His mercy—Eph. 2:4; Matt. 9:13:
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Concerning this matter, our eyes need to be opened at least once; there must be at least one time when we see that everything depends on God’s mercy.
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Whether we see this all at once or we realize it through a process, the minute we touch this matter, we touch not a feeling but a fact; this fact is that everything depends on God’s mercy.
Morning Nourishment
Rom. 9:15-16 For to Moses He says, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.Matt. 9:13 But go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
[In Ephesians 2:4] we see that God is rich in mercy because of His great love toward us. The object of love should be in a lovable condition, but the object of mercy is always in a pitiful situation. God’s mercy reaches us for His love. God loves us because we are the object of His selection. But we became pitiful by our fall, even dead in our offenses and sins. Therefore, we need God’s mercy to reach us. Because of His great love, God is rich in mercy to save us from our wretched position to a condition that is suitable for His love. This most far-reaching attribute of God should cause our heart to react to His love. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 100)
Today’s Reading
When Paul wrote Romans 9, his thought was fully occupied with God’s mercy [cf. v. 16]….It is altogether a matter of God’s mercy that we are believers and that we are in the church life. Because all is of God’s mercy, we have nothing to boast of in ourselves….As vessels of mercy unto honor and glory, we were chosen by God according to His sovereign mercy (Rom. 9:11-16). The expression sovereign mercy means that God’s mercy is absolutely according to His sovereignty. Being a vessel of mercy is not the result of our choice; it originates with God’s sovereignty. It is of God’s sovereignty that He created us vessels of mercy to contain Himself. His sovereignty is the basis of His selection.If we would serve God in His New Testament economy, we need to know that it is wholly a matter of God’s sovereign mercy. Through many years of experience I have become strongly and deeply convinced that everything that happens to us is of God’s mercy. All is a matter of God’s mercy. The more we see this, the more we shall spontaneously bear our responsibility before the Lord. However, even the bearing of responsibility is of God’s mercy. Why is it that some believers are willing to bear their responsibility and that others are not? The answer lies in God’s mercy. In Romans 9:15 Paul quotes the Lord’s words, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy.” Because of God’s mercy we responded to the gospel when others did not respond, we received a word about Christ as life when others refused to receive it, and we took the way of the Lord’s recovery when others drew back from taking this way.
Regarding His recovery, God has mercy on whom He will have mercy. We are not in the Lord’s recovery because we are more intelligent than others or because we seek the Lord more than others do. Our being here is altogether due to the mercy of God. If you consider how the Lord brought you into the church life in the Lord’s recovery, you will worship Him for His mercy. Concerning the gospel, the ministry of life, and the church life, God has had mercy on us. How we must praise Him for His sovereign mercy, and worship Him for His mercy! (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 1184-1185, 100)
Our going on with the Lord is a matter not of our willing or running, but of God’s mercy….We are changeable, constantly fluctuating. It seems that, as far as we are concerned, our spiritual condition is like weather that is unstable. Hence, we need to see that the selection of grace does not depend on us, but depends on God’s selection of us before the world began. What we are experiencing today is related to God’s selection in eternity past. If we see this, we shall turn our eyes away from ourselves and from our circumstances and gaze steadfastly upon Him. (Life-study of Romans, p. 614)
Further Reading: Life-study of Romans, msgs. 22, 24, 58