Who Do You Think You Are?

When I started preaching through Romans, my plan was to only consider key aspects of Paul’s presentation of the Gospel in this letter. That means that I intended to stop at the end of chapter eight. But it seems right to include two more sermons from after chapter eight. And I want to do that because they deal with topics that I think we need to grapple with.

So, this first of those two sermons will deal with the character of God and how we are to respond to Him.

The Bible is filled with pictures of the character of God. The topic is so big that each picture might look at only one aspect of who He is. So, Isaiah sees the Lord high and lifted up. And the seraphim shout,

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! Isaiah 6.3

Isaiah responds as we all should, with fear, because Isaiah knows what this holy God thinks about sin.

Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Isaiah 6.5

But then, John also writes about God’s character. And what does he have to say?

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4.16

What is front and center here is not God’s hatred of sin but His deep love.

Then, we see God pleading with sinners through His prophet Ezekiel.

As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33.11

But then, in this letter to the church at Rome, what does Paul write?

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1.18

God is not pleading with sinners here but is very angry with them.

Now, why did I go through all of that? We are going to look at an aspect of God’s character this morning. But if you leave thinking that this one aspect of His character summarizes all of who He is, or even that it is the most important aspect of who He is, you will be greatly mistaken. And that will lead you into many problems. We need to include all that the Bible has to say about God if we are going to understand Him. Today’s sermon is just about one aspect of the kind of God that He is.

What Paul wrote in what we call Romans chapter nine is a classic passage on God’s election, His choosing who will be saved. That is not the topic I am going to be talking about this morning. But in dealing with that topic Paul explains something important about who our God is.

Listen to what he wrote.

…when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad — in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls — she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Romans 9.10-13

Paul explains an aspect of God choosing, that it’s not based on what a person does. And as an example, he writes about God choosing Jacob before either he or his brother were even born.

Right after this he anticipates an objection.

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? Romans 9.14

Do you see what this is about? God choosing one and rejecting another, quite apart from what a person does, doesn’t seem right to this objector. It doesn’t seem just. Paul responds to the objection.

By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. Romans 9.15-18

Here, it’s important to take careful note of the words. Paul describes God’s choosing in terms of mercy and compassion. That tips you off that this is talking about how God deals with sinners. Sinless people don’t need mercy. But sinners do. So, God is merciful to certain sinners. These He chooses to save. He is under no obligation to do this. He should condemn these sinners. But He chooses to be merciful to them, instead.

But then, God considers the rest of sinful humanity. He does not choose to rescue them - not that He is obligated to. Instead, He hardens them in their sin. This makes them even more determined to sin. He does this to spread the glory of His name. What He did with Pharaoh is an example of this.

Now, all of that leads to another objection. And it is this objection, along with Paul’s response, that I want you to give special attention to.

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” Romans 9.19

Our objector is bothered by what Paul had just described. God hardens some sinners resulting in their greater sin. And what will happen on the last day? All of those whom He has hardened will be held accountable for those sins that they committed after being hardened by God. Our objector doesn’t like this. ‘That can’t be right! God can’t judge us for those sins. Who is able not to sin more if God wills to harden him to do exactly that? Who can resist His will?’ And I think that I can say that most of us are at least a little sympathetic to his objection.

Now, here’s Paul’s response.

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Romans 9.20-21

Do you see what Paul does with this objection? He doesn’t answer it - at least not in a way that our objector was expecting. Instead, Paul confronts him. ‘You are a mere bit of clay, a mere creature, and a sinful one at that. And God has decided to mold you for one purpose - to make Him look good by your sin - while he molds another piece of the same clay, another sinful creature, for another purpose - to make Him look good by that person’s changed life. He is God, and you are not. So, don’t think that you can accuse Him of anything. Rather, fall down and worship.’

Now we’re ready for the point of the sermon. What is the aspect of God’s character that this part of Scripture highlights? It’s His authority, His absolute authority to do whatever He thinks best. God rules and there is no one who can dispute with what He decides. Paul’s response to our objector could be stated like this. ‘Who do you think you are? You are a mere creature. You have no basis to challenge God in anything.’

This bit of Scripture is about God’s absolute authority. This is the aspect of God’s character that this Scripture is highlighting.

And that leads me to this. There is a major problem in the lives of so many American Christians these days. The title of a famous book fits here. Your God is too small. The spiritual health of any Christian is determined by his or her understanding of God. Healthy Christians are getting to know the full character of God. Not just the popular aspects of His character, but every aspect of who He is.

The god of far too many is a manageable god, a tame god. That’s what a god of love with no authority looks like, manageable and tame. How can you worship a god like that? Such a god is not worthy of honest, heartfelt praise. What could you praise him for? That he likes you?

And how can you depend on a god like that? Such a god is unable to actually do anything when life gets hard. He could remind you that he really does like you, but what good is that when your life is falling apart?

But the true God is a God who has authority, real power, and He’s not afraid to use it.

Earlier I mentioned how the Scriptures give us pictures of God. I had mentioned Isaiah, Ezekiel and the others. What we need now is a picture of how great, how excellent, how big our God really is. We need a picture of Him wielding His authority. I found one. (Or better, I was led to one.) It comes from the life of another person whose understanding of God was too small. It’s God’s ‘conversation’ with Job. Listen to how God pictures His splendor.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements — surely you know! [Sarcasm!!] Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther; your proud waves stop here’?

Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and the arm raised in violence is broken.

Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.

Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great! Job 38.1-21

And God goes on like that for quite a while, another chapter and a half in fact. But then, there is this.

And the Lord said to Job: ‘Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let the person who accuses God give him an answer!’ Job 40.1-2

Or to quote Paul again,

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?

This is our God, the great and majestic Yahweh. And so often our response to Him needs to match that of Job. 

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42.5-6

Who is our God? What is He like? He is not some manageable, tame god. He is the Almighty who rules all things according to what He thinks best.

Let it not be said of any of us, ‘Your God is too small.’ Get to know your God.

And isn’t this the point of the Gospel? Jesus said,

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God… John 17.3

Jesus has come so that we would be able to know - and to know well - the only true God. This isn’t an optional extra for those especially motivated. No, this is a part of what it means to be a disciple. It is something for all of us to work at: to know God well. And we will make progress as we work at this. If knowing God is the goal of the Gospel, then the Spirit will give us whatever we need to work at it and succeed.

Get to know your God. Get to know Him as He really is so that you will worship Him with heartfelt praise for His complete authority, amazed by how He runs this world, using good and evil in the lives of His creatures to arrive at His goals; amazed by how He has decided which sinners will receive mercy and which will be hardened; amazed by His love for His elect saints.

Get to know your God so that, having a sense of His authority and how He wields it, you will trust Him. You will trust Him whatever He decides to send to you - good things, bad things, horrible things. You will trust Him because You will know that nothing can stop Him as He works to perfect His people.

Get to know your God so that your life will reveal His beauty to our very lost world.