Romans 9:1-24; Exposition/Applications #1

The point: If you are fearful of this doctrine because you think it would lead to unconcern for souls, the apostle Paul's life checks that fear. If you believe this doctrine and it has led to unconcern, you are not holding it right…

The words 'elect,' 'called,' 'foreknowledge,' and 'predestinate' are described as 'blessed nuggets of divine truth to feed us and to instruct us,' not 'boogeymen to scare us,' to counter the fear and confusion they often evoke.

But it's in the area of God's sovereignty in the realm of grace that many professing Christians and true Christians find great difficulty because by nature we are so constituted since the fall of man that we, down at the core of our being, want a God who we can explain and a God who will operate according to the standards that we have set for him. And so if this doctrine is to be received, it must be as we see it clearly taught in the word of God and as the Holy Spirit enables us to embrace it. So we have looked at the key words that teach this doctrine, the word elect or chosen, the word call...

2:03 - 3:12 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are fearful of this doctrine because you think it would lead to unconcern for souls, the apostle Paul's life checks that fear. If you believe this doctrine and it has led to unconcern, you are not holding it right…

The mention of certain biblical words (elect, called, foreknowledge, predestinate) is likened to 'crying fire, fire in a crowded building' to illustrate the panic and agitation they cause in some Christian circles.

But it's in the area of God's sovereignty in the realm of grace that many professing Christians and true Christians find great difficulty because by nature we are so constituted since the fall of man that we, down at the core of our being, want a God who we can explain and a God who will operate according to the standards that we have set for him. And so if this doctrine is to be received, it must be as we see it clearly taught in the word of God and as the Holy Spirit enables us to embrace it. So we have looked at the key words that teach this doctrine, the word elect or chosen, the word call...

2:03 - 3:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Connecting Romans 8 to 9, Martin explains Paul's deep sorrow for his Jewish countrymen who rejected Christ, despite their many privileges. He then introduces Paul's argument that…

Martin uses the hypothetical example 'not everyone whose name is Finkelstein is a true Finkelstein' to clarify Paul's statement 'not all Israel that are of Israel,' distinguishing between physical and spiritual descent.

don't for a moment think that though I'm burdened for my countrymen who reject the message though I'm burdened for those Jews who had all those privileges but they did not issue in saving grace he said don't you think for a moment that the word of God has failed or that God has failed and here's the key to his thought now notice for they are not all Israel that are of Israel and he's using Israel in a two-fold way he said you must realize that you are not that not everyone whose name is Finkelstein is a true Finkelstein now I'm not saying that to be fun to make reflection on anyone of Jewish b...

14:37 - 16:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Beloved what could be clearer than that this is the most perfect illustration that the reason why there is an Israel within an Israel is because God has always purposed to save the children of promise who were made the c…

The story of Abraham and Sarah trying to 'help God fulfill the promise' by Abraham going in unto Hagar, resulting in Ishmael, is used to illustrate a human attempt to circumvent God's sovereign plan, contrasting with God's choice of Isaac.

that are the children of God but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed you remember that as the promise was waiting its fulfillment Abraham and Sarah got their heads together and said well we'll sort of help God fulfill the promise so Abraham went in unto his handmaid Hagar and the result of that union was Ishmael and Ishmael was not the one through whom the promise of God was to be fulfilled now he was a son of Abraham he was a literal son of Abraham after the flesh but it's obvious that he was not the one through whom the promise was to come for he says in Isaac shall thy seed ...

16:06 - 17:35 Read in full sermon

The point: When God has spoken, the only fitting posture for a sinful creature is to fall down and say, 'Oh Lord, speak.'

Martin uses the analogy of a potter at a potter's wheel with a lump of clay, purchased for 50 cents, to illustrate God's absolute right over His creation. The potter can make a vase or a spittoon, just as God has the right to make vessels for honor or dishonor.

womb of nothing and with all our modern technology and equipment we've just begun to scratch the fringe of what he's made let alone understand how it's made that's God remember who he is he did an awful lot before you and I ever came on the scene and he did it well and he's going to go on doing a lot after we're off the scene and do it well you just better remember who he is you just better remember who he is that's what Paul says and then the third thing he says you better remember not only who you are and who God is but you better remember God's rights this is the day of civil rights this is...

30:52 - 32:20 Read in full sermon

The point: This doctrine will keep you praying to a God who can take hard-hearted individuals and bend their wills and change their hearts in a moment of time.

Martin recounts reading a tract on child evangelism that claimed children possess natural humility and teachableness, which he humorously and then seriously refutes based on his own observation of his children's sinful nature, emphasizing that only God's sovereign grace can subdue their hearts.

won't get discouraged you won't lower god's standards then try to lower god's standards you'll say if god has him some of his chosen ones there god saved them on his turn so you'll keep preaching his terms repentance faith counting the cost turning from sin submitting to christ as lord and savior it'll give you patience it'll keep you sticking to the bible message it'll keep you praying as a god who can take the souls of tarsus breathing out threatenings and slaughters against the church he wasn't seeking the lord he was seeking to kill the lord anything that remained him god says well it's ti...

42:14 - 43:38 Read in full sermon