ROMANS Study Guide

God’s will or purpose for his life?”

(2) Paul’s response to this argument is “what man can challenge or

question his creator? God has the right to create a man as

a vessel to honor and another as a vessel to dishonor.

(a) Vessels of dishonor “fitted” (adjusted or completed) for

destruction (ruin) so God could demonstrate his wrath and

long suffering through them.

Warning to Israel

Paul is warning Israel here - Pharaoh in hardening his heart caused God to decide to use him as a “vessel of dishonor.” God would use Pharaoh’s rejection to reveal his power. So it would be with Israel if it continued in rejecting God’s Messiah. Today, Israel is being used as a “vessel of dishonor” in that God is making that nation a “sign” to the world of his coming without Israel even believing in Jesus. But this will change praise God.

(b) Vessels of honor (or mercy) which he had before “fitted”

(prepared) to make known the riches of his glory (manifest

presence and power). Paul in Eph.2:10b also eludes to the

(pre-ordained) works he has prepared for us to do as

vessels of honor!

(c) Paul finishes his response to the argument by saying that

even the Gentile has been “called” from eternity just as the

Jews had been. The word call ( kaleho )…means to bid or call

forth… and has an “invitation” in its meaning. (vs.24)

Review Our Decision in Eternity

# How can God both choose us before our birth (from

eternity) and fit us (adjust us) into His purpose or role

in history and yet still give us a decision ?