Download Audio<\/a>\n\tText: Romans 9:14-24<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. I received a note that I found disgusting<\/p>\n A. A woman complained that her husband wasn’t giving her the affection she\ndeserved, so she kicked her husband out and brought in a boyfriend.\n
1. That sin doesn’t justify sin apparently doesn’t matter to her – Romans 3:8<\/p>\n B. What disgusted me is that she described herself as a Christian, claimed that the\nboyfriend showed up two days after she prayed to God about the situation, and so\nshe claimed that God wanted her to commit adultery!\n
1. The fact that God does not support sin doesn’t matter to her – James 1:13<\/p>\n C. I bluntly told her she was sinning both in her actions and in blaming God for her\nsins, to which she replied that her church told her to feel no guilt for what she had\ndone because it is all her husband’s fault.\n
D. It reminded me of Proverbs 30:20<\/p>\n
II. How can people be so blind?<\/p>\n
A. Isaiah asks why God caused Israel to stray – Isaiah 63:17<\/p>\n
1. At first this sounds contradictory. <\/p>\n
a. God has no sin – I John 1:5<\/p>\n
b. He doesn’t vary – James 1:17<\/p>\n 2. Yet there are many similar statements in the Bible. For example – John\n12:37-41\n 3. But consider which came first, God encouraging people to stray or people\nstraying?\n a. John mentioned the people not believing Jesus, but he also said\nwhy – John 12:42-43\n
b. Isaiah mentioned the fact that Israel was sinning <\/p>\n
(1) They rebelled – Isaiah 63:10<\/p>\n
(2) They sinned for a long time Isaiah 64:5-7<\/p>\n 4. The phrase “made us to err” or “cause us to stray” is the Hebrew word\nta’ah<\/i>. It means to wander or be lost.\n a. While the English implies a forcing, the Hebrew implies an\nallowance or a suffering\n
b. The question is whose fault is it that Israel strayed? – Isaiah 53:6<\/p>\n
B. Paul repeatedly said that God gave the Greeks over to sin – Romans 1:24, 26, 28<\/p>\n 1. But notice that this was only after the Greeks continued to push further\ninto sin. \n
2. This was God’s response to their sins.<\/p>\n
C. Sending a deluding influence – II Thessalonians 2:9-12<\/p>\n
1. Which came first, the delusion or the lack of love for the truth?<\/p>\n D. When people insist on sinning, God does give people over to what they demand –\nPsalms 81:11-13\n
1. In other words, if you really want to sin, God won’t stop you<\/p>\n
2. Why? To test people – Deuteronomy 13:1-4<\/p>\n
E. God left Israel to her sins – Hosea 4:17-18<\/p>\n
III. God lets the wicked be wicked to accomplish His will<\/p>\n
A. God made use of Pharaoh – Romans 9:18-20<\/p>\n 1. God could have raised up any man to rule Egypt, but this man was selected\nbecause of his character to give God opportunity\n
2. God knew in advance Pharaoh would be stubborn – Exodus 11:9<\/p>\n
B. God let the Israelites follow after astrology – Acts 7:42<\/p>\n
1. Why? Because they wanted to worship idols – Acts 7:41<\/p>\n
C. God allowed the nations to go their own way – Acts 14:16<\/p>\n
D. God hardened Sihon so that he would be destroyed – Deuteronomy 2:30<\/p>\n E. The Canaanites were encouraged to think that they could destroy Israel – Joshua\n11:19-20\n
F. When God needed to punish Israel for its sins – II Samuel 24:1<\/p>\n
1. How? God made use of Satan – I Chronicles 21:1<\/p>\n
G. When Israel became corrupt, God deceived the people – Jeremiah 4:10<\/p>\n
1. How? Ezekiel 14:6-11<\/p>\n
a. God would allow false prophets to say what they wanted<\/p>\n b. Notice the prophets would be punished for their lies even as God\nmade use of it.\n
2. How? He took away true prophecy – Isaiah 29:9-10<\/p>\n
a. It wasn’t hard. It was what the people wanted – Isaiah 30:8-14<\/p>\n
3. The people did as they pleased – Jeremiah 7:24<\/p>\n
IV. Actually God gives people the truth, but it is in a form that the wicked won’t accept<\/p>\n
A. Isaiah was sent to teach what people did not want to hear – Isaiah 6:10-12<\/p>\n
1. Thus, God’s plans were carried out<\/p>\n
2. The people fooled themselves – Jeremiah 5:21<\/p>\n
B. God let people make their own false conclusions – Jeremiah 44:16-18<\/p>\n
C. God sent the Messiah knowing full well he would be rejected – Isaiah 8:14-15<\/p>\n
1. It was a trap laid for the wicked<\/p>\n
2. The Jews stumbled over the truth – Romans 9:32-33<\/p>\n
3. Because they did not obey God – I Peter 2:7-8<\/p>\n
4. And thus, God’s plan to save all mankind was accomplished<\/p>\n
D. God uses people’s character for or against them – Romans 9:18<\/p>\n
1. It is not saying that God forces people to be stubborn or yielding.<\/p>\n 2. God presents things such that those who are wicked refuse it and the\nrighteous flock to it – Luke 10:21\n
E. This is the reason the gospel is preached – I Corinthians 1:21<\/p>\n
1. God picked a method that the worldly would reject – I Corinthians 1:22-29<\/p>\n 2. The same message brings different response because of the heart of those\nwho hear it – I Corinthians 1:18\n
V. What does this say about us?<\/p>\n
A. If we ask for sinful things, we might just get it.<\/p>\n
B. If we insist on doing wrong, it might just be the easier path<\/p>\n
C. And if we do, it will be no one’s fault but our own<\/p>\n
D. Let us pray that we do not wander – Psalms 141:4-5; 119:10-11<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Romans 9:14-24 I. I received a note that I found disgusting A. A woman complained that her husband wasn’t giving her the affection she deserved, so she kicked her husband out and brought in a boyfriend. 1. That sin doesn’t justify sin apparently doesn’t matter to her – Romans 3:8…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[774,354,1276],"class_list":["post-61774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-blaming-others","tag-responsibility","tag-spiritual-blindness"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2894,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-it-matter-who-files-for-the-divorce\/","url_meta":{"origin":61774,"position":0},"title":"Does it matter who files for the divorce?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 24, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When you say that someone may divorce their spouse due to fornication, does it matter who actually files the papers? A woman I know moved out of her house, filed divorce papers, and then started dating another man. Her husband didn't know for sure if she was committing adultery\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":66794,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-wife-wants-a-divorce\/","url_meta":{"origin":61774,"position":1},"title":"My wife wants a divorce","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Brother, I hope this message finds you in good health and spirits. My wife has decided that she wants to separate and sell our home. She has also discussed divorce, saying that she's unhappy. First off, I acknowledge that while by worldly standards I was a good husband,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33338,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-ex-husband-wants-our-daughter-at-his-wedding-but-she-has-other-plans-how-do-i-help\/","url_meta":{"origin":61774,"position":2},"title":"My ex-husband wants our daughter at his wedding but she has other plans. How do I help?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My husband left me for another woman about two years ago. We have a teenage daughter who is amazing. Unfortunately, her dad lives in another state, and she travels there for the holidays and summer break. \u00a0My husband married the other woman six months after the divorce (for which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31739,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-date-a-woman-who-divorced-her-husband-because-of-his-infidelity\/","url_meta":{"origin":61774,"position":3},"title":"Should I date a woman who divorced her husband because of his infidelity?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: There is a young woman who I'm interested in. Last year she divorced her husband because she found out through the woman he slept with and her friends that her husband was cheating on her. She said he also later confessed to her about sleeping around and that's when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2268,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-does-a-wife-do-when-she-finds-out-her-husband-lied-about-committing-adultery-against-his-former-wife\/","url_meta":{"origin":61774,"position":4},"title":"What does a wife do when she finds out her husband lied about committing adultery against his former wife?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 12, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: This question is in reference to a friend. She grew up in the church, and she was baptized. She entered into a marriage with someone, but her spouse committed adultery against her. My friend remarried sometime later and was under the assumption that she was entering into a scriptural\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58880,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-life-defined-by-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":61774,"position":5},"title":"A Life Defined by Love","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 16:13-14 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The story of Ruth is a popular love story from the Bible \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It isn\u2019t how most people see as a typical love story. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She doesn\u2019t go out searching for love but she eventually finds it anyway \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rather, we see the story\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61774"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97941,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61774\/revisions\/97941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}