Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

An old Roman theater in the center of Catania. Throughout the ruins of the Roman Empire we find the influence of many nations. The Gospel was for all.  Scripture: Rom. 9:19     You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction; 23 and what if he has done so in order to make known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those wh...

The Church of the Nazarene in Versailles.  Scripture: Rom. 9:14     What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses. Observation: For those of us in the Wesleyan/Arminian world, this passage can be a bit of a challenge, but it is not the only place where Paul talks about these kinds of divine purposes. He will go on in other passages to talk about the free will of humanity. Overall, we can wrap our arms around the fact that Paul wants us to understand that “God has determined to...