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Romans 9

an interposed commentary by Paul Trudeau

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Note: This commentary was started almost two decades ago, and at the time, my operating system was Windows 95. This allowed me to use a program called InstaVerse (www.instaverse.com), which would display the verse when the mouse cursor was hovered over the verse reference. Because of this, I didn’t have to put the whole verse into the commentary, just the references, saving much space and time. However, starting with Windows Vista, InstaVerse lost its compatibility with Windows. I have been trying to work with WordSearch Bible Company for years (literally) trying to get them to restore compatibility. If you still have a Win95 or Win XP computer, I strongly encourage you to download InstaVerse to use with this commentary – it would make reading this significantly easier by having the scripture verses available instantly. If not, I urge and encourage to you to call WordSearch (800) 888-9898, ask for Austin, and request that he get the programmers to alter the code, which would make InstaVerse compatible with all Windows versions. This is something he has already said as recently as November 2015 the company wishes to do if there is enough demand for it. Mac users – I don’t know what to tell you. Sorry.

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Things are looking up! Received this March 17th, 2016:

Austin Bush austin.bush@lifeway.com 10:46 AM

Paul,

When I'm out of the office, I get voicemail notifications by e-mail and was able to listen to yours this morning on your inquiry of where things stand with InstaVerse.

I appreciate you checking back in on this program that is so dear to both yours and my heart. At this time, we are expanding our software development team with a new hire starting next week. We have been in need of some extra help and luckily someone who knows our code well that worked for us previously will be returning on our staff.

Realistically, with what we have at the top of our priority list to get accomplished, I'm skeptical that InstaVerse will get a good look in the next few months, but I promise you I have not forgotten about it or given up on it.

When the time is right, I want WORDsearch to find a way to get this valuable resource back out there for the world to utilize.

I'll do my best to keep you updated as more news becomes available.

Austin Bush | Manager of Sales and Support

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Now to the text.

Explanation Key:Black – original text, King James Version BibleMaroon – my commentsBlue – original Greek languageYellow – morphology

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1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed doomed, forfeited, exterminable, dedicated to utter destruction from Christ for instead of my brethren because of their rejection of the Messiah, my kinsmen the Jews according to the flesh.  4 Who are Israelites Jacob’s physical descendants; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;  5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh by physical birth Christ came, who is over all the Lord Almighty, the Most High God blessed for ever. Amen.

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6 It’s not as though the word of God hath taken none effect become inefficient, failed to be shown true. For they are not all spiritual Israel, those who believe in and worship the Father, which are of Israel the physical descendants of Jacob: 7 Neither, because they are the seed physical descendants of Abraham for example Ishmael and his seed, are they all children of God: but, In Isaac shall thy seed true children of God be called. This calling is not an irresistible divine summoning of the “elect”, but is the “naming” a people to identify them as the children of God through the promise. 8 That is, they which are the children of the flesh physical descendants, these are not the genuine children of God: but the children of the promise those Israelites who believe are counted for the seed the true children of God. So the covenantal blessing is not inherent in physical (fleshy) descent from Abraham. 9 For this is the word of promise pledge, assurance: At this time within a year will I come, and Sara shall have birthed a son Gen 18:14; 21:2.

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10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac Gen 25:21; 11 (For the children the two nations - “children” was erroneously and inaccurately added and is not in the original text: Gen 25:23; Ga 4:22, 23; 1Ch 16:24 vs 1Pe 2:9 being not yet born brought forth, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose intentions of God according to election selection, choosing might stand continue, endure, not of works action, effort or deed of either of these two nations at this time to warrant or not warrant preference, but of him the Lord that calleth bids and gives command. This election has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with individual people, and has UTTERLY NAUGHT to do with salvation or damnation or eternal fate. God, by His supreme, divine prerogative, merely chose to reverse the privilege and position of the heir.

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12 It was said unto her Rebekah, The elder the Edomites, representative of the children of the flesh shall serve be in bondage to, be slaves of the younger the Israelites, representative of the children of promise through faith Gen 25:23. ** Gen 25:23 says two “nations”, not “persons”; “two manner of people” were in Rebekah’s womb. God shows us from the beginning He’s not referring to individuals, but to a group, a plurality of people - two nationalities.** If God was referring to the brothers individually, this scripture would be false: Esau never served his younger brother, Jacob. However, the descendants of Esau, the nation of the Edomites did serve the descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel for over two hundred years - 2Sa 8:14; 2Ch 21:5, 8. ** Moreover, the Bible never tells us that Esau the man was impoverished, telling us rather the converse Gen 33:8-11; but it does say that the Edomites were impoverished in their heritage and history Mal 1:4.

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** Esau the man did not have “his heritage laid waste”, else there would never have been an Edomite nation at all, because his immediate descendants (heritage) would have died off and become extinct as a people.

** “Serving” has nothing to do with salvation or everlasting fate. ** Why would God tell a mother-to-be, who is about to experience one of the two greatest and most blessed events of her life, that the fruit of her womb has been sentenced to an eternity in hell? What kind of god is that? ** Paul explicitly uses the exact same analogy with the figures of Isaac and Ishmael in Galatians 4:21-31 to convey the two covenants, and the members thereof: the children of the bondwoman (unbelievers) versus the children of the freewoman (believers).

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** Concerning God’s creation, “elect” or “election” always refers to a corporate body, a group of people, and never to individuals. ** This corporate body alone gives the believer (individual) his identity through which he is named (called) Ge 21:12; Is 62:12; Mt 1:21 – the Jacob of verse 13.** The contrast being given isn't meant to reflect the difference between Joe Elect and Joe Reprobate, but between the disobedient children of wrath Eph 2:3 and the true Israel of God Ga 6:16, spiritual Israel, (today represented by the Church), which illustrates God's choosing of those who choose to walk by faith over those who reject God and refuse to walk by faith.So Paul shows that being chosen unto righteousness has nothing to do with who one is descended from, but as God will reveal, by resting in His perfect plan of salvation, by following in Abraham's footsteps of faith.

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What God has really said in these last two verses is this: I have sovereignly determined and predestined to withhold My mercy from the posterity of Esau (the faithless faction representative of all unbelievers throughout history), and also cause them to eventually come under the yoke and servitude of the posterity of their relative Jacob (the faithful faction representative of all believers throughout history), upon whom I bestow my mercy: this I have enacted since the foundation of the world Eph 3:9. And this mercy is epitomized this way: I impart righteousness and covenant blessing to those who believe in and live for Me by faith. God’s choice was not whimsical or arbitrary, because God always does things according to his perfect, holy character Ac 10:34, Is 45:21. Even though He did not have to, God reveals His reason to us De 29:29 and shows that it is based on His foreknowledge of the type of people the Edomites would be – profane, evil idolaters, just like their father Esau Heb 12:16. This is denoted by the phrase “manner of people”, signifying the unmistakable and marked distinction between the sons of God (Israel) and the sons of Satan (Edom) 2Co 4:4.

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Esau, who could not have cared less about his birthright, and who was the manifest representative of his descendants, was rejected simply and solely because of his unbelief. The Edomites never served God, but in fact were evil Mal 1:4, and were for centuries hostile and opposed toward Him and his people, Nu 20:14-21, Ps 137:7, Amos 1:11. In like manner, God tells us that He foreknew Abraham Gen 18:19. In fact, this verb “know” has the exact same meaning as the “know” of “foreknow” in Ro 8:29 and 11:2, and can accurately be translated as “For I have already known Abraham, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

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This is precisely why God, by His mercy, elected (predestined) him to be the Father of Faith – He already knew, even before Abraham was born, that Abraham would obey and follow Him. And He does the same in predestinating (electing) the overcoming believer to three specific things:

1) conformity to the image of Jesus, Ro 8:29;2) adoption as children into the family of God, Eph 1:5; and3) an inheritance in Jesus to the praise of His glory, Eph 1:11, 12

Because the subjects and objects in these three passages are ONLY those who are being saved (believers), these three things are what God has predestined prepared, pre-decreed, pre-determined, pre-appointed and pre-ordained for those who have already accepted the gospel of Jesus, and not at all apply to those who have not accepted Him – all unbelievers.

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Election is not selecting a certain privileged few to salvation, but concerns God's appointment of the already believing ecclesia to everlasting privilege and glory. This is precisely why predestination has NOTHING AT ALL to do with the eternal destiny of the unsaved: predestination refers only to those who are already Christians, foreknown by the Lord, who continue to abide in the vine, Jesus Himself, Jo 15:4-6. It is God’s own good pleasure, after the counsel of His will Isa 46:10, based on His foreknowledge 1Pe 1:2, to do this to those who continue to trust in Him. And concerning foreknowledge, doesn’t God foreknow all men? Of course He does! So why use “foreknow” at all in any of these scriptures: Ac 2:23; Ro 8:29; 11:2; 1Pe 1:2, 20 when everything and everyone is foreknown by God? There must be a reason He uses this term in these scriptures, for He foreknows all, not just what is referred to in these passages. The reason He uses this term is because God is differentiating between those who He knows will follow Him by worshiping Him in spirit and truth, from those He knows will follow and serve the Adversary. Because of His omniscience, He knows the end from the beginning Isa 46: 9, 10.

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So then, predestination is not arbitrary or capricious - God selecting a certain group of people and not selecting others, but predestination is based on God’s foreknowledge of the future and His knowledge of the hearts of men (see Chapter Eight exposition for more detail on this). So the scriptural teaching is that election indicates that the choice of to whom God shows His mercy is not at all based upon: * adherence to the works of the Mosaic law 2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5; * or anything man can formulate or conjure up by his own mental wisdom 1Co 1:21;

* or what he can physically do to please or be right with God Ro 9:16; * or God being partial to a certain subset of mankind Ac 10:34, 35. But the choice of to whom God shows His mercy is based solely on a man believing and receiving Mt 13:23 the gospel and becoming a part of the family of God, entitling him to all the benefits and promises available to all believers through the Abrahamic covenant Ge 17:7, Ac 3:25.

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13 And as confirmation of this, as it is written Mal 1: 2-3, Jacob (representative of all believers, those who honor God) have I loved assented to, have affection for, considered a friend, given headship and the covenant to, but Esau (representative of all unbelievers, those who oppose and dishonor God) have I hated detested, considered an enemy, rejected. Because God foreknew the nation that would serve Him, (the second born, Israel), and also the nation that would abhor Him (Esau), on Israel he has bestowed the right of the firstborn De 21:15-17. Because of His sovereignty, this was His privilege to do so. He could have caused Jacob to be born first, but He wanted to show that He has the right of election because of His omniscience as the Potter (Creator). Notice, God does not say (or imply) “Jacob I am bringing to heaven, and Esau I am sending to hell.” No, He clearly states that He is ONLY favoring Jacob over Esau concerning headship (servitude) and all that headship entails. This also happened with Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh Ge 48:13-19. This scripture is further exemplified by the fact that God “laid Edom’s mountains and heritage waste" while He protected and preserved Israel from such devastation . In addition, it would be inconsistent (to say the least!) with justice, equity and the character of God Ez 18:25 for Him to confer special privileges in such an inequitable fashion on those who are in identical circumstances.

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With Esau, eating something he desired at the moment (terrestrial) meant more to him than the infinitely more esteemed and valuable gift of God (supernatural) Lu 12:24. The things that he valued were those he could have immediately – earthy, carnal - just like unbelieving Israel De 32:20, but unlike the great example of Moses Heb 11:24-26. Notice Genisis 25:32, 34. Despise is a particularly strong word, meaning to be scornful of or to treat with contempt. Now note Hebrews 12:16: ". . . lest there be any fornicator or profane heathenish, wicked, (irreverent toward what is sacred) person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright." Esau further demonstrates this intransigent carnality in his thinking in his choice of wives Ge 26:34-35. He is unconcerned about God, the things of God, and the will of God - just like his descendants would be: hence, just like Loruhamah Hos 1:6, he had not attained mercy. As Paul stated “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female.” So at it’s essence, this scripture denotes and signifies the two categories (manner Ge 25:23) of men, which actually inhabit the earth: the saints and the sinners – the righteous and the wicked.

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It is critical to note that this quote was not written at the same time as that of verse 12, which is quoted from the book of Genesis, but this was written many years later; for verse 13 is quoted from the book of Malachi - Mal 1:2, 3. There is almost a fourteen hundred year interval between verses 12 and 13! So God saying He loved Israel and He hated Esau is written in the last Old Testament book, after the fact, toward the end of both nations having had national identities and histories, whereas verse 12 is written before the fact. This means that election (selection), which is according to God’s sovereignty, has nothing to do with and has no applicability or relevance at all to God arbitrarily selecting one over the other. God’s loving and hating is based on these nations’ attitudes and comportment toward Him! In other words, God electing is based on what God sovereignly decided to do because of His foreknowledge, but God loving and hating is based on what the nations have done throughout their chronicles. At various times in its history, Israel as a whole (majority) worshipped and served the Lord, and even when they did not serve Him, the remnant did. In contrast, Edom never served God, but in fact were always evil.

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14 So what shall can we possibly say murmur or complain or protest or grumble or object or criticize or find fault then against God? In electing, or loving, or hating, or granting/withholding mercy or anything else, is there unrighteousness wrongfulness or injustice with God? Can we claim that God is unfair or inequitable Ez 18:29? Absolutely not! God forbid. Not now or ever!  15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy pity by revealing My goodness, proclaiming My name, being gracious to and showing compassion on Ex 33:19, of My own good will, whom I will have mercy: those who, by faith, will worship, serve and follow Me (all believers), and I will also have compassion on whom I will have compassion - those exact same people I have mercy on. It is by My criteria and solely by My choice, not man’s, to whom and how I extend My goodness, welfare, favor, kindness, compassion and graciousness; and as I have clearly, lucidly, repeatedly and emphatically specified and shown – My mercy is granted to those who come to Me by faith, and faith alone, through the finished work of My son on the cross Ha 2:4. So, he that believeth on him is not condemned this is true, genuine and authentic Election: but he that believeth not is condemned already and this is true, genuine and authentic Reprobation, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Joh 3:18.

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16 So then it the choice of who is chosen for the blessing (covenant) of mercy, is not of him that now willeth as Abraham willed Ishmael to be the heir Gen 17:18, as Isaac willed Esau to have the birthright Gen 27:1-4, as Moses willed to see God in His glory Exo 33:18, as Samuel willed Eliab to be king 1Sa 16:6; as Zebedee’s wife willed for her sons to have the place of honor next to Jesus Mt 21:20, 21, etc., nor of him that now runneth PAP Gen 27:3; Zec 4:6; Ga 2:16; Jn 4:24, but solely of God that chooses to now sheweth PAP mercy.In essence, it is not of him who desires to (wills), neither of him who actually does (works), but by the decision of the Lord alone. Man because of Adam is not inclined to be saved Je 17:9; Ge 6:5. So God by His Spirit initiates the work Jn 12:32, and then men either seek or reject His mercy.

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17 Subject change: And now, For the first example of one from whom (because of his unbelief and proud, hard heart) I withheld my mercy, the scripture God saith unto Pharaoh who represents and embodies the fools Ps 53:14, the children of the flesh and wrath, the unbelievers, the children of Satan who refuse to honor and serve God Ex 5:2: Even for this same purpose have I raised elected thee up to the height of eminence, that I might shew my power in thee, and that not by condemning you and your people to eternal damnation, but by humbling Egypt, the most glorious, resplendent, and powerful nation in existence, and by breaking his power and bringing him to his knees, my name might be declared and glorified throughout all the earth in the most far-flung nations and remotest times through history. I greatly desired that Pharaoh would fall on My stone Mt 21:42, 44 and repent Ez 18:32, as I have foreknown Nineveh your successor will do Jon 3:1-10, Jer 18:7-8. But either way, whatever choice you would have made, whether you repented (fell on this stone) Jon 3:5-10, or stayed your course (let the stone fall on you), Exo 14:18, 31: I will be glorified and honored.

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Pharaoh was not born for, but raised up, elected, for a particular purpose Ecc 3:1, 17: not that he would be destroyed in hell, but that God would show that Pharaoh’s power was inferior and subordinate to His, and therefore his power would have to yield to God’s power, bringing God glorification, either by 

1) Egypt repenting as Nineveh did Jon 3:5, 6, or2) Egypt being destroyed by not voluntarily yielding to Him.

 The exact same thing that happened to Manasseh 2Ch 33:11-12 could have easily happened to Pharaoh, but Pharaoh’s defiance and opposition made it necessary for the latter: Egypt be destroyed, in order to abase, lower and humble him, because he rejected God’s will, just as Amon did 2Ch 33:21-23. The case of Pharaoh is just one example in the Bible of the general principle on which God deals with all men.

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Here again is a man, the mighty ruler of Egypt, not elected selected, chosen to terrestrial or eternal destruction; but a man elected to a particular position (king) for a particular purpose (God’s glorification). God’s humbling came upon him because he kept resisting God, in spite of all the opportunities he had to yield. Ne 9: 9, 10; Mt 23:12.

And one of the first things God tells Moses is, “I know he won’t let my people go.” Well then, if “he won’t let My people go”, why does God have to intervene and harden Pharaoh’s heart? If Pharaoh is, as Augustinianism teaches, totally depraved, why would God have to harden his heart? He wouldn’t! How is it possible that someone who is already totally depraved, and inherently, persistently and interminably resistant to God, which also connotes integrally, thoroughly and fully hardened, become even more hardened? That’s just not possible. For example, if someone is shouting as loud as he can, at the top of his lungs, how can he shout any louder? He can’t. Or, if he’s soaking wet, how can he get any wetter? Can’t happen!

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18 Subject change: Therefore hath PAI he mercy on whom he will have PAI mercy Jon 3:10, De 5:9-10 for he that humbleth himself shall be exalted and whom he will PAI he hardeneth PAI indurates, makes inflexible, renders stubborn Exo 10:1, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased Lu 18:14. This is precisely what happens to those who continually resist Him Pro 1:24-31; 1Sa 2:25, 34; 2Ch 36:15-17; Pro 29:1. What is most crucial here is that, concerning the plagues, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart only after Pharaoh rejected God’s commands, and at least seven times hardened his own heart first. Pharaoh had ample knowledge, time and opportunity to repent Ro 1:18-22, 28: He was admonished and warned many times by Moses, but decided to exalt his own will over God’s. Additionally, there is no example anywhere in the Bible where God hardens someone’s heart before he first hardens his own heart.

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19 Thou wilt say then unto me in your worldly wisdom, Why doth he yet find PMI fault blame with Pharaoh or any of those other Jews who didn’t obey Him? For who hath ever, or could have ever resisted PAI stood against, opposed his God’s will in hardening people’s hearts who refuse to serve Him? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest PMP contradicts, disputes against God? Who do you think you are? This question should not even be asked! De 32:4. Shall the thing formed FAI you or anyone else say to him God the Potter that formed AAP it Gen 2:7, 8; De 32:9, 18; Isa 43:1, Why hast thou made AAI caused me the child of the flesh, the one rebelling against You, to be thus: obdurate, stubborn and hardened?

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21 Subject change: I answer with a self-explanatory question: Hath not God the potter Isa 64:8 power authority, jurisdiction over the clay Israel Ro 9:6, of the same lump of clay Is 40:15, 17 to make AAI one vessel spiritual Israel, the children of promise unto honour valuable, esteemed and precious, and another disbelieving Israel, the children of the bondwoman Ga 4:30, the rebellious children of the flesh unto dishonour indignity, reproach and disgrace Jer 18:9-10? ** And consider this – the purpose of the potter is to always make a usable (honorable) vessel. Always! Therefore, what potter in his right mind would make a vessel and then turn around and destroy it!? None would do this because that makes no sense whatsoever!

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** Also note that a marred spoiled, disfigured, corrupted, flawed (from the original text in Jer 18:4) vessel is NEVER, EVER the goal of the potter – marring is NOT the original intent or objective of the clay, but ONLY happens when something goes wrong and not according to plan – an unintended, undeliberate aberration occurs Jer 18:1-10; Isa 29:13-16. A potter never sets out to make a dishonorable vessel or creation: so to become a marred (dishonorable) vessel is not the Master Potter’s will for anyone! Rev 22:17, Isa 1:18, 2Pe 3:9. ** And God makes this fact absolutely, unquestionably and undeniably clear: hell was never, ever intended as the final, eternal abode of men! Mt 25:41, as opposed to Mt 25:34 where He specifically says heaven was created for that very purpose. So if the creation of hell was for other beings, and not for men, it logically, rationally and revelationarily follows that it is not God’s will that men end up there! Jn 6:40. Here we have another critical, vital non-intentioned outcome. This would be the only example in all of scripture where God would be violating His own will – Him purposely and iniquitously reprobating men where He does not want them to be! So the teaching that God reprobates people to hell is another perversion of God’s perfect plan of salvation for all of mankind Jn 3:16, 2Pe 3:9. This manmade doctrine has no basis at all in truth.

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** Further, concerning the reference here to Jer 18:1-17, God says clearly and unambiguously that the vessel becomes dishonorable not by His choice or His doing, but by the vessel’s choice and doing! God says, this vessel, on their own, by their free will became “evil”, have done “a very horrible thing", "have forgotten me", "have burned incense to worthless idols”, and “they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths.” There is no difference between God reprobating and what God said about Israelitish abortion – “neither came it into My mind, that they should do this abomination.” It has never come into God’s mind that man be reprobated to hell – it is man’s corrupted wisdom, through his own fallen, brutish mind, that would blame God for any of this malevolence and foolishness as Augustinianism does. ** Further still, and of crucial importance, when the dishonorable vessel states “there is no hope” any longer for us, God refutes, rebuts and repudiates that remark and says that all the vessel need do is “return you now everyone from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good”, showing obviously again free will, that it’s man’s choice to turn from his evil way, and if he does, God says “I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them” - that evil being eventually destroying them through allowing them to continue and persist as a dishonorable vessel.** Additionally, when it comes to eternal judgment, God says a man will not be judged for the sins of another (Adam), but for his owns sins Ex 18:20, 18:24.

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** Re 4:11 says Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. So in this scripture, God says ALL people were created for His pleasure. However, He also says He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked: Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord God, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live? Ez 18:23, and by that turning, not die in his sin Ez 18:26. So if God allows some to go to hell because they cannot choose Him, He contradicts Himself, because according to Augustinianism, He says

1) I’ve created all creatures for My pleasure, yet 2) I’m also purposely allowing the vast majority of those

creatures (who, by the way, have been made in My image), to be wicked, evil people, having no choice whatsoever in the matter, to end up in hell, which will bring Me eternal and everlasting displeasure.

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Is God a masochist? Is He double-minded? Why would God allow someone to continue in wickedness, and that wicked person bring Him eternal displeasure? How could, or why would, God purposely bring himself displeasure against His own will? As bad and wicked as humans are, they would never, ever do that to their own children: SO WHY WOULD OUR IMPARTIAL, FAIR AND JUST GOD, WHO IS LOVE EPITOMIZED, DO THAT TO HIS??? ** In addition to all of this, if Augustinianism is true, how could a person reprobated to hell “turn from his ways and live?” since God won’t allow him to do so, and he has no power (free will) in himself to do so either? So even this makes no sense.

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22 What if God, while willing PAP to shew AMI indicate his wrath indignation, vengeance and to make his power might known AAI declared, understood, endured AAI with much longsuffering patience, forbearance the vessels people of wrath the Jewish unbelievers fitted PerPP completed, framed to destruction perishing, perdition. Why is God longsuffering? If these vessels are definitely going to hell, why the patience and why give them time at all? Because God keeps demonstrating His power and wrath through the despair and misery in the world as a type that they may be persuaded to repent Ro 2:4-6. This scripture says the vessels “are being fitted”, not “have been fitted” for destruction, and doesn’t say, as the next verse does, that God is doing the “fitting” – there is no testimony about the modus of how these vessels became so “fitted”. The evidence is that they are being fitted by their god and father Jn 8:44; not the true God and Father 1Jn 5:20. They are allowing themselves to be fitted by continual, obstinate refusal to heed the gospel Ps 31:9, 10, 12. The Greek word for “fitted” denotes facilitating something already begun and underway, but incomplete and lacking, in order to attain a thorough, complete and final outcome. The same word is used in Mt 4:21 (mending), 1Co 1:10 (be perfectly joined together), and Gal 6:1 (restore). What is important to note is that this finalization (outcome) may or may not be attained, because the verb form of “fitted” ONLY DENOTES THE PROCESS, NOT THE END RESULT! The process may be altered or halted altogether - IT IS NOT A FAIT ACCOMPLI BY ANY MEANS! Ro 11:25 (has happened 2PerAI). SO A VESSEL OF WRATH MAY MODIFY ITS COURSE AND BECOME A VESSEL OF MERCY!!! Ro 11:22, 23, 26 (will be saved FPI), 27. This is the goodness and patience of God!

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23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels people of mercy the Jewish believers, which he had afore prior prepared made ready, ordained, prepared before, fit up in advance unto glory. Notice the Holy Spirit purposely used two different Greek verbs (fitted verse 22, and prepared, this verse), with two different meanings, in these two verses pertaining to the vessels of honor and the vessels of wrath. With one, the vessel of honor, God has done all the work in preparing (predestinating) it for glory Eph 1:12 as it abides in Him Jn 15:4. But with the other, the vessel of wrath, He is just facilitating it along (because He won’t violate the will of the vessel) as it prepares itself for destruction through its hard, resistant and impenitent heart. This is why God keeps prodding and persuading Ac 18:4, 28:23, 2Co 5:11 this vessel to repent Ro 10:1, 8-13; 11: 11, 12, 23; Acts 24:5, 28:23. The first (predestinating those abiding in the vine), is exclusively the handiwork of God and is unchanging, but the second (resisting the gospel of salvation) is under the control of the unbelieving individual, and can be altered.

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** This raises another point. If God has selected a certain group to salvation, and they have no choice in the matter, and they will definitely and automatically be saved by being forced to come to Christ, why do they need at all to be persuaded to come to Christ? That would be like me having a boat that’s sailing to Spain, and me urging, inducing and persuading some people to come with me. But these people I have already planned to overpower and kidnap to be forced to go on the boat anyway. So why would I need to persuade them to go since they will already be forced to go, as Augustinianism espouses? This too makes no sense.** And another observation, because of a warped view of sovereignty. God being sovereign doesn’t mean He controls everything – it simply means He has the absolute authority and power to control everything. God decided not which choice a man should make, but that he should be free to make it!

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24 Subject change: And now, for a second example, even also us all Jewish and Gentile believers, whom he hath called bid, gave command, which shows that not of the Jews only God will save, but also of the Gentiles God will save. 25 This parallels exactly as he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people restored Israel Hos 2:16-19; Ro 11:23, 24 which were not my people divorced Israel Je 3:8; and her beloved all believing Gentiles, which was not beloved former unbelieving Gentiles. Just as the divorced nation of Israel will be received and accepted by God, so too will the believing Gentiles be received and accepted in the beloved Eph 1:6, 7. Therefore, those which had no fellowship with God, will be sanctified and be able to have fellowship with Him Acts 15:9. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them the Gentiles, Ye are not my people part of the family of God; there shall they be called (named) the accepted and adopted Ro 11:17 children of the living God.

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27 Subject change: Esaias 10:22 also crieth prophesized concerning Israel, Though the number of the physical children of Israel the “lump of clay” of verse 21 be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of those physical descendants shall be saved: and that remnant is restored Israel, those who are the spiritual children of Abraham:  28 For he will finish bring to completion, fulfill the work of severing and casting off Israel Ro 11:12, 25, 26, and cut it short execute it speedily in righteousness justice and equity: because a short swift, rapid work will the Lord make upon the earth land of Israel.  29 And as Esaias 10:22 said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us Israel a seed remnant of believers, we would had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha Ge 19:24, 25, 28; De 29:23: hardened, rejected and destroyed.  30 What shall we say then? So what is the conclusion of all of this – what does all of this mean? It means that the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to obtained, found, apprehended righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith belief in the gospel, the only avenue to God, sanctification, justification and glorification.

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31 But unbelieving Israel, which followed after pursued the law the Old Testament commandments of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness justification, right standing with God. 32 Wherefore? Why? Because they sought it not by faith simple belief, but as it were by the works toil, deeds of the law. For they stumbled were tripped up Ro 7:5 at that stumblingstone 1Co 1:22, 23 of truth: Salvation is of the promise through faith (simple continual belief). 33 As it is written Isa 8:14; 28:16, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence snare, occasion to fall Lu 20:17, 18: and whosoever any man who believeth on puts trust in, commits to him Jesus shall not be an ashamed, dishonorable vessel. Last: revision 03/3112016