GOD’S SOVEREIGN MERCY New

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2025

The Undeserved and Unquestionable Grace of God

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION:

• PASSAGE: Romans 9:14–29
• MEMORY VERSE: “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear him.” (Psalm 103:11)
• BIBLE READING PLAN: Isaiah 58–60; Night: Isaiah 61–63

MESSAGE:The Unquestionable Nature of Divine Mercy

In Romans chapter 9, the Apostle Paul dives into one of the most profound and challenging doctrines of the Christian faith: God’s sovereign mercy. The passage confronts the human tendency to question God’s fairness and to believe that our salvation is, in some way, earned. Paul opens with a direct question that anticipates our internal struggle: “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” (Romans 9:14). His immediate and firm response is that there is no unrighteousness with God. We cannot apply our limited human standards of justice to the infinite, holy character of a sovereign God.

Our God is merciful and compassionate. His mercy, as Psalm 136:1–26 declares, “endures forever.” This mercy is not a response to our goodness but is an inherent part of His nature. The truth is, all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. It is only by the sheer, unmerited mercy of God that we are alive and not instantly condemned for our transgressions. It is not our righteousness or any “good work” that we could possibly perform that keeps us in His grace.

Paul makes this point powerfully by quoting God’s words to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Romans 9:15). This declaration establishes a crucial truth: mercy is not a right we can demand; it is a gift that God chooses to give. This means that when God shows mercy to someone, it is utterly undeserved. Salvation belongs to Him, and the grace received by anyone is not by merit.

We have no right to query God’s decisions. He is the Almighty and Sovereign God, the Creator of all things. Paul drives this point home with the powerful analogy of the potter and the clay: “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:21). We are the clay; He is the Potter. We cannot question His design or His purpose.

The Vessels of Wrath and the Vessels of Mercy

Paul uses the story of Pharaoh to illustrate God’s sovereignty. God raised up Pharaoh for the very purpose of demonstrating His power and declaring His name throughout the earth (Romans 9:17). In this, we see God’s dual action: He has mercy on whom He wills to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wills to harden (Romans 9:18). This is a difficult truth, but it underscores the fact that God’s ultimate purpose is His own glory. He will use every person and every circumstance, whether for good or for ill, to accomplish His will and reveal His nature.

This brings us to the profound distinction between the “vessels of wrath” and the “vessels of mercy”. The vessels of wrath are those who are “fitted to destruction,” but God, in His “much longsuffering,” endures them, even as He makes His power and wrath known (Romans 9:22). The vessels of mercy, on the other hand, are those “which he had afore prepared unto glory” (Romans 9:23).

The incredible news is that this divine calling is not limited to the Jews. Paul triumphantly declares that God has called us, the vessels of mercy, “not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles” (Romans 9:24). He supports this with prophecies from the Old Testament, such as Hosea, where God says, “I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.” (Romans 9:25). This shows that God’s plan of salvation was always intended to include all of humanity, not just one nation. His mercy is expansive and all-encompassing.

Our Response to God’s Sovereign Mercy

While we hold fast to the absolute sovereignty of God, we also believe and affirm that everyone who believes the Gospel will be saved. God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are not mutually exclusive; they are two sides of the same coin. This is why we are commanded to preach the Gospel to the whole world and invite all people to believe it. Our salvation is an act of God’s grace and mercy, but it is received through our faith.

Therefore, our response to God’s sovereign mercy should be one of profound humility, gratitude, and action.

1. Humility: We must recognize that we have no standing to question God. He is the judge of all the earth, and His judgments are righteous.
2. Gratitude: We should constantly thank God for His undeserved mercy. His compassion is the only reason we are not consumed.
3. Action: Knowing that we have received mercy, we should be quick to extend it to others. We are also called to be vessels of honor, not just for ourselves, but for the glory of God.

The prayer of the prophet Jeremiah and the Psalmist David, which we are encouraged to emulate, is a perfect example of this. When they were bullied or faced with injustice, they took their case to God, knowing that He is the ultimate judge and the only one who can truly defend and deliver. When God passes a judgment or showers mercy, no “Supreme Court” in this world can reverse it. He did this for Hezekiah, adding fifteen years to his life, and He can do the same for you today.

Do you believe in God’s sovereign mercy? If He decides to shower mercy on you today, no one can stop it. Receive the mercy of God to do more exploits, to live a life of honor, and to be a vessel of His glory, in Jesus’ Name

PRAYER:

Eternal and merciful God, be merciful unto me, a vile offender, and cast me not away from Thy sight. Let me be a vessel of honor unto Thee evermore, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.