God Is Righteous to Demand Obedience
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 9/11/2016 AM |
Text: | Romans 9:20; Lord's Day 4 |
Psalters: | 236, 69, 3, 265 |
- The question.
- Is it right of God to demand of man what is impossible for him to do?
- We are quick to challenge God and to judge Him to be unjust to demand obedience of those who are unable to obey.
- And how can God condemn the reprobate when they don’t have the ability to obey God.
- Man takes to himself the right to judge God to be unjust to demand what man cannot do.
- I want my responsibility determined by my ability, not by God’s commandments.
- Is it right of God to demand of man what is impossible for him to do?
- The Catechism answers that God is just to demand obedience.
- First, God’s continuing to demand loving obedience is because God has not changed; He is maintaining Himself as God.
- Second, God may command obedience because He created man able to keep His commands.
- Third, the reason we do not obey/love God is because we do not want to do so.
- Fourth, man may not take to himself the right to judge God (Rom. 9:20). Let every mouth be stopped (Rom. 3:19).
- As God He is the Creator! This means that He is worthy of being feared, worshiped and glorified.
- And as God He is the Lawgiver (Isa. 33:22; James 4:12), alone having the right to set the standard for His creatures.
- Scripture’s answer to this question assures us that there is still hope and that we must not despair.
- Let us begin with the confession of our complete inability and the recognition of God’s righteous judgement to condemn us.
- Then let us look away from ourselves to God’s provision of the Savior and His cross.
- Then let us bless God Who alone is to be praised for the glorious wonder of His grace.