What do you think these 3 Bible verses mean?

Question

Rom 9:18 Therefore, God has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

Rom 9:19 You may ask me, "Then why does God still find fault with anybody? For who can resist his will?"

Rom 9:20 On the contrary, who are you-mere man that you are-to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?"

Now i get the logic of the first 2 verses --its basically predestination. But the response in the last verse doesn't make sense to me, i mean it doesnt answer the predes question at all.
---If you think you know what is Paul saying, please explain in plain english.

Answer 1

We cannot talk back to God or make fun of his creation or our bodies or souls. God has a plan for everything and everyone. It mean's NOT talking back meaning not being appreciative like cursing the rain, or getting upset at God for a natural catastrophe.

God has plans, and we are his creation. He molded us.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you--so to speak.

Answer 2

In Romans 9, Paul is explaining a hard problem for the Jewish believer in Jesus. Since Jesus was the promised Messiah, it was widely expected that all Jews would accept him when he came. Yet most Jews rejected him. Paul then asks whether the promise of God failed. The answer is, of course, No. God had always had a plan, and as part of that plan, some Jews would believe and some would not. The larger plan is that God is building His church, adding believers as He sees fit. This you have correctly identified as predestination.

But this raises an objection. Someone says, Paul, if those who believe and those who reject are all just following the big plan, why does God still condemn those Jews who reject Jesus, because in a sense, they are just doing His will. Paul responds by saying that to ask such a question assumes that God owes you an explanation, and He does not. It’s just a decision of God, with no explanation. Except that we are told it’s not based on good or bad deeds. If we get angry at God because He hasn’t made the reason for His choice clear, we misunderstand Who it is we are talking to. We cannot assume the Supreme Judge of the universe would have any but the best possible reasons for His choices. God is just and holy in all His ways. If we say His condemnation of unbelief is unfair, we are accusing Him of injustice. To accuse Him of injustice assumes we have some higher authority of fairness to which both God and we must answer. But there is no higher authority for God than God Himself. Otherwise He is not God.

Therefore, because raising such a question carries a built-in accusation of injustice, Paul asserts that we as creatures should avoid that question altogether, seeing we are in no position to question God’s autonomy in deciding what to do with his own creations. If God is the artist, does the painting have a right to tell the artist how it should be painted? No. If the potter has the right to shape the clay one way or another, how can the clay complain? It cannot. The potter is free to shape the clay into the container He wants to make. Some containers He makes to hold the riches of His mercy. Some He makes to hold the consequences of His justice. In both types of containers, God, and only God, receives the glory.

Answer 3

Rom 9:20....He is the Great Potter, and we are like clay that has been shaped into vessels, for him to deal with as he pleases. Who are we—the pottery of his hand—to question his decisions or actions? When the patriarch Job misunderstood God’s dealings with mankind, God corrected him, asking: “Really, will you invalidate my justice? Will you pronounce me wicked in order that you may be in the right?” Realizing that he had spoken without understanding, Job later repented. (Job 40:8; 42:6) May we never make the mistake of finding fault with God!

Answer 4

God is bigger than we are. There's a lot that we don't get/ understand. I don't think God was saying don't ask me questions as much as he was saying don't question my authority. One is a child asking for understanding and to be taught by the Father. The other is getting in the Father's face and saying, 'How dare you! Who gave you that right! Who do you think you are?'

What I do when I come upon stuff I don't get Is I ask God about it. "Lord, I don't get it. Show me what you mean?"
I that attitude it is amazing what the Lord has shown me. A times the answer is like instant, but not often. Other times it's a few days later, or a week later , or even month's later. Be patient, but keep asking.

Answer 5

It just goes to mean, that we have no right to ask God what we have become. And its ingratitude in our part to throw faults unto HIM. It is God and only HIM has the right to judge us. We cant even judged ourselves.We should never question the fate that God has destined for us as manifested in the premise that God chooses whatever it is that HE wanted(Rom 9:18). Its like, a circle can never ask why he is circle for it is a will and or destiny for him to become a circle for GOD chooses circle to be circle.

Oh I'm also confused.

Answer 6

That is the answer to a lot of questions ask here. God has preference to vessels He created, for special purposes and others for mercy and others for judgment...

The vessels never asked the potter how he was made like that. We have to act on the Faith that God gave us but must be coupled with God's grace that our life and testimony would be a blessing to others...

Answer 7

"Potter's rights"
Whatever God does it's unquestionable and right.

It may seem unfair on those who God does not choose, those "vessels of wrath, made for destruction"
(same chapter)
But basically Paul says we have as much right to question God's values and motives as a lump of clay has to complain about what a potter decides to do with it. None.

And I'm a vessel made for destruction, it seems.
If the bible's right.

Answer 8

+PAX

I think it is saying you don't talk back to or question God. You don't ask the potter why He molded you in whatever way. He could pick you up and smash you.

You don't wonder why He sheds this amt of Graces on this one and that amt of Graces on that one. You accept what the Lord does and gives because it is in His plan.

I know that's not very plain. I tried.

In Humility,
j

Answer 9

Well, I think of it like this.

I have health problems. I don't blame God for those, I try to seek the good that I can do. I've really been able to help some people who I otherwise would not have known what to say to. I don't ask God, "Why did you give me health problems?"

I was able to help someone recently who has the same disease and who was suicidal. If I didn't have this disease, and didn't meet her to help her, she could have killed herself. So, even though I hate being sick, I am able to use it to help people.

Does that make sense?

Answer 10

basically how can you question, fault, argue with God bout anything. He is are creator so He has the right to do what He wants or to choose who serves Him or who doesn't. like the scripture talking bout "why does God fault us if He chose to harden us." we don't have the right to ask Him things like that. these scriptures have confused me too. matter fact im still confused bout these verses.