Theodicy Soteriology, Hermeneutics

SOTERIOLOGY : M. M. NINAN
Paul doesn't in anyway imply that he made the vessels of wrath for destruction. Just the
opposite, he endured with much patience for these vessels to be of some better use. In the
days of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph he did use Egypt to safeguard the elect from
destruction through famine. Verse 22, "What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath
and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction? 23 And He did so in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon
vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called,
not from among Jews only, but also from among the Gentiles." God's immediate aim in doing
so was to release Israel and to being them into a new land. From this arose the Jesus and
from Jesus came the Church (us) so that he may still accomplish his ultimate plan of
redemption of the universe. Paul's redemption process is not narrow enough to end with the
few people. It encompasses not only One New Man but also the whole of material world - the
cosmos as such. Paul has just discussed this wider concept of redemption in Romans 8
The whole purpose of the book of Romans is the question of why God rejected Israel and
chooses church. Why was the Philistines rejected? Why was Israel rejected? Why was the
Church accepted? The answer follows the argument:
Rom 9: 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness,
have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;31 but Israel, who pursued a law of
righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if
it were by works.
Even the elect will not attain it if it is not pursued with faith.
Heb 4: 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message
they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3
Now we who have believed enter that rest,
The Potter and the vessel
The parable of the potter and his vessel tells us exactly what I have explained before. Let the
scripture explain scripture. Paul is referring to these allegories is beyond doubt as he quotes
from the prophets immediately following the explanation. What do they teach?
In Isaiah 29 we have the picture of the vessel questioning the wisdom and ability of the
creator by assuming that they can escape from their evil deeds
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