Romans 9:25-33
“Whosoever Will or Whosoever Won’t”

Introduction
1. Sovereignty: Salvation is of Grace. Salvation is all of God. I see three problem areas is God’s choosing: v. 13 Jacob have I love…Esau have I hated. v. 18 God hath mercy…God hardens whom He will harden. v. 24 He hath called Jews and Gentiles. It was a surprise to the Jew, but not to God.
2. Broad is the way that leads to destruction. Narrow is the gate that leads to life everlasting…few there be that finds it. Over the gate there is a sign: Whosoever will may come. Whosoever…is that you? Is that me? Those of us who know Christ enter that gate. Once inside we look back and over the gate: Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world…Elect according to the foreknowledge of God. It is a family secret!
3. There are the whosoever wills but there are the whosoever won’t, which are you?
4. Romans 9:25-33 when speaking of eternal things, two powerful sources:

Whosoever will or whosoever won’t, which are you?
I. GOD’S WORD AND THE WHOSOEVERS 9:25-29
A. The Privileges of Whosoever Will 25,26
Paul turns to Hosea to show the ‘vessels of mercy’. They are the elect among the Jews
and Gentiles, those called by the Spirit of God and the Word of God.
Why has God been so unfaithful to Israel or why have the purposes of God failed? In no
way has the Word of God failed. Paul quotes Hosea and then Isaiah.
Three important privileges:
1. ‘My people’ who are not my people 25a
*We look out on a sea of people, but as we examine them, they have no face, no identity. Whosoever will may come.
*We become the personal possession of the God of heaven…My people. We have identity. God now recognizes me. I have a right to enter His presence.
*Your life has changed ownership…from you to God.
2.‘Beloved’ who was not beloved
*At one time the wrath of God rested on this people…then whosoever will may come.
*Now they are loved by God in a special way. I heard someone say, “His mom sure loves him.” She was interested in every area of the young man’s life! So it is with God!
3.‘Sons’ Ye are not my people, there shall they be called the sons of the living God.
*This sea of faces, this mass of humanity…whosoever will may come.
*Sons of the living God All the blessings of heaven are mine! Son is spoken to me by the Father!
B. The Perils of Whosoever Won’t 27-29
Paul is quoting from Isaiah. They must personally answer God’s call. It has always
been so!
1.Two important words are related: Remnant (27) Seed (29) These refer back to verse 6. All of Israel was not saved (Recognized by God). There was a personal responsibility.
2.The covenant promise did not guarantee salvation to all Israel. Children of Israel are like the sands of the sea…but only a remnant shall be saved!
3.Verse 29 If it were not for those who answered God’s call Israel would have suffered the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah. Israel would have been destroyed. People getting right with God has always been God’s answer to saving a nation. God’s pattern is patience and then judgment. (28)
4.God’s promises do not pertain to the mass of Israel…only a believing few. God is patient. If you are here this morning believing a God of love would never send anyone to hell…look at the path you are on. Many are on the Broad Path that leads to destruction.

Whosoever will or whosoever won’t, which are you?
II. GOD’S WAY AND THE WHOSOEVERS 9:30-33
The key word is ‘righteousness’ (28, 30, 31) Righteousness is a right standing before
God. I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation. (1:16) In it
is the righteousness of God revealed from faith into faith, the just shall live by faith. (1:17)
The Gentiles were willing to go God’s way.
A. The Way of Righteousness 30
1.The failure of the Jew to believe the Gospel was their fault not God’s. If God hardens them, then it would not be their fault. Such is not the case! We are responsible for our decisions.
2.The Gentile was doing nothing toward righteousness. Yet, they obtained it as a free gift!
3.Righteousness is by faith! They responded positively to the Gospel!
B.The Works of Righteousness 31
1.The Jews, who determined to work out their salvation, hath not attained to righteousness.
2.Their own good works before God were not enough! Church, ceremony, ritual, good deeds are not enough! Whosoever won’t come to Jesus are lost!
3.Those who see they have need of a Savior…they have been drawn by the Holy Spirit. They understand what is going on in their lives. Their very desire to be saved, their awareness of their need for a Savior…Only God Can Do That!
C.The Walk of Righteousness 32, 33
Why? We set out our own little standards of what is acceptable to God…what does God want?
1.We have a word picture of walking along a road. Bed rock above the surface…we stumble.
2.Jesus is the Rock. We have a quote from Isaiah. What will you doe with Jesus? Israel as a whole wanted nothing to do with Jesus Christ.
3.Whosoever believeth on Him will not be ashamed. Ashamed is disappointed or literally: Put to shame! Standing before God with nothing to say. Without Him judgment is sure. There is coming a day of reckoning. We will be exposed for what we are. I will either stand before Jesus as my Savior or as my Judge!


Whosoever Will or Whosoever Won’t

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?