Category Archives: Expositional Article

Israel’s Zealous Ignorance

Posted on July 29, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” —Romans 10:2

Zeal does not save anyone. Zeal doesn’t even aid in pointing you to Christ. Were zeal a necessary component in salvation, Paul would have been on the top of the list because of his religious zeal as the Pharisee of Tarsus (Galatians 1:13-15). Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 29, 2010.
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Israel’s Unsaved Condition

Posted on July 28, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” —Romans 10:1

After the almost-relentless teaching of Paul to drive the truth of sovereign election into us, by the remaining corruptions of our flesh we might be tempted to say (and sadly so many people do), “Alright already, I believe! God is sovereign in the election of man unto salvation;” and then we will stop right there at sovereign election and forsake the truth concerning man’s responsibility. We will continue to justify our own selves because of our corruption saying, “Okay, if God is sovereign, then it’s not up to me…,” and then we do nothing at all. Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 28, 2010.
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The Responsibility of Man

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

Last week we concluded a very lengthy series from Romans 9 examining God’s sovereign election in man’s salvation. In that blessed chapter we discovered that the apostle presents an argument and then supports it with scripture from the Old Testament. He repeats this in the course of presenting the great doctrinal truth of particular election in order to explain why most of the Jews of Israel have not come to saving faith in Christ. Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 27, 2010.
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The Conclusion of Sovereign Election Confirmed

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“…. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” —Romans 9:32b, 33

The apostle once again confirms the great truth of God’s sovereign election with scripture. He quotes from two passages in Isaiah. First, Isaiah 28:16,

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Paul only quotes the first part and the last part of Isaiah 28:16, leaving the middle portion of the verse out, omitting an explanation of Gentile inclusion. He doesn’t need to include that here because he has already explained and confirmed Gentile inclusion in Romans 9:6-29. Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 22, 2010.
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The Conclusion of Sovereign Election Explained

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;” —Romans 9:32

As the children of Israel trusted in the works of their own righteousness, faith in Jesus Christ, the only Righteous, was a stumbling stone to them; faith in Christ was offensive to their pride and self-importance. Doesn’t this place the responsibility upon them as the occasion for their stumbling? It appears so, doesn’t it? We might ask, “Isn’t that a conflict?” It would be if you separate man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty apart from one another as independent accounts. Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 21, 2010.
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The Conclusion of Sovereign Election Described

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

The last four verses of Romans 9 are viewed by some as being more appropriately place at the beginning of Romans 10. Since the beginning of Romans 10 expresses the truths behind man’s responsibility to a sovereign God, Romans 9:30-31, and Romans 9:31-33 most especially, quite rightly presents Israel’s responsibility to the sovereign LORD, Israel’s accountability to the revelation of prophetic scripture, and Israel’s culpability for her own failure to recognize God’s salvation by grace alone. Yet, this portion of four verses also contains the truth of God’s sovereignty as well, so we will and, I believe, should leave it as part of our series in Romans 9. Quite rightly, it brings to close that which we have painstakingly studied concerning the particular election of a sovereign God. Paul’s question in v30 does sound like he’s making a closing comment, doesn’t it? “What shall we say then?” Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 20, 2010.
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The Prophecies of God in Election 2

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.” —Romans 9:27-29

In Romans 9:25-26 we saw that while God scatters in judgment, at the same time He also sows in mercy and election. Set against the blessed backdrop of the knowledge of God’s truth, in our trials and tribulations we need to ask some meaningful questions and omit those faithless questions that spring forth from doubting flesh. Instead of asking, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” we should rather ask, “What beautiful and intricate purpose is God working in our lives for His own glory?” We should cast away questions like the former and embrace and delight in the latter questions because we know all those things, though seemingly bad, are working for good ultimately (Romans 8:28-29), manifesting the riches of God’s glory; additionally, we know from scripture and clear reason that there are really no good people at all (Romans 3:23). Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 17, 2010.
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The Prophecies of God in Election 1

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.” —Romans 9:25, 26

After laying out his vindication of God’s righteousness in His freedom to elect some and not choose others, the apostle once again provides scriptural support for his conclusions. He quotes from two Old Testament prophets in Romans 9:25-29 whose ministries took place nearly simultaneously; with one, Hosea, prophesying in the northern kingdom of Israel, and the other, Isaiah, prophesying in the southern kingdom of Judah. Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 9, 2010.
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The Plan of God in Election 2

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” —Romans 9:22-24

A phrase that may be particularly troubling for some when grappling with the truth of God’s sovereign election is the last part of Romans 9:22, “The vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” It is impossible for the unbeliever to discern this truth (1 Corinthians 2:14), but it may also be difficult for the saint saved by God’s amazing grace to understand. You may ask, “Why would believing saints have difficulty with understanding this?” To that I reply, “That is a good question; but I also have a good answer.” Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 6, 2010.
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The Plan of God in Election

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Jon J. Cardwell

“What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” —Romans 9:22-24

“Willing to shew His wrath…” As the prudence, the wisdom of God exposes the pride and foolishness of man, it also points to the purposes of God in His overarching plan. The greatness and enormity of His unsearchable wisdom magnifies and elevates His plans according to His purpose and good pleasure. In the light of God’s wisdom, His revealed will in His decrees becomes far larger than we can ever imagine. Continue reading →

Written by: Jon J. Cardwell on July 1, 2010.
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