Scripture Reference: Malachi 1:2-5
III. God’s Love Defined – Continued
2. A Predestinating Love
“Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?’ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?” (Romans 9:18-21).
To be true to this text we must include Paul’s appeal to it in Romans as evidence that God can choose who He desires even before they are born, as He did with Jacob and Esau. Now I know this introduces the deep truth of election and predestination. However that is not why I mention it and I am not going to go much into it at this time because of its depth; suffice it to say I want to cover some truths involved in these verses.
1) The first involves our humanity. You have to remember and realize that God does see and know the end from the beginning. With His omniscience He can foresee all our actions and with His omnipotence He can still leave us free. That may make no sense to us without in-depth study because we are human, carnal, and finite and we just cannot see from God’s infinite viewpoint.
2) The second involves our choice. You can quote dozens of verses to prove we are saved by God’s choice of us (Romans 8:29–30, etc.). But you can also quote hundreds that prove we are saved by our choice (Matthew 7:7-8; 11:28, etc.). Though I have done a lot of my own study, I take the diplomatic approach by saying I have to agree with the simplicity that D. L. Moody stated when he said, “The elect are those whosoever will and the non-elect are those whosoever won’t.”
3) The third truth involves our duty. Someone once asked Jesus a deep theological question, “Lord, are there few who are [going to be] saved?” And He [Jesus] said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:23). In other words, “You take care of you.” Our business is not to unravel mysteries but to work out our own salvation, to make sure we are saved, (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10) and to share the gospel (plant the seed) with the whole world (Matthew 28:18–20). We, like Israel, are saved to serve and be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2), it is the Lord’s will to give the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).
3. A Painful Love
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
To fulfill God’s purpose and be God’s kind of people we must oftentimes pass through the valley of pain. C. S. Lewis says God whispers to us in our blessings but shouts to us in our pain. This was what Malachi’s hearers had all wrong. Someone once stated that the blessing of the Old Testament was prosperity and that of the New Testament was adversity. These poor people were in the middle making the difficult transition to a new view of pain. Paul said, “We . . . glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience from that which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).
Like Malachi’s hearers we have a tendency to interpret pain as evidence that God does not care. However, it’s the opposite that is true. God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness and in our character more than in our comforts. He wants to make us like Jesus and the only way to do that is to walk the path of trial and trouble, the very same thing Jesus stated that the student who follows the teacher will have to do (Luke 6:40).
To Be Continued
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
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