Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction

What if God willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction

                                                                                                                               -Romans 9:22

What is a vessel of wrath? Well to understand the opening verse, let’s go back go verse 21:

Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? Paul in this illustration is contrasting two types of people, vessels of honor (the righteous), and vessels of dishonor (the wicked). The point of this brief parable is God in His absolute sovereignty chooses how He wants to use each human being He has created, and how He wants to bless them. In chapter nine of Romans Paul recounts that God exercised His sovereignty when He chose Jacob over His twin brother Esau. Jacob was a vessel of honor, Esau was a vessel unto dishonor – God’s sovereign choice alone is what caused this.

Some believe that when the scripture says that when the vessels of wrath (i.e. vessels of dishonor), is fitted for destruction it means God is the one fitting or preparing them for that destruction. This is untrue. The word fitted is the Greek word kataritzo. In verse 22 of Romans 9 fitted is in the middle voice meaning that subject is acting upon himself; i.e. fitted themselves for destruction. God is not the one preparing the person for destruction. They prepare themselves when they rebel against God, and harden themselves in sin.

The example Paul uses in Romans 9 is Pharaoh, for this very purpose I have raised you up that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth (quoted from Ex 9:16). God hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was an inactive hardening. God removed His restraints off of Pharaoh so that he could sin his full, and so that God could display his mighty works in front of Pharaoh (Ex 7:3-4). God did not create unbelief in the monarch’s heart. If God did that He would be authoring sin which He never does.

In fact God’s hardening of Pharaoh was a result of Pharaoh’s hardening his own heart (Exodus 7:13, 23; 8:15,32; 9:6,34,35).

While it is true that God makes some vessels for common or dishonorable use, does not mean He makes anyone sin. Being that we are evil by nature, we will sin proving that we are dishonorable.

Keep in mind this whole matter in the most strictest sense is dealing with the doctrine of sovereign election; that is God choosing who will be a gracious recipient of His saving grace, and who He decides to pass over leaving them in their depravity. Everyone is either a Jacob (the chosen), or an 

Esau (not chosen). This is always God’s prerogative alone. God is not is being unfair to those whom He has not chosen for none us have the right to demand anything from God.

Those who are the vessels of wrath have chosen that destiny for themselves which is eternal destruction. The vessels of honor/mercy have been chosen by God alone beforehand unto glory

(Romans 9:23).