Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
-- Romans 9:21
Like many locals and a lot of tourists, Andrea and I enjoy strolling through historic downtown Hot Springs. When we do, we almost never fail to go into The Arlington Hotel. The lobby alone is worth the trip. The whole structure is a true architectural treasure with a grand design and, we hope, a glorious future.
The Lord is not building a building, exactly, but He is building a people for Himself to enjoy for all eternity. It begins with the doctrine of election, whereby God decrees to have a people for Himself for all eternity. Then the Creator created human beings in His own image, and put eternity in our souls. Then we humans sinned against God, plunging humanity into cataclysmic fall and spiritual death. Since then, God has engaged in millions of remodeling projects, called salvation, and invested His grace and mercy into every person who repents and believes. One day, the Son of God who came to earth to pay the price for our redemption is coming back to gather all the redeemed people of all time. Then we will live with Him forever in a renewed and perfected Heaven and earth. I wonder what The Arlington will look like then?
Election, creation, fall, redemption, and consummation are the steps in God's grand design. The plan is still unfolding. People are still being saved. God's sovereign hand is behind it all.
Before creation, God chose who will be saved (ref. Ephesians 1:4ff). In creation we came out of the dust of the ground (ref. Genesis 2:7). We are all true lumps of clay, sinful lumps, fallen in the vain attempt to be our own god (ref. Genesis 3:1ff).
After the fall, the potter goes to work to redeem some of the clay. This is redemption, or salvation. "Out of the same lump," which is the entire, fallen, sinful human race, God transforms and remakes and molds some "for honorable use."
God, the honorable potter, makes children of clay children of God. He puts His hands on them, as it were, and works into them His grace and mercy. He puts His Holy Spirit into them and enables them to repent and believe in the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ. He restores His image in them, spiritual, holy, eternal. This fits them to worship and serve God on earth, and then live with Him forever in the new heavens and earth. The highest honor in the universe is to be chosen by God and molded into one of His children by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!
The dishonor is to be left alone. This is the obvious fate of those destined for "dishonorable use." The dishonored deserve dishonor because they dishonor God. Some are nominal or hypocritical Christians. Some are adherents of pagan religions who worship idols. Some are simply idolators who worship money, sex, or fame. Some are just average lumps of clay who work hard, take care of their families, enjoy their hobbies, but make no time for God, the church, or other things God loves. They all dishonor God by leaving Him alone; therefore, God dishonors them by leaving them alone.
We know who the redeemed are because they love, listen, honor, and obey the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you have not already done so, repent and believe the Gospel today! Be redeemed, before the day of the great consummation comes. Give your life to Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, through faith in the Gospel, and you will prove to be a part of God's grand design.
Then, when Christ comes again, let's all meet at The Arlington to celebrate.
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].