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From: ptl@fluke.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Who can resist God's Will?
Message-ID: <7083@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 17-Nov-86 01:01:19 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.7083
Posted: Mon Nov 17 01:01:19 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 17-Nov-86 02:41:05 EST
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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Hi,

Stuart Bobb (ihnp4!hpfcla!sjb) mentions how Romans 9:14-21 disturbs him.
He goes on to mention how the clay pot analogy doesn't come across well.

It is a disturbing section of Paul's writings.  To help myself understand
it better, I turned to William Barclay.  He is a fantastic Bible scholar.
His writings are very informative, interesting, and down to earth.  You
might want to get his Bible study book on "The Letter to the Romans",
revised edition, Westminster Press, 1975.  In this and his other Bible
study books, he'll take a short portion of the letter, then write a
page or two bringing up background information, other Bible scholars'
interpretations, ancient and present historians' and theologians' inputs,
and personal insites.  Not boring at all.

Barclay mentions that the analogy may be a bad one.  And he sites reasons
that included yours.  He does mention, though, that the Gospels point to a
God who treats us as His children, not lumps of clay.  He goes on, thinking
about Paul's background and current circumstances.  He says Paul probably
could come up with no better reason for his own Jewish kinsmen killing Jesus
than to believe God was somehow involved for purposes of His own.  And to the
Jewish mind, God is behind everything --- look at the prophets and their
writings.  So for Paul, this analogy fit well with his belief in God being
behind everything that happens, and that it is not for us to question.
Just like clay doesn't question the person shaping it for whatever purpose.

Aside from Barclay, I've heard the analogy looked at another way.  God is
the potter making and reshaping us.  As long as we don't harden, as in
harden our hearts against God, the potter can continue to mold and shape
us for His use.  Also the clay pot is fired to harden it once it is
ready for its purpose, like the fire we sometimes go through to prepare
us for God's work.

Remember that Paul was an up front, real person - didn't beat around the
bush, spoke his mind, and felt complete trust in God was manditory for faith.
The entire letter to the Romans is an excellant place to start if you want
to get a flavor for Paul's beliefs in God, and his own personal drive.
His letter to the Romans is more a talk with you, than a letter.  The person
who wrote it down for him must have had a bad case of writers cramp
trying to keep up with Paul as he spoke.  Try Barclay - you'll like him.

God Bless,

Mike Andrews (PTL)