“That can’t be right !” we might cry out. Surely the God of love wouldn’t prepare some people for destruction? Yet that is what Romans 9:22-23 seems to indicate. Rom 9:22 “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—”
Here are two groups of people. Some are called vessels of wrath prepared for destruction “and the others are called “vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory.”
Both groups are called “vessels “described by the Greek word “skeuos” which can mean a utensil for carrying anything or an instrument such as a person.
The 1st group, “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” are described that way as shown in verse 22, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured [them] with much patience.” It appears that God’s patience with their sin will eventually come to an end and His punishment follows. The reason Jesus came to earth was to die for sin so that humans would not have to face the wrath of God for their sin. By confessing their sin and trusting in Christ for salvation they could avert the wrath of God. But these people have chosen not to do so.
This truth was shown by Saint John in John chapter 3 verses 16 to 18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
God’s grace and mercy are offered freely to every human being. However they have a choice to make. To accept His grace in Christ or to live as they please, ignoring the grace of God and ultimately the God of grace. There are consequences for rejecting the God of grace.
The 2nd group, “vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory” are those who have repented of their sin and have accepted Christ as their Saviour from sin. They are “vessels of mercy” because they have received God’s mercy in accepting Christ as their Saviour. They were “prepared beforehand for glory“ because God in His omniscience knows who will receive Him and who were reject Him. This truth is seen in 1Peter 1:1-2, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit … .” They are the elect or chosen because God in His foreknowledge knew who would respond to Him.
WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF HIS VESSELS OF MERCY. Ephesians 2:8-10.
He has good works for us to do! As Saint Paul wrote, Eph 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
God has good works which He has prepared beforehand for His people to do. Not only has he prepared His people beforehand for glory but He was also prepared beforehand the good works He wants them to accomplish. So the redeemed Christian life is not a matter of believers trying to do things to please God, but allowing Him to show them the works He wants them to do and receiving His grace to enable them to do them.
Saint Paul encourages us in this process in Philippians 2:12-13, “…. . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We are to work out in practice what God is working in us. He works in us to give us both the willingness and the ability to do the things that please Him.
At this coming Christmas season our attention is drawn to Jesus Christ, the creator of the world, the redeemer of humankind, the Lord of the universe and the ultimate judge. But there is a choice to be made. To accept His amazing grace in coming into the world to die for us or the choice to remain as we are, rejecting the grace and mercy of the eternal loving God. It is not too late to make the right decision and discover the amazing love and mercy of the omnipotent, all powerful, omniscient all-knowing loving God.
Blog No.583 posted on Tuesday, 09 December 2025.
About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.
holbeck 
583. GOD PREPARES HIS PEOPLE FOR GLORY AND UNBELIEVERS FOR DESTRUCTION.
“That can’t be right !” we might cry out. Surely the God of love wouldn’t prepare some people for destruction? Yet that is what Romans 9:22-23 seems to indicate. Rom 9:22 “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—”
Here are two groups of people. Some are called vessels of wrath prepared for destruction “and the others are called “vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory.”
Both groups are called “vessels “described by the Greek word “skeuos” which can mean a utensil for carrying anything or an instrument such as a person.
The 1st group, “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” are described that way as shown in verse 22, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured [them] with much patience.” It appears that God’s patience with their sin will eventually come to an end and His punishment follows. The reason Jesus came to earth was to die for sin so that humans would not have to face the wrath of God for their sin. By confessing their sin and trusting in Christ for salvation they could avert the wrath of God. But these people have chosen not to do so.
This truth was shown by Saint John in John chapter 3 verses 16 to 18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
God’s grace and mercy are offered freely to every human being. However they have a choice to make. To accept His grace in Christ or to live as they please, ignoring the grace of God and ultimately the God of grace. There are consequences for rejecting the God of grace.
The 2nd group, “vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory” are those who have repented of their sin and have accepted Christ as their Saviour from sin. They are “vessels of mercy” because they have received God’s mercy in accepting Christ as their Saviour. They were “prepared beforehand for glory“ because God in His omniscience knows who will receive Him and who were reject Him. This truth is seen in 1Peter 1:1-2, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit … .” They are the elect or chosen because God in His foreknowledge knew who would respond to Him.
WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF HIS VESSELS OF MERCY. Ephesians 2:8-10.
He has good works for us to do! As Saint Paul wrote, Eph 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
God has good works which He has prepared beforehand for His people to do. Not only has he prepared His people beforehand for glory but He was also prepared beforehand the good works He wants them to accomplish. So the redeemed Christian life is not a matter of believers trying to do things to please God, but allowing Him to show them the works He wants them to do and receiving His grace to enable them to do them.
Saint Paul encourages us in this process in Philippians 2:12-13, “…. . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We are to work out in practice what God is working in us. He works in us to give us both the willingness and the ability to do the things that please Him.
At this coming Christmas season our attention is drawn to Jesus Christ, the creator of the world, the redeemer of humankind, the Lord of the universe and the ultimate judge. But there is a choice to be made. To accept His amazing grace in coming into the world to die for us or the choice to remain as we are, rejecting the grace and mercy of the eternal loving God. It is not too late to make the right decision and discover the amazing love and mercy of the omnipotent, all powerful, omniscient all-knowing loving God.
Blog No.583 posted on Tuesday, 09 December 2025.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.