𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔢𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔡@HwsEleutheroi
Reference to the "where was that in the book?" issue from Friday night. I was able to get the audio transcribed and then look up the reference in The Potter's Freedom. First, the exchange:
Hansen:
But let's go on to the diff the next question. In your book The Potter's Freedom, you said quote
God has the perfect right to do with man as he wishes, just as the potter has utter sovereignty
over the clay. Some are sinners upon whom God's wrath comes. They are said to have been specifically prepared for destruction. That is their purpose. Now with these with any of these individuals.
White:
Is that is that is that a is that a quote without any dots in it There are some buttons. There are some that okay so they're coming from different places. That's fine.
Hansen:
You you can correct what's wrong here, but this is the question in the right. That's right. Well that's fine. No no I don't think so. This up and put it online for everyone to see. Is there anything that those individuals who were prepared for destruction and that's their purpose is to be destroyed? Is there anything that those individuals could ever do to be saved?
White:
The those who are specifically chosen to glorify God in their rebellion would never want to do
anything. And in fact In fact, God keeps them from doing worse things. He limits their sin. He
doesn't have to, but he does for his purposes So they would never want to do anything else. So see, you have the idea that mankind just has this freedom to choose or do this or that other
thing. rather than the scriptures teaching that we are dead in sin until we're raised to life. Now
do you have a page number that you that I could uh look up that from?
Hansen:
Um I'm gonna go on to the next question.
Original context from The Potter's Freedom, starting on page 213 (Kindle edition anyway):
Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. (Romans 9:21-24)
The Potter's freedom pulses through these words, flowing inexorably into the sea of sovereignty, rushing any would-be proponent of free will out of its path. God has the perfect right to do with His creation (including men) as He wishes, just as the Potter has utter sovereignty over the clay. Just as God had demonstrated His wrath and power by wasting idolatrous Egypt, so too He demonstrates His wrath upon "vessels of wrath prepared for destruction." Are these nations? Classes? No, these are sinners upon whom God's wrath comes. They are said to have been specifically "prepared for destruction." That is their purpose.
Why are there vessels prepared for destruction? Because God is free. Think about it: there are only three logical possibilities here.2 Either 1) all "vessels" are prepared for glory (universalism); 2) all "vessels" are prepared for destruction; or 3) some vessels are prepared for glory and some are prepared for destruction and it is the Potter who decides which are which. Why is there no fourth option, one in which the pots prepare themselves based upon their own choice? Because pots don't have such a capacity! Pots are pots! Since God wishes to make known the "riches of His grace" to His elect people (the vessels prepared of mercy), there must be vessels prepared for destruction. There is no demonstration of mercy and grace where there is no justice.
The vessels of wrath, remember, like being vessels of wrath, would never choose to be anything else, and they detest the vessels that receive mercy. Indeed, during the writing of this book I encountered an unbeliever who, upon hearing me mention the wrath of God, mocked and said, "Ah, yes, the wrath of God! I LIKE IT!" This is the attitude of the vessel of wrath prepared for destruction.
God's wonderful grace will be praised throughout eternity because of the great contrast between the vessels of wrath and the vessels of mercy. Why? Because the only difference between the vessels of wrath and the vessels of mercy is the sovereign grace of God that changes the heart of the rebel sinner and turns him from being a God-hater into a God-lover. This is why there is no basis for man's boasting, ever.
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Just a quick observation: The quotation is taken from commentary on Romans 9, specifically, and the following text actually answers the question Hansen then asks based on the citation! It was so sadly obvious that Hansen had no intention of accurately representing the material he was quoting, and he gave no evidence at all that he had read it, let alone understood it.
