Romans 9:22-23 Wrath is a product of opposition to God's Responsible Love

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, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory--
(Romans 9:22-23 ESV)


God uses His power (based on His sovereignty) as a display of His responsible love on different vessels. Some vessels (those on whom He shows mercy) He uses to honor Himself. On others (those on whom He shows wrath), He dishonors.

There are two types of vessels: mercy vessels and wrath vessels

God shows hard responsible love on some to soften them up for cooperation to do His will.

However, there are some that will stay in opposition, no matter how much God works on them with hard responsible love.

Why? The answer given here is so that the people who oppose God display the glory of God to others.

God prepares some vessels which He will break (vessels of wrath) so that the vessels of mercy will come to God in cooperation.

Vessels of wrath are people who oppose God - they don't come to Him like they should. And although God wants to make His power known or to show His love to others) He wants. He suffers long with these vessels of wrath. These vessels should turn to Him, but they never do. So God breaks and destroys them.

All the while, the mercy vessel has been watching what is going on with the wrath vessel. And seeing the power of God, the mercy vessel learns that it is easier to come to God and let Him show His soft responsible love.

The way that God shows His soft and hard responsible love is the same as when a child does something wrong. The boy opposes the instruction and love of the father. So the father uses tough love. Perhaps the consequences are hard - prison, or a fine.

The other child learns from what has happened. The other child learns that the father doesn't have to act with wrath, but with mercy. The other child acts in cooperation because he knows that it will be better for him.