Romans 9:13 is tough: As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (To see the context for this statement, click here.) Several questions spring from this verse. We’ll tackle one in this post and at least one more in a subsequent post. Did God love and hate two individuals or two nations? Clues that […]
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Why do some receive Jesus and others reject him? Is it determined by environmental influences? Is it determined by one’s morality? In Romans 9:6-13, Paul argues that parentage and personal record do not determine who becomes a child of promise. In this post, we’ll look at verses 10-13. For a discussion of verses 6-9, click here.
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Romans 9:6-9 We’re taking our time studying Romans 9 because you can’t eat steak as quickly as you can drink milk. Before we dive in, remember that the tone of this passage is loving. It’s doctrine drips with devotion to people. 9:6 The problem: Based on all that God invested in Israel (see verses 4-5), does their rejection of Jesus mean
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I was out of the pulpit yesterday. In my absence, Ron Thomas preached from Mark 2:1-12. There will be no sermon recap this week. Here are some discussion starter questions for this week that you can use with your House to House groups. What were some of the things the men had to work around
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Romans 9:1-5 It is important before digging into the rigorous theological work of Romans 9 to note Paul’s tone of voice. He is not lecturing, but imploring. He’s consumed with concern for his Jewish brethren who haven’t believed in Jesus. Three Observations 1. Doctrine and devotion are essential. Right thinking about God and deep concern
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Romans 8:31-39 Imagine a wealthy business man in an impoverished third world country. Children from the slums near his factory regularly destroy his property; yet his heart goes out to them. He doesn’t desire to punish them, but to protect and help them. One day, the police show up just as one of these boys