"And so all Israel will be saved," it's a verse that creates all kinds of debate and controversy. If we are to understand it correctly, we have to understand why the Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 59 to make the point. In today's study, we do just that.
The Apostle Paul refers to Israel's unbelief as a "mystery," by which he doesn't mean a problem to be solved or a story with a surprise ending (although it is that). "Mystery" in the Bible has a specific connotation, it's something that was hidden, but has now been revealed. Paul wants the Roman Christians to know this mystery so that they won't be arrogant toward Jews. What is the mystery? We begin to answer that question in today's study.
The Jews spent most of their B.C. history chasing idols and other acts of wickedness. Then when the Messiah arrived, they committed their most egregious sin by having Him crucified. God had foretold all of this hundreds of years before the fact. But did He predict anything else about them? Is there hope for the Jews? The Apostle Paul says, "If there is, that would be nothing short of the dead coming to life." (Which makes sense because God is a God of resurrection.) That's the topic of today's s...
From one perspective, it's easy to see why God judged Israel: she was perpetually idolatrous, and she crucified the Messiah. But there was another reason, one that surprises us until we see God's long-term plan for the world. We talk about that in today's study.
Psalm 69 gives us a glimpse into God's wrath against Israel as Jesus hung on the cross. The Apostle Paul quotes it in Romans 11 as evidence of God's judicial hardening of the Jews. In today's study, we will see what the psalm predicted and how Paul incorporates it into his argument in Romans 11.
In both Testaments, God predicted wrath and judgment on Israel. But is that the end of the story for the Jews? Did God get so fed up that He changed course and abandoned the Jews and turned to the Gentiles as some kind of "plan B"? It might seem like that, but Paul's answer is emphatically, "no!"
God had foretold Israel's unbelief from the very beginning of their relationship. In fact, as far back as Deuteronomy He told them that He would accept Gentiles in order to provoke jealousy in the Jews. So how does that play into Paul's argument in Romans 9-11? We discuss this in today's study.
You've probably heard this passage at a missions conference or recruiting event. (If you're a pastor or missionary, you've probably used it.) But that's not Paul's primary concern in this text. He hasn't left his discussion of Israel's failure to attain to the righteousness of Messiah. Joins us as we look at the context as well as Paul's use of Isaiah 51-53. If you're interested in taking a course at New Covenant School of Theology, apply here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org/applica...
Romans 10:6-7 is difficult, especially if we haven't paid careful attention to the argument leading up to it. In today's study, we will look at Deuteronomy 30 ("Who will ascend into heaven...descend into the abyss") in its original context and why Paul quotes it in Romans 10.
Jews need to be saved from God's wrath because, just like Gentiles, they are unrighteous. They thought that having the Law of Moses put them in a safe place before God, but it didn't. They missed the goal of the Law - the Messiah. We talk about that in today's study.
What happened to the Jews? How could they have missed the truth of Christ so badly? The Apostle Paul explains how and why, and shows how Isaiah predicted it all.
Isaiah predicted that God's wrath against Israel would be so widespread that only a few would survive. Yet today many believe that Jews are chosen for glory. How can that be, in light of Paul's assertions in Romans 9? We talk about it in today's study.
In Hosea, God called Israel, "Not My people." Then He called them, "My people." Paul quotes those verses in a context that seems to be talking about Gentiles. But is it? And what do we make of Hosea's and Paul's statements regarding the status of Jews/Gentiles today? We work through these things in today's study.
If you read theology books, you will come to one answer to that question; if you read the Bible, you will come to another. In today's study, we look at Paul's answer, which is not from an abstract theology perspective, but a thoroughly biblical one. If you are interested in taking the 4-week course I mentioned, apply at: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
The question of Romans 9 is not, "Is God a sovereign, predestinating God?" but, "Is God trustworthy and dependable?" The Jews were God's sons, but most of them perished. How do we make sense of that and what are the implications for Christians (who are called "God's sons")?
The vast majority of Jews who lived before Christ died in their sins. The majority of Jews alive at the time of Christ rejected Him, and thus died in their sins. The majority of Jews since the time of Christ have rejected Him and have died in their sins. Yet when we read the Old Testament, especially the prophets, we see broad promises made to Israel, promises of worldwide dominion, glory, power, and prosperity. How do we reconcile God's promises with the apparent failure of Israel? We look into...
Romans 9-11 is difficult and hotly debated for many reasons, not the least of which is the abuse it suffers when made a test case for double predestination, supralapsarianism, and other theological constructs. But the Apostle Paul is not switching topics from what he has been teaching throughout Romans. He is addressing a question that follows naturally from the previous chapters—has God forgotten to make good on all of His promises to Israel. In today's study, we begin our investigation to find...
When the Apostle Paul lists the "deeds of the flesh," he is not delineating the sins that Christians commit when we give into our sinful nature. Rather, he is continuing to show how the Law aroused sinful passions in the Jews. Christians aren't in the flesh, we walk in the ream of the Spirit and His fruit. As I mentioned, apply to New Covenant School of Theology here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org/application-forms/
Systematic theology has wrongly described Galatians 5 as a battle between a Christian's flesh and spirit (or flesh and Spirit). That is not the point. In fact, it fights against the point Paul is making, and it undermine's the freedom Christ died to give us. Think of Galatians 5:17: "the Spirit and the flesh are in opposition to one another." You probably think that verse describes a battle within the believer. It doesn't! In this study, I'll show you.
The Law of Moses was given to rebuke and punish the Jewish people. And it was good at it. But it had a greater historical purpose in God's plan of redemption. In today's study, we discuss that purpose and how it relates to "the flesh." To apply to New Covenant School of Theology (which I mentioned), go here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
The battle between the flesh and the Spirit in Galatians is not about a Christian's struggle against a "sinful nature." This is the normal framing of Galatians 5, but it is driven from systematic theology, not exegesis and context. Today's study will show that. If you are interested in taking an NCST course (as mentioned in the broadcast), apply here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org/application-forms/
In many English translations of Romans 8:4, it sounds like Christians are now able to obey God's Law by the power of the Spirit. For many in Reformed Theology, this means that we can keep the 10 Commandments by the "spirit of the Law" rather than the "letter of the Law." But is that what the text means in its context? You can probably tell by the way I'm asking the question that I don't think so. I'll show you why in today's study.
According to Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is death. But Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation for those in Christ. If Christians are not subject to condemnation for sin, why will we still receive the wages of sin? Doesn't that sound like condemnation? We consider these questions in today's study.
One day, Christians will reign and rule the earth in resurrected bodies. This gift is ours because of the grace of the Messiah, Jesus our Lord. This hope removes our fear of dying because we know that resurrection is the end game. Today, we study Paul's explanation of this glorious expectation.
If your idea of heaven includes harps, clouds, and endless singing, you may not be reading the Bible carefully. Romans 8 reveals something different, something much more "earthy" and alive. The condemnation of Romans 8:1 is not hell, it's death. And the hope is not heaven, it's new life on earth. That's the subject of today's study.
In this hotly debated chapter, the Apostle Paul is NOT teaching that Christians continue to battle their sinful nature. If you are in Christ, you are not "in Romans 7," nor is it describing your struggle against sin. This shouldn't be controversial; and it's not difficult to understand, if we stay with the Scripture and stay away from "soundbite theology." Let me show you what I mean...
The common understanding of Roman 7:14-25 is that Paul "the believer" is battling his sinful nature, a struggle he will have until he dies. But can that be his point? Will the context allow it? I don't think so. If that is true, then everything he said in Romans 6 about no longer being enslaved to sin is wrong. I'll show you what I mean in today's study.
The Apostle Paul said he was alive until God's commandment came, then he died. What did he mean by that? And did he believe that God's Law was to blame for his sin? We consider these questions and more in today's study.
Sin is not a thing, it's a concept. So why does the Apostle Paul talk about it as if it were a person: producing, deceiving, killing, waging war? And does sin do those things to Christians? We talk about it in today's study.
When studying Romans 7, something strange happens at verse 14. Or at least it did for me. Everything I had learned in chapter 6 about slavery to sin flew out the window, and I suddenly was okay with Paul describing himself as a slave to sin in chapter 7. That is how I used to read (and teach) this chapter. I was on the side of those who believe Paul is describing his ongoing fight against sin. I have since abandoned that understanding. In today's study, I explain why.
