Romans 11:2-10 In this passage Paul continues explaining why we know that God has not rejected Israel. He offers to us the historical evidence in the account of Elijah's complaint to God about Israel. What had prompted Elijah's complaint? What did God say was going to happen in Israel after Elijah's return? What was the basis for God preserving alive a remnant in Elijah's day? Why does Paul change the future tense of God's words to the past tense? What was the basis of God's choice to preserve a remnant in Israel in the days of Paul? What are the two categories of which Paul speaks in this passage? In which of these two categories do we know that Paul classifies faith? What does this passage teach, and what does it not teach? (55 min)

Keywords Choice, Grace, Remnant, Hardening, Faith, Works

Romans 11:1-2 The Apostle Paul, having demonstrated that Israel's unbelief is due only to her own disobedience and obstinacy, he now addresses the question of whether or not Israel has been rejected by God. In this passage we are introduced to the concept of the remnant. What is an important distinction to keep in view when Paul is speaking about Israel? What are the reasons Paul gives for knowing that Israel has not been rejected by God? What is Paul trying to tell us when he speaks of his being an ethnic Israelite? When he says that Israel is foreknown by God, of which Israel does he speak, ethnic Israel or the remnant? Why is an understanding of God's transcendence critical in understanding His foreknowledge? What are the two meanings which are offered for foreknowledge? How can we know which one is correct? How does God's foreknowledge prove that God has not rejected Israel? What encouragement can we take from this reality? (59 min)

Keywords Israel, Foreknowledge

Romans 10:18-21 Picking up where we left off three weeks ago, we find Paul answering the question of why it is that the Jews have not believed the Gospel. Have they never heard? Have they not understood? To each of these questions Paul answers emphatically that those were not the problem. When God says that he will provoke the Jews to jealousy, is this some random judgment of God, or is there some precedent why He has chosen this particular course? How does Paul know that the Jews have heard the gospel? Why does Paul use the verse from Psalm 19 the way he does? Had the Gospel really been preached in all the world, as Paul claims? How do we know, according to Paul, that the Gospel was not too difficult for the Jews to understand? If the Jews had heard and had understood the word of faith, what explanation does Paul give for their not believing? What does this tell us about the grace of God? (57 min.)

Keywords Gospel, Faith, Jews, Gentiles