Romans 11:26-32 Picking up from where we left off two weeks ago, Paul explains how it is that all Israel will be saved. With what does he say that Israel's spiritual renewal will be associated? Why does Paul apparently make an alteration in his quotation of Isaiah? What is it about the gifts and calling of God that is the basis for Paul's confidence? What gifts and calling does he appear to have in mind? If the Gentiles to whom Paul writes are inclined to be skeptical about Paul's expectations of a great salvation of Israel, what experience does Paul offer as evidence? How does God's use of Israel's disobedience and His use of the mercy shown to Gentiles bear on the subject of the problem of evil? In all of the hardening of both the Jews and the Gentiles, indeed of all people, what is the overriding purpose of God? How can we be sure this verse does not teach universalism (that all people will be saved)? (56 min)

Keywords Israel, Gentiles, Mercy, Hardening, Salvation, Mystery

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 9:19-21 In this week’s lesson, beginning in verse nineteen, Paul confronts an objection he anticipates that might be raised to the things he has said about God hardening and having mercy on whomever He wills. Before considering Paul's answer, it is important to understand what the mindset is of the person who would raise such an objection. How can we tell from the context what that mindset is? What is the actual objection that is being raised by this person? Why does Paul not clearly answer the objection, but rather responds to the person in what appears to be a harsh manner? In his response, Paul alludes to some passages from Isaiah. How are these passages relevant to the situation Paul is addressing? Paul introduces at this point an analogy of the potter and the clay. Before grasping Paul's point, it is important to understand how this common analogy is used throughout scripture. What are six important points that should be kept in mind about the scriptural use of the potter/clay analogy before attempting to understand what Paul has in mind in these verses? (63 min)

Keywords Hardening, Sovereignty, Potter, Clay

Romans 9:17-20 In this lesson we continue to consider what Paul says about God's hardening of Pharaoh, and then we go on to begin reflecting on Paul's response to the charge that God has no right to find fault with those He's hardened. Paul's choice to use Pharaoh as his example of God's hardening serves the purpose of foreshadowing something that he will argue in chapter eleven. What is that? When we encounter in this chapter the idea of God hardening people, why should this not take us by surprise? Is the hardening by God irrevocable? What are the two purposes we see for the hardening of recalcitrant sinners? What is the principle regarding human responsibility that the questions of verse nineteen are based upon? Why should we consider those questions more of a charge against God than legitimate questions? To what passages from the Old Testament does Paul allude in his response to these questions? In our next lesson we will continue to consider Paul's answer to these questions and his use of the potter and clay analogy. (57 min)

Keywords Mercy, Hardening, Pharaoh

Romans 9:14-18 Picking up where we left off last week, what approach is Paul using in order to convince his readers that there is a true spiritual Israel which is distinct from ethnic Israel? How far has Paul progressed in his argument? God has chosen to show mercy to the nation of Israel, while at the same time he has excluded Edom (the descendants of Esau). This raises the question of whether or not God is just in making such choices. What two events in the history of Israel does Paul use to buttress his argument that God is just? Do these verses completely resolve the question? What is the background in the history of the Jews to God's words to Moses about to whom He shows mercy? How does this demonstrate that mercy is up to God and not man? Why does Paul next use the illustration of Pharaoh? What does Paul mean when he refers to Pharaoh being "raised up?" What happened before God hardened Pharaoh's heart?What would not have happened had Pharaoh not been hardened by God? What has Paul not discussed in this chapter so far? (60 min)

Keywords Mercy, Hardening, Justice, Jacob, Esau, Edom, Pharaoh, Rahab