ESV Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Back in chapter 9 I asked a self-examination question “do you know God well enough to trust Him and His ways above your own? …”


3. After reading Paul’s conclusion (of the foundational section of the letter), do you think He knows God well enough to trust Him? (Does this give you comfort?)





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ESV Romans 11:25 Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; 27 "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

2. Like I had mentioned, the meaning of “all Israel” here is heavily debated… and you won’t settle the issue here. Let’s look for some principles to guide our thinking on this topic.

• Is there any question about whether “all Israel” will, in fact, be saved?

• Could it mean “all Jewish people?” Why [not]?

• Is there any practical difference between “all elect” and “all Jewish elect” in the meaning of the text?

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ESV Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

1. Look carefully at the metaphor of the olive tree Paul used.

• How many trees are there?

• Is there much room here for “a strict separation of Israel and the Church” (God has two peoples with two different plans…)?
  
  

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ESV Romans 10:20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me."

5. When God is truly found, it’s by whose initiative?


6. Who’s not seeking and not asking?

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ESV Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

4. If God chooses His elect, how can you explain these (‘whosoever’) verses?





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"Just bow your head right there where you are, say this prayer after
me:

[ I confess I’m a sinner – paraphrase Rom 10:9]

... Friends, if you prayed that prayer just now, we believe you
got born again. Write to us for literature on how you can begin your new
Christian Walk."

Part of the folly of modern evangelism is the idea that if we can get people to “confess with their mouth and believe in their hearts” (just once, right away, trick them into it if you have to, close the deal!), then they will be saved (and we get another notch in our belt).


1. Is it important that the individual being evangelized understand what it means to be a sinner before being told to confess to it? (we spoke much more on this in the early chapters of Romans)


2. Does Romans 10:9-10 speak of a do-it-once-and-punch-your-ticket (like a flu shot) event in a person’s life?

3. Discuss the dangers of this approach’s results (creating false converts).

• To the individual
  
  
• To the evangelist
  

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“I could never believe in a God like that.” — Self Examination

We have covered some very controversial topics in this chapter. The God who sovereignly chooses who he will grant mercy to and who he will harden, who He will love and who He will hate.

6. Do you know God well enough to trust Him and His ways above your own?



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ESV Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

3. You don’t typically contrast “giving mercy” with “hardening.” Can you draw anything from this? (the nature/form of the mercy?)



4. Does God owe mercy to anyone? (ref. Romans 6:23) Is He unjust to give it to one and not another?



5. Does hardening imply creating/initiating evil in any way? (Where does the evil come from?)




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ESV Romans 9:6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Making sense of ‘Israel’ (‘God strives’), the name given to Jacob. Consider “For not all who are descended from Israel1 belong to Israel2” and the examples of Abraham and Isaac that follow.

1. Can you name descendants of Abraham and Isaac who are not members of God’s covenant people?


2. Differentiate between “Israel1” and “Israel2”


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