2026 ~ "The Whole Book"

Sunday, February 8, 2026

#1655 Romans 11 Part 1 Has God Rejected His People

I say then, has God rejected His people? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 In this way then, at the present time, a remnant according to God’s gracious choice has also come to be. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but the chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; 8 just as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,

Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,

Down to this very day.”

9 And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,

And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

10 Let their eyes be darkened to see not,

And bend their backs forever.” Romans 11: 1-10 LSB

Romans 11: 1

Throughout the book of Romans Paul has made the case against men that all are under the curse through Adam, and that all have proven that out in that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." He has also made the case that salvation is available in Christ, but it is through faith, which is a gift, and this faith comes by hearing, and the hearing is to be the Word of Christ.

…23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.… Romans 3: 23-25

…27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,… Romans 3: 27-29

…8But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! 10For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!… Romans 5: 8-10

Paul goes on to answer the question of why the nation of Israel as a whole did not receive the Messiah, Who was promised to them and predicted throughout the Old Testament. He himself did not believe at first, but this makes it all the more of grace, and in Romans 8 and 9 we are taught about predestination, of God's choosing men from eternity, before they were ever born. We come to find that it isn't about being related to Abraham that saves you, for we see Abraham try to make another way through Ishmael, but God chooses His own way and raises Isaac from the barren womb. After that we see twins come from Isaac and God chooses Jacob, who becomes Israel. Salvation also didn't come through circumcision, and this was no new teaching, that God looked not for the outward, but for the inner circumcision of the heart.

…10Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. 11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”…

…13So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! 15For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”…

Romans 9: 10-15

…28A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God. Romans 2: 28-29

…3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns. 4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.” Jeremiah 4: 3-4

#1644 Romans 10 Part 2 How Will They Believe

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!”

16 However, they did not all heed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

18 But I say, have they never heard? On the contrary, they have;

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,

And their words to the ends of the world.”

19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation,

By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”

20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who did not seek Me,

I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

21 But as for Israel He says, “All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Romans 10: 14-21 LSB

Romans 10: 14-21

V. 14 How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed - Christ has to be presented, the Gospel preached, and in order to do this one must know the true gospel. What is the gospel? It is that there is God, the uncreated Being, there is man, created in the image of God, but fallen. The gospel tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and it calls us to repent and believe in the One God sent to reconcile us to Him. Sadly, we are warned that there are those out there who will preach another gospel, one that doesn't convict men of sin and of God's righteousness, one that preaches another Christ, one that doesn't save. The gospel is received by faith, which is a gift of God and not of works. The most reluctant evangelist of all time was Jonah, and he did not want to tell the people of Nineveh to repent because he was afraid they might, and so he would have left them without a preacher, but God changed his mind.

5And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. 6When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink.…

…8Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands. 9Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.” 10When God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.…

Jonah 3: 5-10

…5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.… Hebrews 11: 5-7

…3I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily. 5I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”… 2 Corinthians 11: 3-5

6I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!…

…9As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse! 10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.… Galatians 1: 6-11

V. 15 And how will they preach unless they are sent - Every believer is a sent one, to your family, to your friends, to your place of work, and if you are unwilling to proclaim the gospel there then you would not be much of a missionary elsewhere. If you won't proclaim the good news to those closest to you, then I dare say that you do not love them so much as you want them to like you. Of course there will be trepidation, for people are proud and don't want to be convicted of sin, the very first part of the gospel is the most repelling thing to them. It's okay to be afraid, but it is not okay to live there. Turn to God in prayer, pray for the courage and strength to speak but also to live up to what you speak. As a Calvinist I know that salvation is of the Lord, but that same Lord has also divinely instituted the means. His Scriptures tell us that faith, which is a gift of God, comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. So study the word of God, live what it teaches, and then I pray that we will be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us, to everyone around us, otherwise all our talk of empathy and compassion is really just the cruelest fiction.

MacArthur sums up Ro 10:14, 15 noting that "Paul’s main point in this series of rhetorical questions is that a clear presentation of the gospel message must precede true saving faith. True faith always has content—the revealed Word of God. Salvation comes to those who hear and believe the facts of the gospel." - Precept Austin

…18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.… 2 Corinthians 5: 18-20

V. 16 However, they did not all heed the good news - People's response, even their hostility, does not dictate whether we share the gospel or not. In fact, Jesus' rejection and death was prophesied by Isaiah 700 years before it happened.

…25“I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. 26But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. 27My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.… John 10: 25-27

#1643 Romans 10 Part 1 My Heart's Desire

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For not knowing about the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of law: “The man who does these things shall live by them.” 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes upon Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him, 13 for “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10: 1-13 LSB

Romans 10: 1-13 Their Salvation

V. 1 Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation - Paul writes rejecting disbelief but not the people. He is not just sorrowful, but he goes to the only One Who has the power to convince the heart of anyone. Prayer is Paul's response, and should be ours for the lost of any people. MacArthur points out that though Paul was called as the apostle to the Gentiles that did not diminish his continual entreaties to God for Israel to be saved.

…14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” 15“Go!” said the Lord. “ This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”… Acts 9: 14-16

1First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority— so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. 3This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,… 1 Timothy 2: 1-3

…21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.… John 4: 21-23

V. 2 Zeal for God but not according to knowledge - This sounds like Paul's own testimony as Saul. He was religious, fervent, eager to keep the law of the Pharisees, and went after what he saw as the opponents to God with zeal. People can sound confident, sincere, and be outwardly intense, even animated in the proclamation of what they believe. Paul went so far as to kill Christians because he thought they were infidels. He lacked the "knowledge" (understanding) of Who Christ really was, and so he treated His followers as apostates.

…5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless. 7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.… Philippians 3: 5-7

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service. 13 I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy. 14And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.… 1 Timothy 1: 12-14

V. 3 For not knowing about the righteousness of God - That is the righteousness that comes through Christ, as it is unattainable by human effort. They tried to establish a righteousness of their own which was only acceptable within their social bubble, and they lowered the bar so low that it no longer reflected God's law or pointed to His righteousness which can only be grasped by faith.

…2“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.…

…5All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, 7the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.… Matthew 23: 2-7

V. 4 For Christ is the end of the law righteousness - This is the stark contrast. Their works pointed to themselves and their system. God's law, and the sacrificial system, pointed away from them to Christ. Christ would have to come and live the life that was pleasing to the Father in order to fulfill all righteousness. Their hope would have to shift from their own tainted works to belief in His perfect work.

Paul means that belief in Christ as Lord and Savior ends the sinner's futile quest for righteousness through his imperfect attempts to save himself by efforts to obey the law. J Mac from Study Bible Note

i. “Christ did not come to make the law milder, or to render it possible for our cracked and battered obedience to be accepted as a sort of compromise. The law is not compelled to lower its terms, as though it had originally asked too much; it is holy and just and good, and ought not to be altered in one jot or tittle, nor can it be. Our Lord gives the law all it requires, not a part, for that would be an admission that it might justly have been content with less at first.” (Spurgeon) - E Word

V. 5 The man who does these things shall live by them - This is a reference going back to the OT, so if you are going to practice these things, seeking righteousness through the law, then you have to be perfect in it.

…4You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God. 5Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD. 6None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.… Leviticus 18: 4-6

9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”… Galatians 3: 9-11

Vs. 6-8 The word is near you - It is not earned by some quest or perfectly keeping the law, the former is useless and the latter is impossible. Believing either is to make light of Christ's perfect work and sacrifice. It wasn't far from them at all, or to anyone reading this now, Paul is proclaiming that word, the gospel, so believe.

…12It is not in heaven, that you should need to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it for us and proclaim it, that we may obey it?’ 13And it is not beyond the sea, that you should need to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it for us and proclaim it, that we may obey it?’ 14But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may obey it.… Deuteronomy 30: 12-14

VS. 9-10 That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved - See, it was right in front of them. Jesus is Lord, which means you are not. Belief in His resurrection isn't just the acknowledgment of a super natural event, but a fulfillment of prophecy and to show that Christ's payment satisfied God's justice. It is the believer's great hope.

ii. Wuest, quoting Robertson on Jesus Christ is Lord: “No Jew would do this who had not really trusted Christ, for Kurios in the LXX is used of God. No Gentile would do it who had not ceased worshipping the emperor as Kurios. The word Kurios was and is the touchstone of faith.” - E Word

d. Believe in your heart: Mere intellectual agreement with the facts of the cross and the resurrection is not enough. You must believe in your heart; and even that belief is not enough without accompanying action: confess with your mouth.

i. “We believe everything which the Lord Jesus has taught us, but we must go a step further and trust him. It is not even enough to believe in him as being the Son of God, and the anointed of the Lord. But we must believe on him… The faith that saves is not the believing of certain truths – not even believing that Jesus is a Savior – but it is to rest on him, to depend on him, to lie with all your weight on Christ as the foundation of your hope. Believe that he can save you; believe that he will save you; in everything leave the whole matter of your salvation with him in unquestioning confidence. Depend on him without fear as to your present and eternal salvation. This is the faith which saves the soul.” (Spurgeon) - E Word

V. 11 Will not be put to shame - It was always by grace through faith. This is a quote from Isaiah.

…15For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.” 16So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken. 17I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.… Isaiah 28: 15-17

Vs. 12-13 Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved - This call recognizes Jesus as Lord, as God has revealed Himself to us in Scripture. It is not just a call into the dark to any god, it is a call to the only true God. We also saw earlier that it is a call to the One Who raised Jesus from the dead. Whoever is a blessed thing, meaning it is not limited to a culture or nationality. We are all one fallen race in Adam and all those who believe can be made alive in Christ.

…44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.…

…47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.… 1 Corinthians 15: 44-49

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Sunday, February 8, 2026

#1655 Romans 11 Part 1 Has God Rejected His People

Thursday, February 5, 2026

#1644 Romans 10 Part 2 How Will They Believe

Monday, January 26, 2026

#1643 Romans 10 Part 1 My Heart's Desire

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