I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that could not see
and ears that could not hear,
to this very day.

And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.”

Romans 11:1-10

In this week's episode of Open Your Bibles, the Apostle Paul is very clear: God has not cast away His people. Even though many have stumbled over Christ because of their own corruption, God's Word remains perfectly sure. He is still gathering His people according to His sovereign plan.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The Stumbling Block: Why people trip when they try to save themselves by being "good" (the Covenant of Works) instead of trusting Jesus (the Covenant of Grace).
• The Election of Grace: Why a small group of believers—the remnant—shows that God’s choice is based on His mercy, not our effort.
• Sovereign Eyes and Ears: Why the elect receive the gift of faith, while others are left in their hardness as a just judgment.

We explore how God’s foreknowledge means He set His special love on His people before the world began. Even when it looks like many have rejected Him, God is still the Sovereign King. His irresistible grace ensures that every single person He chose will eventually come to Him. What Good News!

Grace and peace.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.

Romans 10:14-21

In this week's episode of Open Your Bibles, we ask a big question: If God has already chosen who He will save, why do we still need to tell people about Jesus?

We are looking at how God uses our voices as the means to get His work done. Even though God is the Sovereign King who chooses His people, He ordains that we must be the ones to go and speak. People cannot have faith unless they hear the preached Word of Christ first!

In this episode, we talk about:

• God’s Messengers: Why God chooses to use human evangelists to bring His elect to faith.
• The Seed of the Word: Why hearing the Gospel is the way God creates faith in a person’s heart.
• Human Responsibility: Why people are still responsible when they hear the message.
• 
  

We also talk about the External Call (the message everyone hears) and the Effective Internal Call (when the Holy Spirit actually changes a heart). It reminds us that while we are responsible to share the Gospel, only God’s power can truly save.

What shall we say, then?

That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend 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 that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 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; for 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.”

Romans 9:30-10:13

In Episode 5, we’re looking at Romans 9:30–10:13 which explains why human effort is pointless without the grace of God. In these versus, Paul makes it clear: our own zeal can’t save us—only Christ can.

The Big Question: Are we saved through Faith or Works?

In this episode we will discuss...

The Trap of Effort: Why trying to "earn it" actually makes us stumble.

The Finish Line: How Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law so we don’t have to be.

The Simple Promise: Confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart that Grace is enough.

Let’s stop the spiritual hustle and rest in what’s already been finished.

Grace and peace.