Study Desk

For I bear witness that they possess an enthusiasm for God, but it is an unenlightened enthusiasm.

For as a means of righteousness Christ is the termination of Law to every believer.

For with the heart men believe and obtain righteousness, and with the mouth they make confession and obtain salvation.

Jew and Gentile are on precisely the same footing; for the same Lord is Lord over all, and is infinitely kind to all who call upon Him for deliverance.

For "every one, without exception, who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

But, some will say, they have not all hearkened to the Good News. No, for Isaiah asks, "Lord, who has believed the Message they have heard from us?"

And Isaiah, with strange boldness, exclaims, "I have been found by those who were not looking for Me, I have revealed Myself to those who were not inquiring of Me."

"Lord, they have put Thy Prophets to death, and have overthrown Thy altars; and, now that I alone remain, they are thirsting for my blood"?

But what did God say to him in reply? "I have reserved for Myself 7,000 men who have never bent the knee to Baal."

For if their having been cast aside has carried with it the reconciliation of the world, what will their being accepted again be but Life out of death?

"Branches have been lopped off," you will say, "for the sake of my being grafted in."

Do not be puffed up with pride. Tremble rather--for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.

Moreover, if they turn from their unbelief, they too will be grafted in. For God is powerful enough to graft them in again;

For there is a truth, brethren, not revealed hitherto, of which I do not wish to leave you in ignorance, for fear you should attribute superior wisdom to yourselves--the truth, I mean, that partial blindness has fallen upon Israel until the great mass of the Gentiles have come in;

In relation to the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes; but in relation to God's choice they are dearly loved for the sake of their forefathers.

For God does not repent of His free gifts nor of His call;

For God has locked up all in the prison of unbelief, that upon all alike He may have mercy.

For the universe owes its origin to Him, was created by Him, and has its aim and purpose in Him. To Him be the glory throughout the Ages! Amen.

For through the authority graciously given to me I warn every individual among you not to value himself unduly, but to cultivate sobriety of judgement in accordance with the amount of faith which God has allotted to each one.

For just as there are in the one human body many parts, and these parts have not all the same function;