← Back to the Bible Podcast
Loading summary
Transcript3 lines
- [00:01]
A
Back to the Bible. Let it be our plea. God's Word alone, our authority, every word, every step in the name of Christ. Back to the Bible for the way of life.
- [00:18]
B
Delighted to have the opportunity to study with you today and hope that the time that we spend together you will find valuable, profitable, faithful, clear, and most of all that you will find it to be something that honors God in the way that we seek to glorify him in faithfulness to His Word. I am very thankful for every opportunity that I have to be able to consider God's Word with you and hope that the time that we spend together today will be a benefit to the cause. We produce this program in the interest of New Testament Christianity. We want to be just what God called churches to be, and we want to be just what God called disciples to be. And we want to be a part of congregations who are made up of people who are committed to that. And we hope that our time together is not wasted in pursuing the concerns and cares and traditions of men, but that indeed it is focused on God's Word, that we are being shaped by the Scripture because we are committed to Christ and that we follow through on our commitment to go back to the Bible for it all. Let me make mention of a few resources that might be beneficial to you. We have our website, backtothebiblepodcast.com backtothebiblepodcast.Com and there when you go to the home page, you can see the link to play the episodes, the programs, and to link to previous episodes and programs, and we hope that you find those beneficial. You can also find information about us and what we're trying to accomplish and how all of this is working together. You can find access to other resources. I have some of my grandfather's radio programs from years gone by recorded there, and they are linked on one website that we've called Archives. There are other resources. I wrote a little book called Anchors in a Sea of Questions. I was thankful to have the privilege and the opportunity to put that book together. And it's being published by Truth Books and so you can order it from CEI. If you go to truthbooks.com they should be able to order it there. And then there are other resources that we're trying to make available. And there's also places to ask questions and to make comments. And we would be happy for you to, if you need to make requests about episodes or programs, questions that you have, disagreements that you have may not always respond to those disagreements directly. As far as sending a message right back. But we very often take those into consideration. And if it's, if it seems appropriate, then we can respond to those things and we hope to do so in a good way. I want to turn with you today to Romans 11 in the book of Romans 11. We have a key text that I want to look at and consider. So over the past week, this is the third week, third Sunday in November 2025, and over the last week I have been able to listen in on a discussion, a debate about the idea of Calvinism. It was at a congregation that meets in Athens, Alabama at Pepper Road. And there was Bruce Reeves from Arkansas and Joel Ellis. Joel Ellis, who preaches in Arizona, I believe. And Joel was defending and advocating for a Calvinistic view of God and of the Bible. And brother Bruce Reeves was emphasizing free will and God's sovereignty for sure, but his sovereignty in overseeing and carrying out his plan and his purposes. And it was a helpful discussion, I believe. I think brother Bruce did a good job addressing the things that Joel raised and I thought that the consideration was helpful. It is available on YouTube. If you just go to the Pepper Road church of Christ YouTube page, you can find information about that debate. And I think you would be profited in listening to that. Make sure you're listening to both sides and considering that in light of the scripture, trying to understand what each man is saying and try to compare that to the word of God to see if it indeed lines up. But one thing that I want to emphasize in that is a text from Romans 11 that I have found to be very helpful. And Brother Reeves mentioned this passage and I think that it addresses a lot of the questions that were raised. You see, Mr. Ellis, he made the case, he argued that God has an eternal list of those who are going to be saved of what he would call the elect. And though it may look at certain times as if those people are not going to be saved, or as if they are going to be saved and then are not, he says that that list is known to God and that it is predetermined and that God and his sovereign will will make sure it is done, that those people will be saved, and that the ones who are not on that list as a result will be lost. Now, Mr. Ellis would say that God doesn't bring about evil. However, it seems to me that in his discussions he would say that people sin of their own free choice, but that God has ordained and he has controlled every aspect of history and that every part is going to be carried out just as God said it would. Be. And I think there are a lot of issues with that way of viewing the world. And I think he would suggest that my vision of the world would be to give up God's control. To say that God is not really in control, but that he is only just kind of overseeing the process. And let me make the case that I would say that God is absolutely in control. And there are certain aspects of human history that are without doubt going to be accomplished, that God will accomplish his overall will. Without doubt that is true. But that we get to choose where we are going to fit within God's overall plan. And I know that that sounds like I am giving up part of God's control, but I think that the Scriptures would indicate that. And I want you to see, we're going to talk about Romans 11, but I want you to look at the very end of Romans chapter 10 and verse 21 talking about Israel. The text says, but as for Israel, he says, all day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people. Do you hear that? Somebody says, so are you saying that God has given up some control? I think so. I think that maybe we would find a different way to phrase that. But I think what you see here is the creator God who made all things and for whom all things were created, is stretching out his hands, is reaching out his arms to a people who are disobedient and obstinate. Now you might say, so God's not going to get what he wants in the end. And I'll tell you, I think that there is a sense in which that is true, in that God desires all men everywhere to repent. He desires all men everywhere to repent. And you and I both know that not all men everywhere do repent. Now somebody would say, so you're saying God doesn't get what he wants in the end. On the other hand, let me say he gets exactly what he wants in the end. In the end he has a people for his own possession who will be in his presence in eternity. But let me tell you, he wants you to be a part of that number. But it depends on him reaching his hands out to you and you not being disobedient and obstinate to him in order for such a thing to occur. And I think that's important to recognize. So this prominent idea in the religious world today we describe as Calvinism. Now, Mr. Ellis, let me make mention of that debate again. I think took what perhaps is different than some Calvinists would say in that he would say that there are some people who actually experience God's salvation, who actually come into a covenant relationship with God, but are not on the eternal list. And as a result of not being one of the elect, they will not persevere to the end. Now, his idea is that the elect can have secure confidence in that they are the elect. But then he would say that the only way we know if somebody's elect is by their covenant faithfulness all the way to the end. Now let me tell you that the only way that you and I can know if we're in right standing with the Lord is indeed through faithfulness to Jesus Christ all the way to the end. But see, Mr. Ellis is saying that that faithfulness depends not on your decision to be faithful all the way to the end, but on whether or not you are on God's eternal list. Now, if indeed God had a list from the beginning that said those who were elect, then so be it. But let me say that I don't think the picture that the Bible paints of God is one who would make creation in view of him making certain people who, not just because of the circumstances of life or because of the routes of history, but because of God's predetermined and ordained decree, never had an opportunity to hear and obey the gospel. Now you might say, yes, but aren't there people who are born in China who may never hear the gospel? So be it. God will be gracious even as he brings judgment. That was the prayer of the prophet in judgment. Remember mercy. And let me tell you that God always will. But I am not in the position to be on God's end of the stick as far as the whittling goes regarding who will be saved and who will be lost in that regard. But what Mr. Ellis was saying is that even people who hear and obey the gospel, if they are faithful right now, that they may or may not be on God's list, that they can actually come in contact with the blood of Christ and then be outside, not because of their willingness, but because God determined from the beginning that they would not persevere to the end. Now that seems kind of backward and speaking out of both sides of our mouth, as far as I can tell. And he would say, but this gives you greater confidence that you will continue to the end. And I don't know how it gives you any greater confidence at all. I think what the Bible teaches is that the confidence that you can have is that if you are in Christ, if you are growing in him, if you are faithful to him that even with sin in our lives, we can find forgiveness because he is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And as we pursue Christ and as we grow to be more like him, as we make the commitment to be faithful today, then we can have confidence that today we're in right standing with the Lord and that if we are faithful to the end, then may we have the confidence that we are given in the Scriptures. So the summary in general of Calvinism is that our sinful corruption into which we were born is so deep and strong that we cannot respond to God's grace without some supernatural act to give us spiritual sight and to draw us to Christ. So before the world began, Calvinism says God chose those who would be delivered from sin and brought to repentance and saving faith in Christ and that Christ died only for those that God predetermined. That is called limited atonement. And that only those for whom Christ died would be saved. And for those God chooses to save, his grace is irresistible. They cannot overpower his divine will. All those who are justified, he says, will persevere to the end. That is the idea of Calvinism. Now maybe Mr. Ellis said, well, there's another list of people who can make choices and decisions, but they're not on the eternal list. So they may do a lot of things that bring them into right relationship with God, but they won't persevere to the end. Which seems to me to misunderstand. He said there were not two books of life, and yet it sounds to me like he's got two books of life. But one's written in permanent marker and one's written in dry erase. And my idea here is that God writes people in his book of life based on their faithful response to Christ. And certainly we can be blotted out, but anybody can be blotted out. Even those who look faithful today may not be faithful tomorrow, but not because of God's eternal decree, but because of their faithfulness or lack thereof. Now, we may not run into many out and out Calvinists, but they are around. And I think that perhaps they are increasing in recent years. But Calvinism infuses so much teaching and belief of groups and our religious friends and neighbors. I think that a lot of Bible study resources contain outright Calvinism. So you might be trying to study and learn more and use some kind of study Bible or commentary or listen to somebody on YouTube. And I think good Bible teachers in some areas you will find that they have false doctrines Some of my favorite commentaries on the Old Testament are written by folks who are Calvinists. Now, it seems to me that they kind of have to set that Calvinism aside and pretend that people have real choice in all of this. But I believe that any source we're reading, especially from folks from particular denominational backgrounds, I want to be on high alert for Calvinist influences. Well, one key text that I think not only repudiates the doctrines of Calvinism, but also shows us how salvation does indeed work is Romans, chapter 11, verses 17 through 24. And we may not be able to make a full consideration of this passage in every way we would like today, but I think that it's a helpful passage to consider because I think that it provides us a picture of the way that God's salvation works, because it's important, because Calvinists are going to use words like election and predestination. And the Bible uses both of those words. It uses the word elect or chosen or predestined. And they are biblical words, but they will be used in an unbiblical way. Now let me try to set the context. In Romans, chapter 9 11, we learn that even though the Jewish people on the whole, not everybody, but as a general group, had rejected the Gospel, that God had not rejected his people, and that the way by which they could be saved was by coming to him through Jesus Christ. It was not as if, perhaps some of the readers that Paul is writing to might be thinking or he is worried that they might consider this. It is not as if he has moved on from the Jews and said, okay, now only Gentiles. What he is saying is only in Christ. So whether Jew or Gentile, Hebrew or Greek, the way to be saved was to be in Christ. But most Jews had rejected it and many more Gentiles had accepted it. Now, does that mean that God broke His promises to the Jewish people that he would never break his covenant with them? Paul answers no. No. Because just because somebody came from Abraham's lineage doesn't mean that they are part of the true Israel that God had been talking about. Because God had used national Israel to accomplish his purposes. But his definition of Israel was always limited or characterized by a degree of narrowness. Let me tell you what I mean by that. What I mean is that he narrowed the consideration of Israel based on identity in a way that narrowed the terms. What I mean by that is Abraham had two sons and not both of his descendants were Israel. He had Ishmael and Isaac. And Isaac, his son, was the one of promise. And Then Isaac has Jacob and Esau. And Jacob was the one of promise. You see, that not all who were descended from Abraham qualified as Israel. And you might say, does God have the right to make that distinction? Of course he does. Now, I think when Paul talks about not all Israel is Israel in verse 6, not all who have descended from Israel are Israel. I think he's saying that the terms. God can always limit those terms in some way because it is in God's purview to identify who his people are going to be. Now, he is not saying, Let me make this case. He. He is not saying that Esau couldn't be saved. I think the picture is potentially of Esau, that he repents at the end of his life and is saved. I think it's possible that Ishmael could have been saved. I don't know. We don't have a record really of the rest of Ishmael's life, except for broad details. But I think that what Paul is saying is, is that Israel has always been defined in particular in a narrower way than just who they were descended from. And the case he's making in Romans 9, 10, 11 is that all who are Israel will be saved. Now, good brethren have different ideas on this. Some say that what's happening is that Gentiles are being included in Israel and that they are being defined as the true Israel. My idea is that when he's talking about Israel, he is still talking about descendants of Abraham. But when he talks about the true Israel, he's saying those people who meet the standard that God has given, they are descendants of Abraham, they're descendants of Isaac, they're descendants of Jacob or Israel, and now they have faith in Christ. So that over in chapter 11, in verse 26, he's saying, so all Israel will be saved. I think he's saying every person, every descendant of Abraham who is in the category of Israel, in God's definition of Israel, will indeed be saved. So as chapter 11 starts, Paul says, did God really reject his people? In fact, the answer is no. There were lots of Israel who were a faithful remnant. And Paul leaves the hope that seeing the Gentiles grab onto the salvation that originated in God's plan for the Jews might make them turn and accept the Gospel. Now that brings us to chapter 11 in verse 13, where we will take up and read, But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry. If somehow I might move to jealousy, my Fellow countrymen, and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? And if the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also. And if the root is holy, the branches are too. But if some of the branches. And we'll pick up there in just a moment. Notice, he's saying, Paul makes sure that the Gentiles understand that God is not shutting the door on the Jews. In fact, he is using the Gentiles to turn them. To turn the Jews. If God accepted the Jewish ancestors, he was going to accept the descendants too. Now, in verses 17 through 24, and we'll read that in just a moment, Paul is going to make the point that the Jews were broken off because they did not have faith, and the Gentiles were grafted in because they did have faith, but the case was not settled in either instance. I want you to see what we've got in verses 17 through 24. Can you read along with me? But if some of the branches were broken off and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree. Do not boast against the branches, but if you do boast against them, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say, then branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right. They were broken off for their unbelief. But you stand by your faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Behold, then, the kindness and the severity of God to those who fail. Severity, but to you God's kindness. If you continue in his kindness, otherwise you will also be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in. For. For God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? I want you to consider the image that Paul uses. And this is going to take most of our time for the rest of this period of study. And we'll pick up with it in a couple of programs because we want to view how this challenges the idea of Calvinism. But I want us to see this picture here clearly. He pictures an olive tree. This olive tree is nourished by the roots. Now, maybe he's making a reference back up to verse 16, because in verse 16 he says if the first piece of the dough is holy, the lump is also. And if the root is holy, then the branches are too. I think that this olive tree is rooted in the faithful of old, the true Israel. Maybe we would think of people like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the roots of this. Now, how did the Gentiles get into this tree that had for centuries been made up almost exclusively of Jews? When the Gospel was preached, the Jews rejected it and were broken off. The Gentiles who heard it responded and were grafted into his olive tree. But even at that moment, not all was decided. If some of the Gentiles reading this letter, who Paul says had been grafted in lost their faith, they would be severed. If some Jews who had previously rejected the message came to faith, they could be grafted back in. If a Gentile branch could be grafted in, then surely a branch from the Jewish tree that had been broken off could be grafted back in. Now, with that image before us, I want you to ponder over the next few days what we see in this text regarding Calvinism. But that'll have to wait until next time. We bid you a pleasant good day.
- [29:44]
A
Back to the Bible. Let it be our plea. God's word alone, our authority, Every word, every step in the name of Christ. Back to the Bible for the way of life.