Beth-El Baptist Church

03/11/2007

Greg Tomlinson

Open Question Session

This is an open question session in which there was no prepared question.

1. Who is “Israel” in Romans 11:25-26 that will all be saved?

Romans 11:25-26

Romans 11

1 Corinthians 15:50

Jeremiah 33:11-21

Ephesians 5:2

Hebrews 9:12-13; 10:4-5, 10-12

According to the context of Romans 11, all of the other times that Israel is referred to, Paul is referring to the descendants of Jacob. Consistency would require that Israel here would also be the descendants of Jacob, the Jews, as opposed to the Gentiles. This is a passage used by the pre-millenialists to explain that just before the end of time, there will be a mass conversion of the Jews who will enter bodily into the “New Jerusalem” (Revelation 21:2) and then reinstate the Levitical sacrifices. The difficulty with this interpretation is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50) and that it does not make sense to reinstate the blood sacrifices if Jesus is our sacrifice.

2. Who killed Jesus?

John 10:15-18 – He offered himself

Acts 2:23 – Israel. Counsel and foreknowledge of the Father

Matthew 27:24-31 – Romans, Israel, Pontius Pilate

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – We did. Because of our sins

Isaiah 53:5

Ultimately the answer as to who killed Jesus would be the same persons who are responsible for his death. That would be us. While the Jews unjustly convicted him and sent him to Pilate for execution and Pontius Pilate sent him to the Roman soldiers for crucifixion. It was all done according to the divine plan of God the Father in order to make atonement for our sins.

3. What is the relationship between casting our cares upon God and the fellowship of the brethren in caring for one another?

1 Peter 5:7

Galatians 6:1-8; 5:16

2 Thessalonians 3:10

Ephesians 4:11-13

Romans 8:28

In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter is highlighting the need for believers not to worry but to trust in God and let him working things out through us. We are also called to bear or carry one another’s burdens. This is the idea of helping the brethren through their difficult times that is to include material assistance, if needed and if warranted, but mostly through teaching with the Word of God. At the same time, the believer is to learn to lean on and trust in God to provide and not make himself a burden on the church but he is to provide for his own needs.