To understand the meaning of Paul's words in Romans 9:10-13, it is helpful to go back to the original stories of Jacob and Esau. In this episode, we start with Rebekah's cry for help during her pregnancy, God's oracle to her, and the fateful day when Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal.

God gave Edom a land and fought for Edom, just as he did for Israel. God also provided a way for Edomites to enter the assembly of Israel. What implications does this have for our interpretation of Romans 9:10-13?

When Israel encountered Edom in the wilderness, it learned that they were not allowed to take as much as a footstep from Edom's territory. Why? It is because God gave Edom their land and even fought for them. How would this influence our interpretation of Romans 9:10-13?

When we look at the prophecies about Edom, we discover this: they had nothing to do with predestination to salvation or damnation. They were about Edom's sins against Israel and Judah and God's judgments in history against them.

It is important to know all that the prophets said about Edom to understand Paul's words in Romans 9. In this message, we begin looking at the prophetic oracles of judgment agains the descendants of Esau.

Learning the context of Malachi helps us understand the meaning of Paul's words in Romans 9:13. In Malachi's day, God was assuring Israel that his covenant was with them, not Edom. God was doing the same in Paul's day by showing that he was faithful to his covenant promises.

If the apostles used a prophecy about Edom at the Jerusalem Council to substantiate, biblically, their mission to the gentiles, what implications does that have for interpreting Romans 9:10-13?

When Paul met the resurrected Messiah, his life turned upside down in a moment. Then, Jesus, commissioned him to go to the gentiles with his good news. Paul obeyed, and after years of ministry, the apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem to settle a dispute about including gentiles in Israel's new community of faith. What many do not know is that they used a prophecy about Edom to substantiate the mission to the gentile nations. This has profound implications for interpreting Romans 9:10-13...

To understand Romans 9:10-13, we must first learn about Paul's background as a Pharisee trained at the feet of Gamaliel.

All of us wear "glasses" when we approach Scripture. This is especially true when we read Romans 9, the chapter that is so hotly contested in the Calvinist-Arminian debate. But what many do not recognize is that they approach that chapter with Augustinian glasses or Calvinist glasses. Is this the correct eyewear to read Paul's words or should we look for another way to view Romans 9:10-13?

When my professor strongly urged me to turn my Ph.D. dissertation into a book that is more accessible to the general public, I agreed to do that. This teaching series begins a new approach to interpreting Paul's words in Romans 9:10-13 - Should the Jacob/Esau Story and the history of their descendants be the lens through which one interprets Paul's words in those verses? My answer is "Yes!" When we know the backstory and all that Scripture says about Edom, then we'll understand why Paul said...

The case for faith is indeed strong. The evidence is overwhelming in favor of the existence of God, of the reliability of the Bible, and of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let’s learn some final lessons on this today.

If you need to investigate the claims of Christ, investigate. That is a good thing. But you must realize that at some point you will need to make a choice for or against him.

Without God, there is no basis for morality and justice among people. Without God, we are left only with preferences and there is no right or wrong.

There are many causes of doubt about the truthfulness of Christianity. Let’s learn more about them today and how to overcome them.

Were the heroes of the faith born that way? Did they ever have doubts? Do you ever have doubts

The Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, missionary exploitation, anti-Semitism. These have been stains on the reputation of the Church. Today let’s find out what really happened and learn how to answer these charges.

If Christ is real and he founded the church why has his church been so full of violence in its history? Great question! We are going to examine it today.

A loving God would never send people to Hell, would he? Today, we are going to tackle this tough question for today’s Christian.

Have you ever heard anyone say, “you Christians say Christ is the only way to God but isn’t the way a person lives more important that what he believes? Besides, I know many upright, moral people who are not Christians.”  How would we answer them? Let’s learn today.

Is Jesus really the only way to God? What do we say to people when they tell us we are narrow minded bigots? Let’s listen today and learn together.

Can we really trust the Bible, that it is from God? Today we are going to learn five reasons why we can put our faith in this book and the God it describes.

Some have said the God of the New Testament is a God of love and peace. I’ll follow that God and I won’t follow the God of the Old Testament who is mean and wicked. Many have tried that. But it won’t work. Let’s find out why today.

“If the God of the Bible commands that innocent women and children be killed, how can I trust him? How can I trust the Bible?”