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The Pastoral Epistles of Saint Paul
Talk by Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), part 9, Romans chapter 9
November 23, 2021
 
This class covers the complex topic of God's sovereign will and our limited understanding of it. Topics include: 
(1) Israelites vs. Jews; 
(2) Children of the Promise: by faith not by works. The true people of God are not simply heirs according to the flesh but those who believe, like the Patriarchs. For many the law of God has become a cultural matter and not based on faith; 
(3) God has foreknowledge of those who will believe; 
(4) God hates sin, not His creatures; 
(5) We all receive God's love and patience ... but some reject this of their own free will. We are called to faith by the mercy of God ... there is no room for pride; 
(6) The Eastern Church does not believe in double predestination (predestination to Hell). It rather emphasizes predestination to salvation; 
(7) We cannot fathom God's will and we cannot judge Him or answer back to Him.
In addition, there was a lengthy introduction to a new online platform for Orthodox Christians called oKyrios.org