I am going to read the first two verses in the 10th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

The 10th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans reading verses 1 and 2.

Brethren, my heart's desire to prayer and prayer to God for Israelis that they might be saved.

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Now, we are engaged at the beginning of this tenth chapter of this epistle to the Romans,

and as I was indicating when we began to study at last Friday night, it is indeed

a most interesting, most vital, and a most important statement. What gives it added importance,

of course, is that it comes immediately after Chapter 9. Chapter 9 notoriously is one of the most difficult

as well as one of the greatest chapters in the whole of the Bible, with its great doctrine

of the sovereignty of God, the ultimate final sovereignty of God in the matter of salvation.

But suddenly the apostle, having dealt with that,

introduces this further section and division of what he's got to say,

and he does so by means of these two verses that we are examining.

Now, I'm concerned at the moment, before we come to the particular application which the apostle himself makes of what he's saying, I'm concerned at the moment to draw certain

general lessons from what the apostle does.

Our interest in the scriptures must never be merely academic or theoretical or intellectual.

We are to be interested in that way.

We'll never derive any benefit unless we are.

But it's not merely to be intellectual or academic or theoretical.

We should study the scriptures in order that we may profit from them, in order that we may

have light and guidance upon our own lives and upon our own conduct and behavior.

And thus I'm trying to show you that what the Apostle does here has a great deal to teach

...