Author Archives: Steve Hankins, Th.D.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?” (Romans 11:33–34, KJV 1900) I studied and met some very intelligent people in my day.Continue reading “Transcendent God (Romans 11:33-34)”

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29, ESV) Have you ever been with someone who was indecisive? In leadership it is truly a problem. However, a closely related problem is that of being fickle. The old adage goes, “Don’t change canoes in the middle of the stream.” Now most ofContinue reading “No Fickleness (Romans 11:28-32)”

And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26–27, ESV) Many people throughout history have made predictions. I do not know of anyContinue reading “As It Was Written (Romans 11:26-27)”

“. . . that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved . . .” (Romans 11:25–26, KJV 1900) When I used to play guitar, one of the things that happened was the building of calluses on my left fingertips.Continue reading “Removing the Callus (Romans 11:25-26)”

“For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.” (Romans 11:24, ESV) I have read about the horticultural art of grafting. It is aContinue reading “Lesson from Horticulture (Rom 11:16-24)”

“Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!” (Romans 11:12, ESV) Often, we have a bad day. In those bad days, we dream of better days ahead. This dreaming is a good thing. I think it helpsContinue reading “A Greater Day (Romans 11:11-12, 15)”

“I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. (Romans 11:11, KJV 1900). When I was a young boy, my dad took my brother and I surf fishing for striped-bass off the Jersey shore. ThatContinue reading “Beneficial Jealousy (Romans 11:11, 13-14)”

“What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,” (Romans 11:7, ESV) I had mentioned earlier in Romans regarding the doctrines of sovereign grace, election and predestination that there are certain things that go beyond the ability of finite human intellect to reconcile. Here weContinue reading “Compatibility (Romans 11:7-10)”