Rom 10:1-17
SS Lesson for 05/26/2024
Devotional Scripture: Heb 3:12-15
Preaching that does not come out of love for the people being addressed ultimately does not benefit the listening crowd. The Catholic activist Dorothy Day once commented on preaching that, “If people will not listen, one can still love, one can still find Christ in them to love.” We need not strain ourselves in order to provide examples of leaders whose message sounded good but whose practice turned out to be destructive. In these instances, whatever good was done because of the beautiful words is largely undone because of the harm of the speaker’s actions. As with all Christian practice, preaching without love is worthless (see 1 Corinthians 13). The same is true for prayer. We might think of preaching as a prayer shared with an audience. The speaker presents the good news in the hope and prayer that God will work in the hearts of those who hear. And, when we find ourselves unable to preach in words, our actions can still be a prayer that the people who interact with us will find themselves turning to God.
Just how comprehensive is the good news of Jesus the Messiah? The entire book of Romans is concerned with this question. Romans 1-8 sets forth proof of the need and extent of God’s mercy available to those who trust him with their lives. God has announced salvation for all who trust (see Romans 1:16-17). The gospel of grace has come to light for all. The extension of God’s offer of salvation to Gentiles does not exclude Jews. Chapters 9-11 advance the discussion in part by considering the fate of Israel. The depth of God’s love extends to Israel as well as the Gentiles (11:33-36). Romans 10 reflects on Paul’s hope that the good news that Jesus is the Messiah and Lord will also come to his fellow Jews. God promised salvation to Israel, and God keeps promises at all times. Therefore, the promise of salvation must come to Israel. The hard division between Jews and Christians did not occur until several generations after Paul’s lifetime. Paul himself never used the word “Christians” in his writings, though it had begun to circulate within the church. He likely did not anticipate the centuries of hostility between the two groups or the habit of those thinking themselves to be Christians of insulting and even persecuting Jews. The hard division that Paul experienced and wrote about was between Jews (whether Christ-followers or not) and Gentiles (whether God-fearers or not). The gospel of reconciliation and peace in Christ reaches all, allowing God both to keep the ancient promises to Israel and to add the Gentiles to the faithful community.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
17 pray continually
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
3 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, O God.'" 8 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.
24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
7 or, "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
37 For nothing is impossible with God."
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts
9 He who has ears, let him hear."
Paul begins his explanation of Israel’s failure as he did in chapter 9, with an expression of his deep and abiding love for his people. He is a ‘beloved enemy.’
Sometimes we hear the expression ‘Today has been canceled due to lack of interest.’ The problem with Israel was not in a lack of enthusiasm or effort. If sincerity and diligence were the way to heaven, Israel would be in first place, with many of the cults and “ism’s” of our day running a close second. Israel had plenty of zeal but it was misdirected due to a lack of knowledge: “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge” (Romans 10:2).
As we shall see later, this lack of knowledge was not due to a lack of revelation or innocent ignorance on the part of Israel. It was a willful and obstinate rejection of the truth as taught in the Old Testament and as further disclosed by our Lord Jesus Christ. It was the kind of ignorance which says, “Don’t confuse me with the facts; my mind is already made up.” In seeking to earn their own righteousness, they stubbornly refused to submit to the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Christ is, indeed, the end of the Law (v. 4) to all who believe, but the Jews preferred their interpretation of the Law to its true meaning and fulfillment.
Concerning the matter of eternal salvation, we know that there are not two ways to obtain it, but only one. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me” (John 14:6). But in the mind of the Jews there were two ways, each in competition with the other—the way of works (law-keeping) and the way of faith (Paul’s gospel). These two ‘ways’ are contrasted in verses 5-13.
The way of works is considered first in verse 5: “For Moses writes that the one who practices the righteousness which is based on Law shall live by that righteousness.” Although Paul’s use of the Old Testament passages in these verses is difficult to explain,62 his point is clear. The way of works maintains that life is obtained through the obedience of the Law. “How do I get to heaven?” we ask the devout (and unbelieving) Jew. “Keep the Law,” he replies.
But the way of faith has a far different answer:
“But the righteousness based on faith speaks thus, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching (Romans 10:6-8).
The way of works wrongly supposes that man must initiate salvation by prompting God to act in his behalf. This is the basis for virtually all pagan religion. Often the gods are passive and must be persuaded to act. We think of the contest between Elijah and the 400 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. These prophets cut themselves to get the attention of their gods.
But the gospel of Jesus Christ is not so. We need do nothing at all to prompt God to save us, for it is God Who has initiated and accomplished our salvation. All we must do is to receive what God has offered in the gospel. We need not ascend into heaven as though we must solicit God’s help, for God has come to our aid by means of the incarnation. Nor do we have to ascend into the abyss to bring about our Lord’s resurrection from the dead. He has done this by His own power and on His own initiative.
Paul’s reference to bringing Christ down from heaven is not without very pointed application for these Jews who trusted in a Law-keeping righteousness, believed that if the nation Israel could keep the whole Law for one day, the Messiah would come. They really believed it was their obedience to the Law which would prompt Messiah to come to their aid.
Our salvation is not remote and removed and in need of our striving and effort. Rather it is before our very eyes. It is the salvation available in the message of the gospel and achieved on the cross of Calvary. It is, in the words of Moses, in our mouths and in our heart.
And what is the message of the gospel? “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Romans 10:9). In this ninth verse, we learn several truths about the gospel. First, we see that it involves belief. The content of that belief is summarized by two expressions: ‘Jesus is Lord’ and ‘God hath raised Him from the dead.’ The lordship of Jesus encapsulizes the fact that Jesus is Who He claimed to be, the Son of God (deity), the Son of man (humanity), Israel’s Messiah, sovereign, infinite, omnipotent God. In the expression ‘God hath raised Him from the dead,’ we are reminded not only of the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Christ for sinners, but also of His physical, bodily resurrection from the dead. The resurrection of our Lord from the dead was the ‘sign of the prophet Jonah’ (Matthew 12:39-40), our Lord’s final authoritative vindication of all His claims.
Further, we learn that salvation involves both belief and confession, for salvation is neither head knowledge, nor lip service. We must believe God has raised Christ from the dead and we must confess Jesus as Lord. These should not be viewed as separate and opposing conditions for salvation, but as two elements of salvation. As James said, faith without works is no real saving faith, so Paul asserts that belief and confession go hand in hand. We should not forget, either, that the reason for the emphasis upon belief and confession is to be related to the quotation from Deuteronomy 30:14 where both the mouth and the heart are mentioned. With our heart we believe; with our mouth we confess; two dimensions of the same truth.
Verses 11 through 13 highlight another characteristic of the gospel of salvation by faith—it is universal in scope. The Jews trusted in salvation by works, in a righteousness attained by works. These were not just any good works, but the works demanded by the Law. Since Israel was the recipient of the Law and its custodian, they felt that only Israelites could thus be saved even by works. At the very least, Gentiles could be saved only by converting to Judaism and submitting entirely to the ordinances of the Law.
If the true gospel is the message of salvation by faith in the work of Christ in the sinner’s stead and without Law-keeping, then salvation is available to Jews and Gentiles alike. Gentiles do not need to enter heaven’s glory through the gate of Judaism. Instead, it is the Jews who must give up their ‘gate’ of works and enter through the ‘wicket gate’ of faith, to use the terminology of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.
The offer of the gospel is a universal one, proclaiming salvation to all who will believe, by faith, in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for the sinner: “For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him” (Romans 10:11, 12).
Now I want this to be very clear. Although Paul has said that only those will be saved whom God has chosen in election (Romans 9:15, 18, 21-23), nevertheless, the offer of the gospel is a universal one: “For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32). This quotation from Joel is even more emphatic in the original text, for it should read, “For all whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Paul has said that even though God chooses those upon whom He will bestow the gift of salvation (chapter 9), men are responsible for their rejection of the gospel. So now we must go one step further. If the gospel is truly universal in scope, including both Jews and Gentiles, then it should be proclaimed universally. God is sovereign in the initiation and accomplishment of salvation, but man is responsible for its proclamation:
How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14, 15).
In these two verses, we see both the duty and the beauty of those who herald the gospel. Men cannot believe in what they have not heard, and men cannot hear without a proclaimer. I am avoiding the word preacher simply because we have a ‘reversed collar’ stereotype of this word. Paul is speaking about anyone who shares the gospel, not just a ‘clergyman.’
It is true that God has determined the ‘ends,’ so to speak. He has determined, sovereignly and without any obligation to anyone, the salvation of some. But this does not allow us to be slack in the proclamation of the gospel. People will not be saved without a human instrument. Did you get that? Men and women will not be saved apart from human effort. Why? Because God has decreed it thus. God is sovereign not only in decreeing the ends, but also in determining the means to those ends. And, my Christian friend, you and I, according to these verses, are God’s means to the salvation of men and women. Could God have saved men in some other way? Of course! But He didn’t purpose to do so. The implication of a universal scope for the gospel is a universal proclamation. Faith comes through hearing the proclaimed word of Christ (Romans 10:17). This is a subtle defense for Paul’s preaching to the Gentiles.
(Adapted from URL:https://bible.org/seriespage/human-responsibility-and-salvation-romans-930-1021)
The offer of salvation comes through the preaching of the Word as one of hope and expectation. God is for us and wishes to be with us. When we trust the reliability of that offer, we can enter into a life of joyful hope, which the Bible calls salvation. That life begins now and extends into eternity. In Romans 10, Paul speaks of those who cry out to God, confess Jesus as Lord, and so receive salvation. Like the prophets of Israel, who called on their people to turn from evil toward good, Paul makes a direct connection between the words that humans speak and God’s willingness to save. The words must be sincerely uttered, but the key actor in the drama of salvation is God. Preaching connects closely to prayer as we seek to conform our desires to God’s desires. It must be full of hope, inviting listeners to trust a gracious God. This readiness to hear comes from God’s passionate love for the creation. In truth, God created the world originally out of love, and he sustains the creation out of the same love. In an environment of love, a needy humanity crying out for help receives a willing ear.