Romans,
Chapter 10
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire
and prayer to God for Israel is,
that they might be saved.
Paul’s desire, his true pleasure was for the salvation of his brothers in the
flesh,
That is normal!
Romans 10:2 For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Do you realize that legalistic Church
attendees can be zealous for God?
Zeal is not the exclusive domain true
Christians.
Many have zeal for Church programs, but not
for Christ.
Knowledge speaks of precise knowledge, and
that is based on a relationship with Christ.
Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have
not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Do you realize that those who depend on law
for salvation are ignorant of God’s righteousness?
In abusing the law in such a manner, they
attempt to establish their own righteousness.
That cannot be done.
We must submit to God through Christ. There
is no other way to redemption.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
"The end" speaks of the
consummation or closing act.
To those that believe, Christ is the
consummation of the Law!
Romans
3:31b we establish the law.
But we are not under the Law.
Christians are led by the Spirit into
Christ’s righteousness (Romans 8:14).
Romans 10:5 For Moses describeth
the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things
shall live by them.
Moses taught righteousness based on obedience
to law.
Moses received authority based of God's
grace.
Verse five seems paradoxical.
If any person can fulfill the law under his
personal will, that person shall be reconciled to God.
Yet, we are saved by grace.
The law leads us to Christ!
Christ Jesus is our great example of faith
fulfilling the law.
He is the fulfillment of the Law due to His
faith.
Galatians
3:24---Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
If you truly follow the Law, you will find
Christ, because you will be following the Law by faith.
Leviticus 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments:
which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
The law illuminates our inadequacies.
It does not correct them.
Romans 10:6-7
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh
on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is,
to bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again
from the dead.)
We are not to ask who will go to Christ,
because He has come to us.
Romans 10:8-10
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even
in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
“Nigh” means near.
We are as near to Christ as our Spirit-based
confession.
For most people that is a difficult concept
to believe.
Legalism is popular because it appeals to our
flesh-bound person.
Confession is at the heart of Christian life.
Let’s take a closer look at verses 9 and 10.
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Perhaps the most misunderstood word in these
verses is “believe/believeth (both from the Greek word: pisteuō- πιστεύω).” It does not indicate a casual understanding! Satan
and his demons know better than any others that Christ Jesus was raised from
death. And yet, they do not seek to follow Him or honor Him as the risen
Messiah! In the original text we are to have faith in Christ to deliver us from
death due to His resurrection.
Notice in verses 8 & 9 the word
"heart." The word is in your
mouth and in your "heart." You confess with your mouth and
believe in your "heart." That is not a mental exercise.
Romans 6:3-6
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life.
5 For
if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also
in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing
this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might
be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Christ Jesus took
responsibility for our sins and was raised from death to life as a lesson for
those of us who also trust in, have faith in, and believe in Him that like Him
we too shall be raised to life!
Romans 10:11 For
the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall
not be ashamed.
Will you be ashamed when He comes?
Those that trust is Christ will not be
ashamed!
Isaiah
28:16 So this is what the Sovereign
LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious
cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
(NIV)
Christ Jesus is the precious cornerstone!
Romans 10:12 For there is no difference
between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that
call upon him.
All must come to trust in Christ!
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Lord (Gr. Kurios-KurioV) indicates ownership.
Our confession does not effect
His position, it affects ours.
“Rich” indicates His ability to give
blessings of salvation to all!
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Whosoever (Gr. pas-paV) means all.
All that call on the name of the Lord shall
be saved.
This verse must be understood as a companion
verse to:
Rom
14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God.
And:
Phil
2:9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is
above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.
Romans 10:14 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?
Anyone that is insulted by evangelism is also
insulted by education!
In the Bible, hearing demands a positive
response!
We cannot hear the truth of the gospel of
God’s grace in Christ and fail to accept His Lordship!
Evangelism is not salesmanship---it is
spiritual education!
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that
preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
If you had a message of hope would you share
it?
As a Christian, you have such a message! So,
share it.
Some will tell you that Christians don't
share one on one because they don't know the Bible well enough.
I have a different theory.
I feel it is fear of rejection.
Most people do not want to be rejected.
Those that reject the Christian message are
rejecting God, because their eyes have not been opened!
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed
the gospel. For Esaias saith,
Lord, who hath believed our report?
Don’t take evangelism personally!
We don’t save anybody.
God is responsible for who will and who will
not acknowledge Christ.
God chooses the day and time.
We are not responsible for the results of His
Word (should be capitalized)!
We are just to present the Word, and then to
watch the Holy Spirit work!
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
"Cometh" is an added word that does
not appear in the Greek text.
Faith is the result of hearing.
This verse is NOT referring to the written word.
“Hearing by the Word (Gr. reemartos-rhmatoV)” refers to the
revealed Word of God!
However, I also believe that the last “word”
in this verse should have been capitalized!
“[A]nd hearing by the Word of God!”
Christ Jesus is the Word of God the Father!
Personal translation: “Then, the faith by
means of hearing, and the hearing through the Word of God!”
That hearing is not by means of physically
hearing the Word. That hearing is only by spiritual means.
Ps
107:20 He sent his word, and healed
them, and delivered them from their destructions.
John
1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made.
Christ Jesus is the Word spoken by God the
Father to whoever has God-given ears to hear.
1
Corinthians 12:3b no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by
the Holy Ghost.
None may come to the Son for salvation unless
led to do so by the Holy Spirit!
Rom
8:14 For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
The sons of God are those who are led by the
Spirit of God to come to the Son of God!
Romans 10:18 But I say, Have they not
heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto
the ends of the world.
The sound of the gospel has gone throughout
the entire world (Gr. oikoumenees-oikoumenhV), the entire inhabited world.
Romans 10:19 But I say, Did not
Christianity is not the exclusive domain of
any ethnic group.
It is made up of all races.
"Foolish nation" indicates an
unintelligent and perverse race.
Romans 10:20-21
20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made
manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have
stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
Christianity is not man in search of God, it
is God in search of man!
It is in this area of scripture that Paul
returns to his writing about God’s relationship to the Jews.
The Jews of Paul's day rejected God's
Messiah.
So, God went in search of the Gentiles.
God reached out to a disobedient physical
Unfortunately, it seems that He is now
reaching out His hands to a wayward "Christians."
If we cannot bring others to Christ, why do
we evangelize?
We do it because Christ told us to do
it.
We carry the message.
The Holy Spirit opens the hearts of the lost.