Romans 10 — Righteousness of God
Introduction: Paul became known as the apostle to the Gentiles, but in this chapter he expressed that the prayer of his heart was for the children of Israel to be saved. The zeal of strongly committed Jews for the law prevented their acceptance of Christ by faith, so he was indeed the stumbling stone and rock of offense for many of them. The righteousness of God can never be secured by personal effort to fulfill the law. This chapter of Romans is in my own paraphrase, to some extent in an amplified style, prepared by examining several translations, and with some use of lexicons for both Hebrew and Greek.
NOTE: Verses in the comments are from the 1769 King James Bible.
A — Paul Desired Salvation for the Children of Israel
Romans 10 “1 Brothers in the Lord, the desire of my heart and my prayer to God for the children of Israel, is that they might be saved. 2 For I can attest that they have a zeal about God, but not in accordance with intimate knowledge. 3 For they are unaware of and uninformed about God’s righteousness, so they endeavor to establish their own righteousness. They have not submitted themselves to the righteousness from God. 4 For Christ is the satisfaction and completion of the law for righteousness to every one who believes in him.”
Comments: Before his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul had extreme zeal for the law as he persecuted Christians with approval of the Jewish leaders. After his conversion, many times the Jews strongly rejected his teaching about Christ Jesus as he preached in synagogues. Such was the case in Antioch of Pisidia where the Jews were filled with envy and blasphemed, so Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles (Acts 13:44–47). Even at Berea where many believed, jealous Jews from Thessalonica came and stirred up the people (Acts 17:10–14). Paul’s last time at Jerusalem ended in violent rejection (Acts 21:26–32), yet he had no doubt that true righteousness before God comes only through belief in Christ Jesus.
B — Righteousness Is Only by Faith
Romans 10 “5 For Moses said the man who lives by the law will have his life determined by the law. 6 But those with righteousness which is of faith would not, in their heart, need to ask the impossible. Who would be able to ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above? 7 Who would be able to descend into the deep, that is, to bring Christ up alive again from the dead? 8 But what said it? The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.”
Comments: Paul used scripture given by the LORD to Moses to show that faith in God is the only way to have righteousness that fulfills the law. He began with Leviticus 18:5 “Which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD” — an impossible goal without God’s provision through faith. He then drew from Deuteronomy 30:10–14 about the word being near in your mouth and in your heart, inserting his own words to make the application: only God has the power of resurrection, so who could descend and bring Christ up from the dead? The answer is none but God. Paul then gave the direct application: confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, and you shall be saved. Romans 8:3–4 had already established that what the law could not do, God accomplished through his own Son.
C — Who Has Believed Our Report?
Romans 10 “10 For you receive righteousness by believing in your heart, and then you are saved by confession from your mouth. 11 For the scripture says, Whoever believes on him shall not be dishonored and deceived in their hope. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile: for it is the same Lord over all, and he abundantly supplies for all who appeal to him. 13 For whoever shall appeal to the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How can they make their appeal if they have not believed in him? And how could they believe if they have not heard of him? and how would they hear if there is no one to preach? 15 And how shall anyone preach unless they have been sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the joyful news! 16 But they have not all listened to and accepted the gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord, who has believed our report?”
Comments: Righteousness comes only from a genuine belief in God from the heart, with salvation confirmed by declaring that belief verbally. There is no difference between the children of Israel and all other people, since there is only one Lord over all. The steps to faith begin with the Word of God being presented by those sent of God, each individual believing by faith in their heart, and then making a personal and genuine appeal to God. Paul took seriously that those who truly preach the gospel must be sent by God, referring to Isaiah 52:7. He humbly wrote to the Ephesians: “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). And from Isaiah 53:1–5 the fulfillment of prophecy is clear: he who was wounded for our transgressions, was yet despised and rejected — “Who hath believed our report?” John 12:37–41 confirms that even after many miracles, the people believed not, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy.
D — The Lord Was Found by Those Who Did Not Seek Him
Romans 10 “17 So then faith, assurance, and trust come by receiving instruction, and that instruction is the Word of God. 18 But I say, haven’t they heard? Yes, truly they have, because that preaching was spread throughout all the earth, and the words of scripture to the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Didn’t Israel perceive and understand? First Moses said, I will provoke and arouse you to a fear of being supplanted by people not of Israel, and I will make you angry by insignificant and untaught people. 20 But Isaiah is very bold, and said, I was found by people who did not look for me; I was revealed to those who did not ask about me. 21 But to Israel he said, All day long I have reached out my hands to a disobedient people who rebel and refuse to believe.”
Comments: Israel had access to the Word of God that can lead to faith for those with an open heart, and yet many would not perceive and understand the truth. Paul directed readers to scripture from Moses, written even before Israel entered the Promised Land, to show the anger of the LORD against Israel for their worthless idols (Deuteronomy 32:21). Then Paul referenced Isaiah 65:1–2 where the LORD says he was found by those who did not seek him, while all day long he reached out his hands to a rebellious people who walked in a way that was not good. This extended passage shows just how far Israel had drifted from the LORD — and how much the LORD has forgiven of each believer who now turns to him.
Reflections in Prayer
LORD, Thank you for so many blessings to your chosen children of Israel which have overflowed by your design, to numerous Gentiles because the righteousness of God is available to all people. I had very little true understanding of basic scripture passages when you opened my heart to believe that only your grace could save me. Without your touch to my heart, I could have remained lost, thinking I could never be good enough to be your child. Paul had a deep concern for his fellow Israelites who were depending on their own ability to keep the law of scripture, because they did not accept their need for the righteousness that can only come from God through faith. Thank you, LORD, for guiding Paul to write this letter which has such direct application to “religious people” in our present time. I ask that you, Lord, guide me to examine scripture carefully to direct my prayers and my witness to any who may have an open ear to hear and accept the message of the gospel. Your word continues now to go throughout the world in many languages. So, LORD, I also want to pray that those who seemingly have not sought after you will somehow hear and respond to the message of eternal salvation through righteousness that only you can provide. Amen.
Published 20 June 2016