Epistle to the Romans
Chapter 10 – God’s Choice
Romans 10:1-4 Controversy
The Jews have accused God of failing to fulfill his promise; but according to Paul, they are at fault. They have willfully and wantonly pursued righteousness in their own way rather than in God’s, and they have brought upon themselves the inevitable results. The facts cannot be evaded and should not be ignored; but resentment is not at all profitable in this case. Typically, in such cases, people are either superior and detached or bitter and insulting. The controversy is unavoidable but bitterness or isolation is not the answer. Paul sincerely wishes the Jews could be saved and is working to show the facts with neither superiority nor bitterness.
Paul recognizes the sincerity of the Jews. He experienced it first hand before He met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Their zeal is important but it is not enlightened. Zeal is a good quality if regulated by adequate knowledge. If there is no zeal, all religious effort grows ineffective. We seldom suffer from an excess of enthusiasm. We are more inclined to just let things be. Paul tells us repeatedly that it is good to be full of zeal for God. We know we are most successful when we are pleased and enthusiastic with our efforts. The danger in zeal is when we pursue it to the point we are no longer compatible with God – when we lose our humble trust in and grateful dependence on God.
First we need spiritual insight – that is the perception to distinguish between the true and the false. We need to recognize what is genuinely important and separate it from things that are incidental or secondary. Second we need the true knowledge that results from genuine spiritual insight. It forms a firm and ordered understanding of the realities of our life. Third, knowledge of this kind provides the only satisfactory basis for zeal. It provides consistent enthusiasm and saves it from fanaticism. It is the only reasonable foundation upon to build real spiritual growth. We all recognize that the ends do not justify the means. Seeking good ends does not alleviate the need for using the right means. Paul explains that the Jews sought a good end – righteousness. Righteousness is man’s greatest need, and in seeking it he finds that two methods are open to him. The one is indicated by God, the other is suggested by his own desires. The Jews ignored the righteousness that comes from God. Instead they sought to establish their own. Are we really any different? Many have taught us the path to the righteousness that comes from God. Yet, how many times can we continue to modify the teachings before our efforts to make our own way to God doom us to our own pursuits.
The Jews trusted in a meticulous observance of the Law. The Gospel points to faith as the only means by which we can find favor with God. This is not to say that we can freely violate the Jewish law. Its points were good as far as they went. The moral guidelines are still valid. The law simply provided no forgiveness and no redemption. The better way of obtaining righteousness has two characteristics. It must be based entirely upon faith and it must be available to everyone.
Romans 10:5-10 Availability
The old way to obtain righteousness demanded the precise fulfillment of the whole law. We must avoid establishing our own rules with the same absolute requirements. The new way only demands faith. Faith is available to everyone and it does require superhuman feats of discipline, will and love. It is understandable to everyone. The substance of the gospel is simple. It is not remote from anyone who needs it. It can easily be grasped by those who are willing to receive it. We simply need to accept Scriptures with a warm heart and an open mind. God’s mercy and grace keep the truth open to us if we will only receive it.
The core of this message is the assurance of salvation. We are offered emancipation from the bondage of sin. We are redeemed. We are reconciled to God. We have the Atonement. We enter into a new life with a new spiritual power to withstand the forces that challenge our moral standards. We appropriate that power with two steps. We confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord. And we believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. A genuine belief cannot be suppressed, and the inward conviction will find outward expression. What man believes in his heart, he must confess with his lips.
Romans 10:11-15 The Gift
The Gift is for all. Salvation is for all. Everyone can hope for the great gift from God. There can be no other way. Monotheism declares that there is only one true God. As a consequence, God’s mercy is over all his creation. It cannot be restricted on national or racial grounds. Consider this understanding in contrast to those who would kill to make others believe as they do.
Man has created many distinctions for life. The Jew and the Greek were divided at every significant point. Racially, culturally, and religiously there were distinctions between the two. Moreover, both were proud races, and the differences between them provided pretexts for recrimination. Arrogant trust in our own heritage and contempt for the achievements of others are beside the point. The same Lord is Lord of all. He bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. Man’s distinctions are of no concern to God. They are often the greatest obstacles to accepting God’s path to righteousness. This gift is universal in scope, but is practically effective only for those: who are aware of their need; who make the effort to receive God’s gift; who turn to the proper source; and who gratefully receive what comes from it.
Those who wish salvation can have it if they call upon God with sincere and humble expectancy. Unfortunately, how can they call if they do not believe? How can they believe if they have not heard? How can they hear without a preacher? How can they preach except they be sent? The Jews were sent. They had preachers. They heard. They believed. But, they failed to call on God with sincere and humble expectancy. Do we fail in any of those steps?
Romans 10:16-21 Faith
The Jews had the key to salvation. They had the means of knowing what it was. They declined to give it the requisite attention. They have not heeded the gospel. This is a valuable lesson for all of us. In many Christian communities, a number of people grow up with only a nodding acquaintance with the Christian faith. They know the vocabulary well enough to understand the central affirmation. They have enough familiarity with its teachings to concede them a vague respect. They lack the understanding necessary to permit its truths to modify their lives. The message is available if they desire. Their nonparticipation may inconvenience us at times, but their remaining on the periphery of our community is often accepted as normal. Perhaps part of the trouble lies in our inconsistent approach to declaring our convictions. Perhaps even we are failing to fully grasp the urgency of the truths to which we profess allegiance.
Without faith there is no justification. Without justification there is no chance of an abundant life. That being said, Faith comes from what is heard. A certain level of religious belief may be intuitively grasped. This is what our culture refers to as “spirituality”. But Christianity requires a distinctive kind of faith. It requires more than a vague internal stirring of our emotions. It requires will and will requires understanding to provide direction. Christianity can be defended by reason but reason alone is unable to lead men to it. Our belief is a response to something which gathers up the whole range of our experience. What is needed is the preaching of Christ. There is a danger in preaching. Unless it bears certain marks and is directed toward certain ends, it is nothing more that the most arrogant posturing before God and one another. If it does not proclaim Christ and his abiding significance, it is a dangerous misdirection to the listeners.
It is hard to imagine a place where Scripture and Christ have not been heard. Unfortunately, it is not hard to imagine a place where they have been heard but ignored. Those who are sufficiently humble can learn directly from those who have heard and have not ignored. Those who are not so humble can still learn through emulation. If we can share our gift with others directly, we will certainly do so. If we cannot, we must so absorb our conviction that all who observe us will grow eager to receive it. The person who fails to set forth his Christianity in some clearly recognizable form is not only impoverishing himself, but is depriving others of what they are entitled to expect from him.