Israel Needs the Gospel…
Romans 10:1-21
Romans Chapter 10 signals a shift in Paul’s emphasis from God’s dealings with Israel in the past, specifically, before Christ’s death, to His dealings with them in the present.
Paul’s teachings were most distasteful to the unconverted Jews.
They considered him a traitor and an enemy of Israel. But here he assures his Christian brethren to whom he was writing that the thing that would bring the greatest delight to his heart and the thing for which he prays to God most earnestly for Israel is that they may be saved.
Romans 9:31-33
31 “…but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not attain that law.
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.
They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 just as it is written,
‘BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,
AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES UPON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.’ ”
The reason for Israel’s failure mentioned in 9:31-33, namely, is her rejection of Christ; and so this led Paul to develop that subject further in this section.
These verses open up with Paul expressing his feelings of compassionate concern (“my heart’s desire and my prayer”) for his fellow Israelites’ salvation (9:1-3).
Paul’s mention of their deliberate rejection of Christ (9:32-33) evidently triggered this emotional expression.
“The reality of his love is seen in the fact that he prayed for them.”
Ironically it was Israel’s “zeal” that set her up for failure.
Zeal also characterized Paul’s life, which in many ways duplicated Israel’s experience as a nation.
It had also kept him from believing on Christ too (cf. Acts 22:3; Gal. 1:14).
Paul and Israel both had zeal for God, but it was zeal that lacked (was “not in accordance with”) “knowledge,” knowledge that Jesus is the Messiah (1 Tim. 1:13).
The Jews were ignorant of “the righteousness” that comes from “(of) God” as a gift (1:17).
They sought to earn righteousness by keeping the Law (“to establish their own”).
Instead, they should have humbly received (submitted to) the gift of righteousness that God gives to those who believe on His Son (cf. Phil. 3:9).
Israel as a whole, excluding the believing remnant, failed to gain a righteous standing before God because she tried to win it “with (by) works.”
A “stumbling stone” on the racetrack over which she “stumbled” impeded her progress.
Intent on winning in her own effort, Israel failed to recognize the “Stone” prophesied in Scripture, who was sent to provide salvation for her.
The following quotation, from Isaiah 8:14 and 28:16 (cf. 1 Pet. 2:6-8), sums up the problem.
God intended the Messiah to be the provider of salvation.
However, the Jews did not allow Him to fulfill this function for them.
Consequently this Stone became a stumbling block for them (cf. 1 Cor. 1:23).
Israel’s rejection of Jesus Christ did not make God unfaithful or unrighteous in His dealings with the nation.
What it did do was make it possible for Gentiles to surpass the Jews as the main recipients of salvation.
The truth is for all of us that there are times when we all fall into the trap of trying to get right with God by doing certain things or obeying certain rules.
We may think that attending church, doing church work, giving offerings, helping people who are poor, or being nice will earn God’s favor and be enough to grant us eternal life with him.
After all, we’ve played by the rules, haven’t we?
But Paul’s words sting—this approach never succeeds.
Paul explains that a true relationship with God doesn’t come by trying to earn His favor or by being good enough.
It comes by realizing that we can never be good enough.
We must depend on Jesus Christ to rescue us from sin’s eternal consequences and introduce us to God by bringing us into His very presence as a forgiven and righteous people.
Only then will God look at us as though we have never sinned and welcome us into His presence (Colossians 1:21-22).
This is the whole reason for the Cross of Calvary, that necessitated that Christ pour out His life’s blood as a propitiation for OUR sins.
Consequently we can be saved only by putting our faith in what Jesus Christ has done.
If we do that, then we will not be disappointed.
Have you ever been asked, “How do I become a Christian?”
These verses in Romans 10:8-12
will give you the answer:
Salvation is as close as your own lips and heart.
People think it must be a complicated process, but it is not.
Romans 10:8-12
8 …“THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, leading to salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES UPON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.”
So then if we sincerely believe in our hearts and profess that Jesus Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved!
SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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Sunday, March 12
Inspiration Ministries
Daily Devotional
THE WORD OF FAITH
“The word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
— Romans 10:8–9 (NASB)
Even mature Christians can find themselves depending on their reputations and experiences, relationships and abilities, and position or status. But Paul taught that before God, none of these things matter. He made it clear: We are not saved because of anything we do or justified because of our works. The key is faith alone.
We must act on faith. We must confess with our mouths and declare that Jesus is Lord. We must believe in our hearts that “God raised Him from the dead.”
When Paul talked about the “word of faith,” he used the Greek word rhema, indicating a specific word God gives at specific times. Paul was saying that God has a particular word for each situation we face. It is a word He has prepared before the foundation of the world. It is the exact word we need.
We will need to speak the word of faith at some point and, for the first time then, declare that Jesus is Lord! We will also need wisdom or guidance, deliverance or healing, discernment or salvation at other moments. God has a word of faith in each situation.
As the Bible promises, the word of faith is near you. Declare that Jesus is your Lord. Trust Him. Declare His Word to be true. Let Him give you the word of faith. Be ready to speak His Word and act in faith.
Reflection Question: What special word has God been whispering in your heart recently?
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