Romans 10:1-13: Ethnic Israel Missed the Gospel (part 1)

                                                                 Romans 10:1-13 part 1

Ethnic Israel (fleshly), the Jewish nation, is Israel by natural birth only. It is not Spiritual Israel to whom most of the Old Testament promises were made in the covenants. Ethnic Israel missed the gospel during the Mosaic administration of the Mosaic Covenant, and they are still missing it during the Messiah’s administration of the New Covenant. But one day, this will change (see Romans 11)!

I. Ethnic Israel does not understand the true gospel of grace vs. 1-13

A. Note that ethnic Israel continues to be Paul’s concern (Rom 9:1-5) vs. 1

B. Ethnic Israel has a false religious zeal vs. 2

C. Ethnic Israel does not know the true way to a relationship with God through a transferred righteousness following faith. vs. 3-13

1. They are ignorant of God’s required righteousness that is transferred to a person’s account after they embrace the Messiah by faith. vs. 3

2. They are seeking to establish their own righteousness. But self-righteousness is never good enough. Isaiah said, “We have all become like an unclean thing, and all our virtues like a filthy rag. We are all withering like leaves, and our iniquities, like a wind, carry us off.” (Isa 64:5 TNK)

3. They are refusing to submit to the righteousness of God, which is the only standard He will accept. vs. 3

4. They do not understand the goal or purpose of the law is the Messiah, Jesus. vs. 4

a) Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law for all time

b) Jesus kept the civil law of Israel as the believer’s substitute

c) Jesus kept the moral law of Israel as the believer’s substitute

d) Jesus provides transferred righteousness to His people. Because of their depravity, they could never keep the law fully in their own power and strength

5. They do not even understand Moses, whom they claim as their guide vs. 5

a) Moses wrote that perfect law-keeping is necessary for someone to obtain righteousness through the law

b) Moses said: “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am Yahweh.” (Lev 18:5) Not some of them some of the time, but do all of them all the time

6. They do not understand transferred righteousness by faith vs. 6-13

a) Righteousness by faith does not say, “I must do the work to be saved.” I can do the impossible. I can go to heaven and bring the Messiah back to earth with me. It is all about me, my will, my good works, my salvation. vs. 6-7

b) Righteousness by faith agrees with Moses: salvation from everlasting punishment in hell is very near those with the Word of God. When the Word of God is read, the gospel is in our mouths and can be embraced in our hearts by faith. Repentance toward God and faith in Jesus is exactly what Paul was preaching [Acts 20:21]. (Paul’s quote is from Deut 30:14, a chapter on the future restoration of ethnic Israel that they would one day also become spiritual Israel) vs. 8

c) Righteousness by faith acknowledges that salvation from sin and hell comes through the person and work of Jesus the Messiah. How does a sinner get delivered from the authoritative power and the everlasting punishment of sin? They recognize they are sinners, lawbreakers, and rebels against the holy God of the universe. They stop trying to save themselves by works. They surrender to Jesus. They confess with their mouths that Yeshu’a is Lord. This means that they fully believe He is divine, and that they have submitted to His authority so that He is their individual master, their boss, their king. Also, they have a saving faith, which is a dependent trust in Jesus’ person and work only for deliverance. They believe in their inner core with a firm conviction that the God-Man Jesus died on a cross in the place of sinners and rose from the dead the third day. He was raised by the power of God the Father through the agency of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is in the gospel. Those who embrace the God-Man Jesus by faith, believing correctly about the person and work of the Messiah, are saved vs. 9

d) Righteousness by faith declares a certain salvation, not a maybe-so salvation. Once a person has a conviction about the truth of the gospel — that faith results in Jesus’ righteousness being transferred to their heavenly court record. Then they are declared righteous by God (justification). A truly saved person will then testify to the change that occurred inside of them — their new nature and new heart — with their mouths. This shows others they are identifying themselves with Jesus by professing their faith. They are no longer worried that they might not be good enough. Jesus was good enough vs. 10

e) Righteousness by faith believes the promise from the Word of God, Isaiah 28:16, that everyone who trusts in the Messiah will not be disappointed in their surrender and commitment vs. 11

f) Righteousness by faith realizes that God has drawn to Himself both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus is Lord of everyone (all kinds of people). Everyone, Jew or Gentile, who surrenders in humility to Jesus as the Son of God, as Lord, and as Savior will be rescued from the punishment and authority of sin. To call on God’s name, on the One who is the Lord, means to have a firm conviction in the full deity of Jesus the Messiah and a full surrender to His right to rule as king in one’s life. It is not just in saying the words: Yeshu’a, Adonai, Yahweh, God, kurios, or Lord. It is surrendering to the Lordship of Christ while embracing the gospel message. God created the heaven and the earth. He is holy, transcendent, and separated from all sin. He gave men His moral law to reveal His holy nature. God the Son has always existed. Around 5 B.C., he came to Earth as God and Man. He lived a sinless and perfect life in the place of His people. He died on a cross outside Jerusalem to bear the wrath of God the Father against the sins of His people. He rose on the third day from the dead with the same body that was crucified, proving forever His deity and that His work was a success. God accepted His payment for believing sinners. He ascended to heaven and was seated on the throne to rule and reign as the God-Man until He returns to the earth for His earthly reign with His people. This is the One in whom you must believe. This is the One you must call on His name and plead with Him to save you from sin's control and its everlasting consequences in your life. He is Lord! He is my Lord and my deliverer. Is He your Lord? Have you called on Him in full surrender? vs. 12-13