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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
