Romans Part 10: the Word and the Heart

**Robert** · November-25th-2011, 01:51 AM

In chapter 9, we examined "predestination", and that the Lord's definition of it differs greatly from what how we would define it. Continuing on in chapter 10, we pick up with Paul expressing his heart for his fellow countrymen, and through that, God expressing His desire for Israel to be reconciled to Him:

"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:1-4, NASB, emphasis mine)

The Lord states here that they had a desire for Him, but they wanted to do it their own way and not God's. They felt they could be saved by their own righteousness, which Isaiah had already stated was worthless:

"For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." (Isaiah 64:6, NASB)

When the Lord stated that no one's righteousness was good enough, He wasn't trying to shut us out of heaven; instead, He was pointing out that even our very best works were not good enough to gain eternal life. To that end, the Lord then compares righteousness under the Law and under Faith:

"For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”" (Romans 10:5-7, NASB, emphasis mine)

Here, God points out that when righteousness is according to the Law, every single work must be perfect. The strictness of the Law was to demonstrate that no one could keep it perfectly, and thus our need for a Saviour. By examining this then, the Lord directs us to the One whose righteousness WAS (and is still) good enough to meet His perfect standard:

"But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, 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; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 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; for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”" (Romans 10:8-13, NASB, emphasis mine)

Now, I'm going to say something a bit dangerous here and I hope you'll stay with me on this: God doesn't care what your denomination is, or for that fact, who you are. He doesn't care what your nationality is, your social standing, your ethnicity, your earning power, or whatever else people may judge you by. What the Lord cares about is one thing:

Do you trust HIM to save you? Not the Pope, your Pastor, your Minister, your Rabbi or your Priest; Him alone.

God judges one thing and one thing alone: the heart:

"“The heart is more deceitful than all else I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds."" (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NASB, emphasis mine)

And in your heart, what matters is who you are depending to save you. if it isn't Him, then no denomination will save you.

Through Paul's writing, the Lord then shows the chain of events that happens for His word to reach the world:

"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Romans 10:14-17, NASB, emphasis mine)

God reveals to us here that He sends those that will spread His word, and that by doing so, people will hear and in hearing, they will believe and be saved. But not everyone would believe; there would be some who would not listen. It was true then, and remains true today that there would be hearts that would be so stone cold and hardened that they would not accept the Gospel; Even Isaiah said that no one believed what he had to say, and that was back in the Old Testament! But it also remains true that there would be those that would listen, and so the Lord reaches out to a lost and dying world for those that will hear His message.

Paul continues on, asking of the Lord could it be that people (particularly Israel) didn't hear or know the message He had for them. But God replied otherwise:

"But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.” But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, “I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION, BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.”" (Romans 10:18-19, NASB, emphasis mine)

The Lord confirms that there is no excuse: the Word has indeed gone out to the world, and so those who are able to make a choice have been given every opportunity to do so. And since Israel in particular rejected the offer, the Lord would use those not of Israel to make His nation jealous to the point that they would accept salvation:

"And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.” But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.” (Romans 10:20-21 NASB, emphasis mine)

The Lord indeed has reached out for His people continually, yet they turned away from Him. However, it was always the Lord's plan to save all the world; His methods and techniques may change as the situation changes, but His goal is always the same: not willing that any should perish, but that ALL would come to salvation.

Keep in mind: the Lord isn't trying to keep people out of heaven, but to bring people in. If the reverse were true, Jesus would never have come to earth, and man's history would have been a very brief one that none of us would have ever read about...

...namely, because none of us would be here now.

In chapter 11 (far from bankruptcy!!), we will see that God has not abandoned Israel, nor has she been replaced. Instead, we see that there is yet hope for the Jewish nation, and that God still calls out to her today.

I bid you all peace.

YBIC,

-Robert