Message: The Message Concerning Faith
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Leading Up to Today's Text
At first glance, in reading Romans 10, Paul seems to be clarifying further the meaning of the Law. I wonder if people really see the tough love that Paul is communicating. It is really tough love. And yet it is not like he is favoring the Gentile over the Jew at any time. He states "For all have sinned (3:23)." I think Paul knows that he needs to be clear with his listener regarding the righteousness of God because he knows how they think.
Back in Chapter 2 Paul spoke to the Jew to let them know that if they choose to live their life based upon what they are thinking, practicing their righteousness through good works then they will be judged by the standard of the Law. With God, there is no partiality. The Jew was very good also with seeing the splinter in other people's eyes. But, sometimes they didn't point the finger back at themselves. But, Paul reminds them that the focus of their life is not from the praise of men, but from God (2:29).
The Jews are a special people. There is no doubt about it and Paul upholds this in his words. They kept and preserved the text of the Scripture, the oracles of God (3:2). But, just by holding on to it doesn't make them right before God. The problem with man is not that his goodness can overshadow the bad, but the problem with man is he has been bad. Yes, he is to live a life that honors God, but not because that will earn God's favor. We are sinners incapable of being righteous on our own.
In the Old Testament sin was a big problem. Animals must be killed in payment for people's sin. This would happen in the temple. God required this substitionary death. Yes, we need to say we are sorry for sinning and yes, we need to confess our sins and yes, God will forgive us. But, sin must be paid for by another once and for all. The Old Testament did this temporarily by way of a perfect lamb or animal, but it always looked forward to a Messiah that would completely take away the sin, once and for all. This occurred in Christ and now because of it man can be free.
In Chapter 4 Paul communicates that this is not anything new, but Abraham was also made right before God though His faith (4:2-3). It is our willingness to trust God and Him alone that makes us right with God. And he shows that circumcision is not null and void. Circumcision is "the sign...the seal of the righteousness of the faith." Paul never wanted to remove anything from the Jew's life, just clarify the meaning of what God intended. It was the same message that Moses spoke and Abraham spoke. Abraham's promises were not because of his lineage, but because of his faith. He believed God (4:11).
Two lives in contrast
People live in only two manners on this earth. They live by a set of rules, adhering to those rules (verse 5). Or they live by faith (verse 6-8). Man either works to be righteous. Or righteous is imputed to man by faith.
In giving the Law, there is a theoretical idea within the Law that if you keep it, you will be justified. This idea is throughout the Bible.
Leveticus 18:5 states, "So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord." The key in this word, is "if he does them." Yes, a person may live if he does them. It is amazing how a verse like this has created so many religions. And each religion then comes up with what they believe our the things that must be adhered to, in the realm of the Law, in order to be saved.
Paul states in Galatians 5:3 that, "And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law." Paul states the separation between Christianity and every other faith. Can the entire Law be kept? No. So, those other religions must believe that God will have a secret formula at judgment to determine if a person is accepted.
Paul offers the remedy in Romans 10:9, "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."
This is the dividing line. Deuteronomy 27:26 states, ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Paul quotes this verse in Galatians 3:10, "For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”
Has he quoted this correctly? Paul specifies that everyone is cursed if they do not abide by all things written in the book of the Law. The question could arise whether he is quoting the same as the meaning of Deuteronomy 27:26. My bet is people look at Deuteronomy 27:26 and try to make it sound like that God only wants people to confirm that the Law is relevant. But, then the question will always arise as to whether adherence has to be in full. If the meaning of Deuteronomy 27:26 is only that we are to confirm that the Law is relevant in our life, then the question will always come up as to how relevant should it be? Can we get by on partial abiding by the Law? None of us are perfect. We may believe that we can be perfect at some point in our life (though I don't while we are on earth), but even if that is believed, what about all the years in which a person was not perfect?
Paul's argument is we try to justify ourselves by adhering to the law, but the moment you do not obey all of it or the first time you mess up you forfeit righteousness.
Was the law meant to be kept? Yes. But, not as a means to justify oneself. This is the dividing line between Christians and all other faiths.
Verse 6 meaning
In Romans 10:5-6 Paul quotes from Deuteronomy. He does not quote entire verses or passages, but instead quotes phrases. It was not necessary for him to quote entire verses. The word of God was central to Jew and he knew it.
Paul states first a phrase from Deuteronomy 9:4 "do not say in your heart." Deuteronomy mentions how God would give over to Israel the Canaanites. But, this giving over had nothing to do with Israel's righteousness.
This is really an amazing passage:
Deuteronomy 9:1-5 “Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities fortified to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that it is the Lord your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the Lord has spoken to you. “Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
The Lord handing over the Canaanites had nothing to do with Israel's righteousness. Why? The passages states that the Israelites are stubborn. He delivered Canaan over to Israel because of Canaan's sin and unrighteousness.
O the danger we have in thinking that God's providence is because of our righteousness. God saves Israel even while they are stubborn and unrighteous.
Remainder of verse 6 meaning and verse 7 and verse 8
And Paul also mentions Deuteronomy 30:11-14, “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it." See Paul is letting people know here in Rome that God has already done the work. The word is in their mouth and heart.
Deuteronomy 30: 6 states, “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live." The Lord circumcises our hearts so that we will love God. We submit and surrender to Him. And He provides.
Promise: God does the work to establish His saving relationship with us. -- Tabletalk, August 7, 2014
Leading Up to Today's Text
At first glance, in reading Romans 10, Paul seems to be clarifying further the meaning of the Law. I wonder if people really see the tough love that Paul is communicating. It is really tough love. And yet it is not like he is favoring the Gentile over the Jew at any time. He states "For all have sinned (3:23)." I think Paul knows that he needs to be clear with his listener regarding the righteousness of God because he knows how they think.
Back in Chapter 2 Paul spoke to the Jew to let them know that if they choose to live their life based upon what they are thinking, practicing their righteousness through good works then they will be judged by the standard of the Law. With God, there is no partiality. The Jew was very good also with seeing the splinter in other people's eyes. But, sometimes they didn't point the finger back at themselves. But, Paul reminds them that the focus of their life is not from the praise of men, but from God (2:29).
The Jews are a special people. There is no doubt about it and Paul upholds this in his words. They kept and preserved the text of the Scripture, the oracles of God (3:2). But, just by holding on to it doesn't make them right before God. The problem with man is not that his goodness can overshadow the bad, but the problem with man is he has been bad. Yes, he is to live a life that honors God, but not because that will earn God's favor. We are sinners incapable of being righteous on our own.
In the Old Testament sin was a big problem. Animals must be killed in payment for people's sin. This would happen in the temple. God required this substitionary death. Yes, we need to say we are sorry for sinning and yes, we need to confess our sins and yes, God will forgive us. But, sin must be paid for by another once and for all. The Old Testament did this temporarily by way of a perfect lamb or animal, but it always looked forward to a Messiah that would completely take away the sin, once and for all. This occurred in Christ and now because of it man can be free.
In Chapter 4 Paul communicates that this is not anything new, but Abraham was also made right before God though His faith (4:2-3). It is our willingness to trust God and Him alone that makes us right with God. And he shows that circumcision is not null and void. Circumcision is "the sign...the seal of the righteousness of the faith." Paul never wanted to remove anything from the Jew's life, just clarify the meaning of what God intended. It was the same message that Moses spoke and Abraham spoke. Abraham's promises were not because of his lineage, but because of his faith. He believed God (4:11).
Two lives in contrast
People live in only two manners on this earth. They live by a set of rules, adhering to those rules (verse 5). Or they live by faith (verse 6-8). Man either works to be righteous. Or righteous is imputed to man by faith.
In giving the Law, there is a theoretical idea within the Law that if you keep it, you will be justified. This idea is throughout the Bible.
Leveticus 18:5 states, "So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord." The key in this word, is "if he does them." Yes, a person may live if he does them. It is amazing how a verse like this has created so many religions. And each religion then comes up with what they believe our the things that must be adhered to, in the realm of the Law, in order to be saved.
Paul states in Galatians 5:3 that, "And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law." Paul states the separation between Christianity and every other faith. Can the entire Law be kept? No. So, those other religions must believe that God will have a secret formula at judgment to determine if a person is accepted.
Paul offers the remedy in Romans 10:9, "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."
This is the dividing line. Deuteronomy 27:26 states, ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Paul quotes this verse in Galatians 3:10, "For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”
Has he quoted this correctly? Paul specifies that everyone is cursed if they do not abide by all things written in the book of the Law. The question could arise whether he is quoting the same as the meaning of Deuteronomy 27:26. My bet is people look at Deuteronomy 27:26 and try to make it sound like that God only wants people to confirm that the Law is relevant. But, then the question will always arise as to whether adherence has to be in full. If the meaning of Deuteronomy 27:26 is only that we are to confirm that the Law is relevant in our life, then the question will always come up as to how relevant should it be? Can we get by on partial abiding by the Law? None of us are perfect. We may believe that we can be perfect at some point in our life (though I don't while we are on earth), but even if that is believed, what about all the years in which a person was not perfect?
Paul's argument is we try to justify ourselves by adhering to the law, but the moment you do not obey all of it or the first time you mess up you forfeit righteousness.
Was the law meant to be kept? Yes. But, not as a means to justify oneself. This is the dividing line between Christians and all other faiths.
Verse 6 meaning
In Romans 10:5-6 Paul quotes from Deuteronomy. He does not quote entire verses or passages, but instead quotes phrases. It was not necessary for him to quote entire verses. The word of God was central to Jew and he knew it.
Paul states first a phrase from Deuteronomy 9:4 "do not say in your heart." Deuteronomy mentions how God would give over to Israel the Canaanites. But, this giving over had nothing to do with Israel's righteousness.
This is really an amazing passage:
Deuteronomy 9:1-5 “Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities fortified to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that it is the Lord your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the Lord has spoken to you. “Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
The Lord handing over the Canaanites had nothing to do with Israel's righteousness. Why? The passages states that the Israelites are stubborn. He delivered Canaan over to Israel because of Canaan's sin and unrighteousness.
O the danger we have in thinking that God's providence is because of our righteousness. God saves Israel even while they are stubborn and unrighteous.
Remainder of verse 6 meaning and verse 7 and verse 8
And Paul also mentions Deuteronomy 30:11-14, “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it." See Paul is letting people know here in Rome that God has already done the work. The word is in their mouth and heart.
Deuteronomy 30: 6 states, “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live." The Lord circumcises our hearts so that we will love God. We submit and surrender to Him. And He provides.
Promise: God does the work to establish His saving relationship with us. -- Tabletalk, August 7, 2014
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