Message: Salvation Promise: Belief and Confession
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
The Means to Salvation
We reach a very clarifying moment in this passage and in all of the New Testament and Scripture. Paul has shown that righteousness is something the Jew thought they could attain themselves. Rather than believing by faith and accepting God's hand of providence, they have created their own means for salvation or God's acceptance.
If someone hit your car in an accident and then got out of the car and looked at the damage to your car. That person then made the determination that based upon what he could see, the damage was about $100. They handed you the money and left. Now, what would you think of that situation? You would say, "Wait a second. You don't get to decide the value of the damage and what is necessary to pay off this offense. I get to decide it. I will call a mechanic and body shop and have an estimator determine the damage." Who determines what is necessary to clear the offense? Is it the one that committed the offense or is it the offender? I believe it is the offender or the one that has been violated. So, shouldn't this be the same way with God. He is the one that has been sinned against and so shouldn't he be the one that determines what is needed to clear the offense?
And throughout history, religion after religion has tried to come up with their own formula for what it means to keep the statutes of God. All religions have a different formula or set of rules. And each one believes their way is the best way. But, are religions really studying what it is that God says is needed to clear the offense or are they coming up with something that they think works well for them? I believe religion has good intentions. I think they want to do what is right, but that doesn't mean that they are doing what is right.
Pursuing righteousness, on our own, is not the answer
But, Paul showed us in verse 5-8, once again, that his message is not a new message, but an old message. Paul is simply showing how the Jew has gotten off of track. Deuteronomy was so poignant for it showed why Moses went to get the Law, the stone tablets. Israel was stubborn. Israel was not obedience. And so God specified more clearly to them his Law. The Law was really not necessary. The Law never should have had to have occurred. God gave them so that they could know more clearly what he wanted from them for they stubbornly did not trust God. They went their own way. They created their own Gods. They weren't getting it. They weren't getting that God wanted a surrendered heart. They want rules, so God gives them rules, and yet they immediately were to see that they can't keep these rules. Yes, good things come from keeping laws. Blessings will come their way. Good things will happen throughout their lives from keeping the law. But, the Jew must remember that God did not give Canaan over to them because of their righteousness, but because of Canaan's wickedness. Wickedness must be dealt with. And it is dealt with by a Holy God.
So, righteousness is not the answer for the individual because the individual has sinned. It never will be on our own, without God. God circumcises our heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). God's intention always is to change our heart. We get right with God from the Inside/Out.
The Law is important, but we must look to the one that kept the Law. Jesus kept the entire Law and so Jesus was able to be the ransom and justify sinners.
Salvation Promise
Paul in Romans 10:9-10 spells out the promise. "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."
Back in verse 8 a phrase from Deuteronomy 30:14 was used: "The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" -- that is, the word of faith. Faith occurs when you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. The point is that we don't have to look far, but God has provided something near. The answer is by means of our mouth and heart.
Why is the confession of Jesus so significant? Well, Paul mentioned in Romans 3:21-26 why faith in Jesus is so important.
"But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
Being right with God -- this seems to be what people want. If people believe in God, then their goal is to be right with God. Paul is stating here that receiving the righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ. Why must it be this way? Because all have sinned and all fall short. Our goal should be justification or being made right with God. In Christ, by God's mercy, God passes over the sins previously committed. Why? To show that He is God. Sin must be dealt with, but God defines how it is dealt with and God does the work in dealing with it.
Jesus made a statement that I often remember. He said, "Your faith has made you well."
In Mark 11:52, blind Bartimaeus is healed. In verse 52, "Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road."
Matthew 20:29-34 records this healing or it is different. With Matthew it is two blind men. But, in the end, the outcome is what is important. Verse 34, "Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him." Jesus made them well. They both had faith that Jesus would make them well.
Luke 18:35-43 also records the healing of Bartimaeus and again it says in verse 42, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And he followed Him.
Matthew 9:18-22 speaks of a woman suffering from hemorrhage for 12 years. And upon the woman just touching Jesus' garment Jesus said in verse 22, "Daughter, take courage, your faith has made you well."
One of the 10 lepers healed turned back to Christ to give Glory to God for his healing and Jesus said to him, "Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
All of these occurrences have a common ingredient: "Faith in Jesus." Faith in God is not named, but faith in Jesus. And this faith and restoration produces a desire to follow.
The focus is not on being righteous or on being good, but the focus is on Jesus. It is not our efforts that are the issue, but the issue is our sin (3:23).
Belief results in justification. Confession results in salvation. We must first believe God is the only source of righteousness. This is our belief. We look at our sin and confess it and he forgives us and cleanses us (I John 1:9).
Not be disappointed
Paul, in verse 11, then quotes from Isaiah. The word Scripture is in the plural. Sometimes specific scripture is reference by using a word Scripture in the singular. Paul believed that quoting scripture was quoting God.
Throughout the New Testament, when the Old Testament is quoted, the Septuagint or the Greek translation of the Hebrew is quoted. Paul here is quoting a phrase from Isaiah 28:16.
Isaiah 28:16 (NASB) -
Therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,
A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.
He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
Paul takes the last phrase of Isaiah 28:16 and uses the Septuagint to say, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." The more literal translation of "not be disturbed" is "not to be in a hurry." So, why did Paul say, "not be disappointed?" Paul is saying that the sinner who places his faith in Jesus will not be defeated or be ashamed. Note: The Septuagint was the first attempt to translate the Hebrew. It is often referred to as the Greek New Testament. It was completed in the 2nd Century BCE (before the common era or BC, so before Christ).
All can call on Him
In verse 12, Paul makes mention that all can call on Him. Salvation is available to all. In Matthew 28 Jesus made the command to "Go and make disciples of all nations." Paul reiterates that the mission of presenting the Gospel is to all. We are not to place a distinction on anyone. The Church needs to be welcoming of everyone.
Whoever calls will be saved
In verse 13, Paul echoes the words of Joel 2:32, "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Paul states, "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
The call is individual. The gospel is for whoever. The gospel is for everyone. Each person is to call on the name of the Lord. And the Gospel is simple. Paul wants it to be known that calling on the name of the Lord shall save a person. This is significant because as I study scripture and people study scripture, we tend to attach so many other truths to this simple idea of "calling on the name of the Lord." I think we must be careful in this. Continually, we must come back to the Gospel.
Promise: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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