I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.
Romans 10:2-3
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes, since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” that is, to bring Christ down or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:4-9
“The end” = τέλος (telos)
Dual meaning - “goal” and “termination”
This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it.
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.
Romans 10:10-15
Belief & Confession
Heart & Mouth
Righteousness & Salvation
Send → Preach → Hear → Believe → Call → Be Saved → Be Blessed → Not be put to shame
But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did:
Their voice has gone out to the whole earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.
But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said,
I will make you jealous
of those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation
that lacks understanding.
And Isaiah says boldly,
I was found
by those who were not looking for me;
I revealed myself
to those who were not asking for me.
But to Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.
Romans 10:16-21
God will use people who are far from Him to humble the people who falsely believe that they are close to Him.
“The church is not to be found at the ‘center’ of a left/right political world.
The church is to be a species of its own kind, confounding left, right, and
middle, and finding its identity from the ‘center’ of God’s life.” - Rich Villodas
The “center of God’s life” can be found through the Lordship of Jesus Christ over
one’s life.
What are some of the ways in which our world showcases a zeal for God, but not “according to knowledge” (in this case, Scripture)? Are all of these inherently bad? How should Christians evaluate these attempts at showing zeal for God?
Read through Romans 10:4-9. What is meant by the phrases, “who will go up to heaven?” and “who will go down to the abyss?” How can you remind yourself that the message of the Gospel is near your “mouth and heart”?
Paul says that “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him.” In our divided times, how can this truth bring unity, both within the church family and outside of the church family?
What are some places that you can be “sent” to? What opportunities do you have to “go” to places where there are people who are not like you? What are some obstacles you face in going to these places?
When Paul says that “everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame,” what do you think he means when he says, “not be put to shame”? How does the Gospel take away the shame we carry?
