Lesson 24
R
omans 10: 1-21, God’s plan for the Jews, Part 2.
VV 1-8, 1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 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 preach):
Paul’s desire and prayer was for the salvation of Israel. The Jews were zealous of God but ignorant and self righteousness. The coming of Christ brought an end to the dispensation of the Mosaic law. Moses preached righteousness by law keeping. Christ preached righteousness by faith.
VV 9-14, 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘’How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
Salvation is through confession of Christ with the mouth and believing that God raised Him from the dead with the heart. Salvation is universal to the Jews and to the Gentiles on the same condition. Whoever calls on the name of Christ will be saved. To call requires believe, to believe requires hearing, to hear requires a preacher. To preach requires God sending preachers to the mission field. Preaching the Gospel is a beautiful profession. The preacher needs to go out and preach the gospel. The listeners need to confess, believe, call and invite Jesus into the heart.
Romans 10:17. “Faith comes by hearing the word of God”.
Ephesians 2:8-9, ”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast”.
John 3:16, ”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
Revelation 3:20, ”Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me”.
VV 16-21, 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: ‘’Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: ‘’I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” 20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: ‘’I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” 21 But to Israel he says: ‘’All day long I have stretched out My hands, To a disobedient and contrary people.”
V 17, Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The gospel had been preached by Paul and the other apostles. The news had heard the gospel but they did not obey and did not believe.
V 19, Did Israel not know (the gospel)?
Israel knew the gospel but they were stubborn and their hearts were hardened. God saved the Gentiles, who were not a nation, who did not seek after God, and who were foolish, to provoke the Jews to jealousy and anger. God continued to stretched His hands out patiently to the Jews waiting for them to repent.
Isaiah 53:1, ”Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Deut 32:21, ”They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation”.
Isaiah 65:1-2, ”I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation that was not called by My name. All-day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations”.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for explaining to us the practical steps of evangelism and we can win souls for the kingdom through preaching the word. Help us fulfil Your great commission by preaching the gospel of peace to all nations, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
