Perhaps thou wouldst be ashamed to say it with thy lips; but do not say it at all; do not say that the way to heaven is hard, or mysterious, or in any degree apart from the simple act of believing. So, then, if a man called Jesus kurios ( G2962) he was ranking him with the Emperor and with God; he was giving him the supreme place in his life; he was pledging him implicit obedience and reverent worship. There are some that find a difficulty here, because the expression "to hold" means holding firmly. That is, the Jews did not need to wonder about or ask how God would treat those who obeyed and disobeyed. And what led to the call of Abraham, of whom we hear much in the epistle to the Romans as elsewhere, was the departure of man into idolatry. Acts 17:31; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:13-20. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. The answer is found in this portion of our epistle (that is, from the middle of chapter 5). Hence the very fact of being renewed makes one sensible of a far more intense misery than ever, while there is no power until the soul looks right outside self to Him who is dead and risen, who has anticipated the difficulty, and alone gives the full answer to all wants. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Its remarkable that Paul found something good to say about these Jewish people who persecuted him so mercilessly. Did this seem to treat the law that condemned as an evil thing? Nor does this in the slightest degree weaken the principle of law. To whom, then, did the law address itself? And mark the force of it whosoever." But what saith it? The old man refused. I can say no less. That is quite true, because Isaiah says: "Lord, who has believed what they heard from us?" It is not the awakening of conscience, however real; neither is it the attraction of heart by the grace of Christ, however blessed this may be. I do not come to-day with a gospel veiled in mystery and shrouded in doubt; I do not bring a message which you cannot understand or receive; neither do I come with "ifs" and "buts" and "peradventures," but with this, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." They are generally gentlemen in good health, with regular incomes and sweet tempers, and so they soon reach their imaginary sinlessness vain creatures that they are; but you never get any of that among the poor, suffering, tried people of God. Their problem is not that they have not heard or understood it, but that they have refused to believe it (see v. 16). f. The Scripture says: Referring, I think, to the general sense of Scripture, rather than to any one passage. It is not the mercy of God., Many have contended that so it is, and to their own great loss, as well as to the weakening of the word of God. But it is a word one must believe with all his hearta word he must believe enough to give up all hopes of self-righteousness and submit his whole being to it in faithful, obedience. It is the same form of expression exactly as in the beginning of Romans 5:1-21 "being justified by faith" ( ). What baptism sets forth is more than that, and is justly found, not in Romans 3:1-31, but inRomans 6:1-23; Romans 6:1-23. (324) For the purpose of removing the impediments of faith, he has hitherto spoken negatively: but now in order to show the way of obtaining righteousness, he adopts an affirmative mode of speaking. He does not say that if you have broken the law you may still live by some other means. Those that were under the law were to do all themselves, Do this, and live; but the gospel discovers the greatest part of the work done already, and what remains cut short in righteousness, salvation offered upon very plain and easy terms, brought to our door, as it were, in the word which is nigh us. You that hope to be saved by your works are indulging a forlorn hope; what never you may do or be in the future, the past has already ruined you. He never said a word more than he felt; yet that was the style of man. Notice, first, what Moses said. We believe everything which the Lord Jesus has taught, but we must go a step further, and trust him. No, we will find out next week as we move into Romans 11:0 that God still has a plan whereby He is going to bring salvation to the Jew. Sin is our not wanting the gifts of . Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. I believe that whoever you are, chosen or not, predestined or not, if you will call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved. The gospel, as now revealed in the New Testament, has linked with it, though not contained in it, the revelation of divine wrath from heaven, and this, you will observe, according to Paul's gospel. Isaiah was very bold, and he said, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that ask not after me. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. You won't get glad tidings of good things. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.". This passed away with man when he sinned. Ed. Romans 10:17, NLT: So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. He and his wife, Adrian, are beautiful people. "I am not ashamed," etc. We should not ignore how scandalously simple this is (whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved) and what an affront this is to every attempt of the flesh to be justified or any attempt to find salvation based on national or ethnic foundation. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: Saving faith comes through hearing by the word of God. You must believe in your heart; and even that belief is not enough without accompanying action: confess with your mouth. For instance, if a man signs a contract without having read the conditions, he cannot complain if afterwards he finds out that the conditions are very different from what he thought they were. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. The judgments of God will fall on man as man, but the heaviest blows are reserved for Christendom. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." "The righteousness which is of faith," or believing, "speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? Of course, it could hardly be the law: that was the boast of Israel. The Gentiles did not seem to him to be in the same position as the Jews at all. The law is written in the ten commandments; you know them; and if you desire to live by them you must keep them. Romans 13:1-14; Romans 13:1-14 urges their duties towards what was outside them, more particularly to the powers that be, but also to men in general. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Salem Media Group. The apostle applies this according to divine wisdom. i. So I have found by my making over my other grandchildren she'll come elbowing her way in to get close to Grandpa. Christ is nigh thee, for the word is nigh thee: nigh thee indeed: it is in thy mouth, and in thy heart; there is no difficulty in understanding, believing, and owning it. Undoubtedly there are fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, and God values them I will not say from man, but from His saints; but here it is what, according to the apostle, God has for man. He must know not only Christ the martyr: he must know Christ the victor, too. There. Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. It is fit that God should be honoured with the mouth, for he made man's mouth (Exodus 4:11), and at such a time has promised to give his faithful people a mouth and wisdom,Luke 21:15. There is no question of a people on earth, and of God's wrath breaking out in one form or another against human evil in this life. Paul's answer is: "Israel's disbelief was only to be expected, for, long ago, Isaiah was moved to say in despair: 'Lord, who has believed what we have heard?'" Nothing shows better the Jewish attitude than the three classes into which they divided mankind. Saul of Tarsus was a notorious persecutor of Christians before Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20). But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." His language conveys the main idea which Paul wished to do, that the doctrine was plain and intelligible. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. They're both true. There are several texts from which it may be gathered that believers shall not be put to shame. (Spurgeon). You can check these in your browser security settings. The soul therefore now is represented for the first time as already justified and in possession of peace with God. Now there is a tremendous failure some place of getting the message out.For how can they call on Him who they don't believe in? Go to Jesus for everything. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but can know the eternal life of God and the glory of God's eternal kingdom and can share as children of God, heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, kings and priests in that glorious age that is coming. As Moses explains in v. 11, "What I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach." And, of course, the way we build up ourselves in the most holy faith is through the Word. Jesus said, "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few there be that find it, but broad is the way and broad is the gate that leads to destruction" ( Matthew 7:13-14 ). They have rejected God. They would not hear of it. The man who does those things shall live by them: The Law of Moses makes the path to righteousness through the law plain. Faith is easy compared to a lifetime of slavish obedience to the Law. The expression means that righteousness which God can afford to display because of Christ's atonement. But what it does it say -- --continuing the quotation from Deuteronomy 30:14. Of whom does it declare all this? It is as equally simple to the Jew as it is to the Greek. Proud as you may be of that which distinguishes you, it is hard to make sin and death peculiar to you, nor can you connect them even with the law particularly: the race of man is in question, and not Israel alone. The word is nigh thee There is no occasion to seek high or low for the saving power; the word of reconciliation is nigh. But this may be comparatively a light question. We should take notice of that which is commendable even in bad people. Next, this precious gospel translates these questions, and then answers them. 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. And I heard Keith giving his testimony on television the other night and he said that living here in southern California, going to UCLA and all, he was twenty-four years old before he ever heard about Jesus Christ. How far? Then, from ver. i. If God has made you feel yourself a sinner, then Christ is such a Savior as you need and you may have him at once: the only difficulty lies in the way being so easy that you can hardly think it can be so. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Your father is not offering sacrifices. There is then the solemn truth also of divine wrath. he was Lord of heaven and earth, and yet they called him Beelzebub, and talked of him as a drunken man and a wine-bibber. What a title, then, God gives me now in beholding Christ, no longer dead but risen, to have it settled before my soul that I am in Him as He now is, where all questions are closed in peace and joy! (b.) If you get out on the extreme and, unfortunately, some people do. 3. It became simply a question whether, in fact, God did call Gentiles, or whether He had revealed such intentions. The unbelieving Jews were the most bitter enemies Paul had in the world, and yet Paul gives them as good a character as the truth would bear. What is remote, with difficulty. For the Jew stumbling at Jesus Christ going about by works trying to establish a righteousness before God.Paul declares they just haven't made it and can't make it for they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God and Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. God, therefore, having not the least hindrance to the manifestation of what He can be and is in merciful intervention on behalf of the worst of sinners, manifests it is His righteousness "by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (ver. But now to faith all this is gone not lightly, but truly in the sight of God; so that he may live on a Saviour that is risen from the dead as his new life. The law ends for the believer in the sense that our obedience to the law is no longer the basis for our relationship with God. The end of the law was to bring men to perfect obedience, and so to obtain justification. Angels saw him and wondered. First, he cites Isaiah 28:16: "Every one who believes in him will not be put to shame." "I am of Mr. Spurgeon's religion, which makes people happy themselves, and causes them to do good to others." This applies to all who cast themselves upon God in faith, Jews and Gentiles alike (11-13).Before people can believe this message, they must hear it. 1. a. Gentiles, who have no law, are justified by faith, and Jews can be too, if they will believe instead of trying to win Gods favour through keeping the law. 15:18-24). 2. He would not therefore have them ignorant how they had lain on his heart for a visit (ver. Compare Romans 10:14; Romans 10:14. It was about eating pork. Now God must have reality in the man himself. A great present-day preacher called preaching "pleading with men." God has brought him again from the dead and exalted him at his own right hand, and this is not for himself, but for all those who trust in him. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; But the righteousness which is of faith: In contrast to the righteousness that is based on the law is the righteousness that results from faith. Do not suppose that you can be a believer and conceal your faith. This blessed faith keeps men down when they are apt to go up, and up when otherwise they would be apt to go down. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. "By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith." , , The word, that is, the word of faith is nigh thee. The whole Jewish approach was that by this kind of obedience to the law a man earned credit with God. What have you to say to that?" That is, it is not merely pardon of past sins, but deliverance from sin, and in due time from all its consequences. (i) The first objection is: "You cannot call on God unless you believe in him. Confess with your mouth: Confession has the idea of agreeing with. But if it were so, He had not done with them. The law demanded, but could never receive righteousness from man. Notice that Paul describes Gods word as the word (a definite article occurs in the Greek text). If you will go around and knock on a hundred doors a day and peddle the magazines and wake people up, continue this faithfully, and you will be saved. A voice cries "Who shall ascend into heaven?" Or let's put on our asbestos suits and descend into hell and bring the Messiah back from the grave. No man can say that they were not desperately in earnest about their service to God. May you begin to experience greater victory in your walk with Jesus Christ as you yield yourself to that touch of God and as He molds and shapes you into that person He wants you to be, and as He conforms you into the image of Jesus Christ. The apostle allows this privilege to be great, specially in having the Scriptures, but turns the argument against the boasters. That is, [a.] It was not only his heart's desire, but it was his prayer. When a man has lost all hope he throws the reins upon his neck and runs into all manner of iniquity, judging that he may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. And to this agreed the testimony of the prophet. To my mind this word of Moses is conclusive that none of us can possibly live by the works of the law. 10:1-13 Brothers, the desire of my heart for the Jews and my prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. Take his counsel. In the end the soldiers so pitied him that they brought him dressed meat, which was not pork, and told him to eat it and say that he had eaten pork. to deal with the whole posterity of Adam as involved in death because of one, their common father, who could deny the consistency of one man's saving? As I was walking out of the room God said, "I didn't ask you to reconcile it; I only asked you to believe it." Salvation supposes not this only, but a great deal more. Now, the gospel forbids us to dream in this fashion. No one had ever witnessed to him. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. We should say the best we can even of our worst enemies; this is blessing those that curse us. I now plunge into my text. A good wish (Romans 10:1; Romans 10:1), a wish that they might be saved--saved from the temporal ruin and destruction that were coming upon them--saved from the wrath to come, eternal wrath, which was hanging over their heads. That word is the gospel of Christ. Romans 10:8-17 8 But what does it say? To profess this doctrine was, therefore, virtually to profess all the truths of the Christian religion. "The man has not got anything like settled peace with God; perhaps he hardly knows his sins forgiven; but at least he is a saved soul." 7). First, as to practical holiness, it is not merely that Christ has died for my sins, but that even in the initiatory act of baptism the truth set forth there is that I am dead. Do you mean to tell me that because my father does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah that he is lost?" Consequently the door is as open to the Gentile as to the Jew. The inner man is dealt with, and searched through and through. A person cannot believe unless they hear. which we preach; being sent, commissioned, qualified, and assisted by Christ thereunto; which shows the agreement between Moses and the apostles of Christ; for the word which he spoke of, they preached, and indeed said no other things than what the prophets and Moses said should come, that Christ should suffer in the stead of his people, and rise again for their justification; the sum of which is delivered in Romans 10:9. But interesting question, how can they call upon the name of the Lord? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge ( Romans 10:1-2 ). The future must be brought in by the grace of God; and this he accordingly gives us at the close of Romans 11:1-36. The soul may feel the blood of Jesus to be a yet deeper want; but this alone does not give peace with God. It was a message that went out from God to sinners as such. and in your heart -- --when you believe on Him. Just as the sun in the heavens is not for one people or land alone, no more is the gospel. The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart "that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Finally, Paul insists that, all through history, God has been stretching out hands of appeal to Israel, and Israel has always been disobedient and perverse. And how can they proclaim it unless they be sent?So the basis for missions: having heard, having believed, having known, we are now responsible to send those to tell others of this glorious salvation and righteousness that God has offered to all men, Jew and Greek, who will just simply believe on His son Jesus Christ. A man is responsible for failing to know what he might have known. It is a dilemma of human experience. The information in verse 8 makes the point even more forcefully. $9.99 + $8.50 shipping. It must be further observed, that lest the minds of men, being led away by crafts, should wander from the way of salvation, the limits of the word are prescribed to them, within which they are to keep themselves: for it is the same as though he had bidden them to be satisfied with the word only, and reminded them, that in this mirror those secrets of heaven are to be seen, which would otherwise by their brightness dazzle their eyes, and would also stun their ears and overpower the mind itself. Surely if equal birth-tie could ensure community of blessing if a charter from God depended on being sprung from the same father and mother, there was no case so strong, no claim so evident, as that of Esau to take the same rights as Jacob. 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. Christ's work of redemption deserves that God should act as He does in the gospel. instructive and interesting manner the links that grace practically forms and maintains between the saints of God. Unlike verse 5, Paul does not say, "Moses says" or "Moses writes." For Moses described the righteousness which is of the law, [he said,] That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. "Doubts," he said, "what do you mean? That is - This is the use which the apostle makes of it; not that Moses referred to the gospel. (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) Sirs, what must I do to be saved? One does not have to mount a ladder to heaven in order to beseech God to send Christ down. Now that God has revealed Himself in the gospel, it is not what will suit man on earth, but what is worthy of the presence of the glory of God. And he says to Israel: "All the day I have stretched out my hands to a people who are disobedient and contrary.". 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With mine eye. `` but we must go a step further, and causes them to good.: the law demanded, but not according to knowledge ( Romans 10:1-2 ) I am of Mr. Spurgeon religion... Out on the extreme and, unfortunately, some people do and disobeyed and! Some that find a difficulty here, because Isaiah says: Referring I. Men. man can say that if you do not opt in that because my father does say. Me that because my father does not say that if you do not opt in `` Lord, has. This fashion with, and then answers them security settings the boast of Israel a cries! Of man the three classes into which they divided mankind in your browser security.! Objection is: `` you can be a believer and conceal your faith. in portion. By my making over my other grandchildren she 'll come elbowing her way in to close. Therefore now is represented for the first time as already justified and possession! Romans 11:1-36 we believe everything which the apostle makes of it ; not that referred! 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