Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of the Jews is that they would be saved. For I can testify on their behalf that they have a zeal for God, but it is not in keeping with full knowledge. For they are ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God while they try to establish their own, and they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the culmination of the law as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the law as follows: “The person who obeys these things will find life in them.” But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “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 depths?’ (that is, to bring Christ back from the dead).”
But what does it say? “The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart.” This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For a person believes with his heart and is justified, and a person declares with his mouth and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be ashamed.” For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, because they all have the same Lord, who gives richly to all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:1-13
Note Rom 10:1 is similar to Rom 9:1ff. Paul is thinking again of the Jews and his heart is burdened. They have zeal for God but without full knowledge. There is a big difference between God’s righteousness and our righteousness. Remember Romans 3, our righteous is worthless. Like Isaiah says, it is just filthy rags in comparison. Don’t think your righteousness will suffice, you will fall a million miles short. Christ is the fulfilment, the culmination, the completion of the law for EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES. If you seek to gain the righteousness that comes from the law then you will need to keep all the commandments.
How are we to understand Rom 10:6-8? “But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “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 depths?’ (that is, to bring Christ back from the dead).” But what does it say? “The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart.” This is the message of faith that we proclaim:
This is lifted from Deut 30:11-14. “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.”
In other words you don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary for this. It is not kept in heaven or down in the abyss for you. It doesn’t take something miraculous to secure it for you. God has done all the work; just appropriate it. Believe it with your heart and declare it with your mouth and you will be saved.
Everyone who believes in him will not be ashamed . . . For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, because they all have the same Lord, who gives richly to all who call on him.
Paul has stated many times this good news is for the Jew first and then for the Greek. They have only one and the same God. Yet the scenario is almost like it’s the Greek first and then the Jew. The Greeks / Gentiles have made use of the offer, the Jews have stumbled on the Messiah, the very one their Scriptures point to. You don’t have to scour heaven for the answer, you don’t have to descend into hell for it. All you need to do is believe in Christ. The next move is theirs.
Experience isn’t what happens to you, as much as what you do with what happens to you.
Anon
When 25 years have gone by have you gained 25 years experience, or gained one year of experience 25 times?
Anon