Righteousness is by Faith Alone – Romans 10

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #127.  Today we’ll read Romans chapter 10 together:  Paul continues the theme that righteousness is by faith alone and continues to examine Israel’s rejection of the Gospel message.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome

I confess it.  Sometimes I mentally check out while singing hymns in church.  Do you?  Scanning my church family, pausing sometimes to pray for a person, appreciating my pastor in my mind, watching the worship team do what they do, and just being grateful for my place in that place.  Whether traditional or contemporary, many times I find myself focusing on the feelings that those songs well up in me rather than the words.  Perhaps that’s just a pitfall that comes with familiarity.  

That was not the case for me this last Sunday.  I love the song, What a Beautiful Name It Is, but I was jerked to attention when I saw the second verse flash on the screen…

You didn’t want heaven without us
 So Jesus, You brought heaven down
 My sin was great, Your love was greater
 What could separate us now

 Maybe it’s because you and I are reading these chapters in Romans.  Or perhaps I’m just feeling particularly grateful right now for His grace.  Whatever it was, the realization of His incomparable, irreplaceable, incomprehensible love, took my breath away all over again.

I hope you had a similar experience at church this Sunday.  What took your breath away?  Did something surprise you?  Where is God at work in your life?

He’s inviting you into that work.  Join Him.

Romans Chapter 10

Righteousness by Faith Alone

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. 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.

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. 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.

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

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. 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.

Closing Thoughts

This chapter will make more sense next year when we read the Old Testament.  So much is wrapped up in the covenant with Abraham and Israel as God’s chosen people.  Until you read all the text for yourself, just know that God continually told Israel that a Prophet to beat all prophets would come; not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.  God’s desire all along has been that He would be their God and they would be His people.  They repeatedly rejected Him and disobeyed His ways.  

Paul clearly explains how faith trumps the law where salvation is concerned.  Then he goes on to prove through the writings of Isaiah and Moses that the Jews knew and understood but soundly rejected God’s plan of salvation in favor of going their own way.  We read how this broke Paul’s heart. The Jews, after all, are his brothers and sisters.

I am moved by Isaiah’s words when he writes, 

I was found

by those who were not looking for me;

I revealed myself

to those who were not asking for me.

That’s us, my friend, and I am so grateful that He has revealed Himself to us.  How about you? 

Prayer

Let’s pray.  Father, we know that You are just.  We accept that You have standards of perfection…what kind of mighty God would You be if You were no better than us?  We have faith, Lord, and know by Your word that You have provided for both Jew and Greek.  We thank You for that.  We thank You for extending Your grace to us, Lord.  Help us to be those beautiful feet who bring Good News to the whole world.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.