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| − | ==<div id="10:1-3 See comments on Ro 9:30-33."></div> 10:1-3 See comments on Ro 9:30-33.== | + | ====10:4 What does it mean that Christ is the end of the law?==== |
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| − | ===10:4 What does it mean that Christ is the end of the law?===
| + | It does not mean that Christ is the end of the law in an absolute sense. He did not abolish the will of God as expressed in the law (CP Mt 5:17-18; Lu 16:17). |
| − | It does not mean that Christ is the end of the law in an absolute sense. He did not abolish the will of God as expressed in the law (cp Mt 5:17-18; Lk 16:17). Rather, Christ's coming signalled the end of the law with regard to the attaining of righteousness, because Christ Himself was the way of righteousness (cp Ro 1:16-17; 3:21-22; 9:30; Php 3:8-9). When God revealed His righteousness in Christ He put an end to the law as a way of salvation. It is in this sense that Christ is the end of the law. He is the end of the law for everyone who believes (cp 2Cor 3:13-16; He 8:13). Also, as we learned in our study on Ro 9:30-33, the law was there only to lead people to Christ that they may be justified by faith (cp Ro 3:21-28; Ga 2:16; 3:23-26; Eph 2:14-18; He 10:1). | + | |
| − | See also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6
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| − | ==<div id="10:6-11 How are we to understand what Paul is saying here?"></div> 10:6-11 How are we to understand what Paul is saying here?==
| + | Rather, Christ's coming signalled the end of the law with regard to the attaining of righteousness, because Christ Himself was the way of righteousness (CP Ro 1:16-17; 3:21-22; 9:30; Php 3:8-9). |
| − | In the previous verses, Ro 9:30-10:5, we saw that the Jews tried to establish their own righteousness by works of the law instead of by faith in the finished work of Christ, like the Gentiles (cp Ro 9:30-10:5). In Ro 10:6-11 Paul goes on to say that God's righteousness cannot be reduced to a matter of human effort. It cannot be obtained by anyone ascending to heaven to bring Jesus down to earth - He already came down. Nor can it be obtained by anyone descending into the "deep", to bring Him up from the dead - He is already risen. Christ has already done all that is necessary for salvation; there is no need to go on impossible journeys to find Him. Faith does not demand human effort; all anyone ever has to do to be made righteous with God is to accept Christ's finished work for their redemption by faith (cp Ro 1:16-17;3:20-26; 4:4-8; 5:1-2, 8-11, 15-21; 10:4; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:18-20; Php 3:9).
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| − | The "word of faith" in Ro 10:8 is the message of faith that Paul preached (cp V8-10). We learn here that the lordship and resurrection of Christ are the essence of salvation and they achieve their full purpose only through confession and belief. Confess here means to say the same thing as God's word, the Bible, says. By confessing it, we are proclaiming our faith in its truth, we are not merely paying lip service to God's word. In His word God proclaims that Jesus is lord, and when we confess that also, we are assenting to its truth. The name lord in this context means Jehovah, or God. Thus, to confess Jesus as lord includes a heart-belief in His deity, incarnation, sacrificial atonement, and bodily resurrection. All of this teaches simply that the righteousness of faith consists of belief and confession.
| + | When God revealed His righteousness in Christ He put an end to the law as a way of salvation. It is in this sense that Christ is the end of the law. He is the end of the law for everyone who believes (CP 2Cor 3:13-16; He 8:13). |
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| − | It does not teach, as a great many Christians in the contemporary church believe, that when repentant sinners respond affirmatively to the gospel, they have to make a public confession of faith to be saved. They are no less saved if their confession is private. God knows the intent of their hearts, and He will save whoever invokes His name for salvation, whether it be in public, or private (cp Ro 10:12-13). In Ro 10:3-10 Paul is simply contrasting how easy it is to be saved with how hard the Jews made it by trying to do it by the works of the law (cp Ro 9:30, 10:10). Belief means active trust in God's goodness to us in Jesus, and confession is the witness to that belief. Belief and confession makes no allowance for human efforts to establish one's own righteousness. That is where the Jews missed it (cp V3 with Mk 7:1-13).
| + | Also, as we learned in our study on Ro 9:30-33, the law was there only to lead people to Christ that they may be justified by faith (CP Ro 3:21-28; Ga 2:16; 3:23-26; Eph 2:14-18; He 10:1). |
| − | This is not to say though, as we saw previously in our study on Ro 9:25-29, that the Jewish nation as a whole will be excluded from God's kingdom for all eternity. A remnant will be saved who turn to Jesus at His second coming (cp Ro 10:27-29 with Isa 10:20-22; 11:10-16 and Ro 11:12, 23, 26-29). See also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6
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| − | ==<div id="10:9 Why is the resurrection of Christ so important to Christians?"></div> 10:9 Why is the resurrection of Christ so important to Christians?==
| + | See also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6 and author's studies The Old Covenant - |
| − | The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead is not just a tenet of the Christian faith; it is the primary and essential truth of the whole gospel of salvation. Without that truth, the gospel of salvation has no purpose. The resurrection is the foundational principle of the new birth (cp Ro 6:1-13; Col 2:8-13; 3:1-3). Faith in the resurrection is the very essence of Christian belief, and as Ro 10:9 clearly teaches, is a condition of salvation. It is the resurrection, not the cross, which is the focal point of the New Testament. As crucial as the cross was in God's eternal purpose, and without detracting from the significance of Christ's pain and suffering on the cross as the central fact of Christianity, because the cross was the price Jesus paid for our redemption, it was the empty tomb and the risen Christ that made resurrection life possible for believers as Ro 6:1-13; Col 2:8-13 and 3:1-3 clearly teach. Ro 6 and Col 2 are not referring to water baptism as a great many Christians believe, but to believers being baptized into Christ at their new birth, and then living completely renewed lives in the resurrection power of Christ thereafter. This is made clear in Col 3:1-3.
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| − | The resurrection transforms Christ's death on the cross into the gospel of life (cp Ro 4:23-25; 5:17-21; 1Cor 15:3-4, 17; 2Cor 5:14-15; Eph 1:19-23; He 9:13-15; 1Pe 1:3-5). On the cross Jesus was no threat to His enemies but in the tomb He was (cp Mt 27:39-44; Mk 15:29-32; Lk 23:33-36). Christ's enemies were not concerned that He would get down from the cross, but they were concerned He would rise up from the grave because His resurrection had been prophesied in the Old Testament, and He had foretold it many times Himself (cp Psa 16:10; 49:15; 68:18; Isa 26:19 with Mt 12:38-41; 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 27:62-66; Mk 8:27-31 (also Lk 9:18-22); Mk 10:32-34).
| + | Fulfilled in Christ and Completely Abolished in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1), and Israel in God's eternal Purpose in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2). |
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| − | Jesus can never die again, and neither will those who are redeemed unto everlasting life with Him (cp Jn 3:16, 36; 5:24; 11:25-26; 1Th 5:9-11; 1Jn 5:11-12). Jesus won the victory over sin and death for believers through the resurrection (cp Jn 14:19; Ro 5:10; 1Cor 15:20-23, 54-57). And since Jesus is raised from the dead, believers have the assurance that the next step in God's redemptive plan is their resurrection into Christ's glory. This is the certainty we have because Christ has been raised from the dead, and He said, "because I live, ye shall live also (Jn 14:19). It is to this end we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (cp Eph 1:9-14). Believers do not live anticipating physical death as unbelievers do, but in anticipation of Christ coming again to take us back to heaven with Him, and whether we be living or dead at that time we shall rise together with Him in glory. This is assured because He has already risen and ascended to heaven. It guarantees not only the future resurrection of the righteous dead, but also the "rapture", or bodily translation, of the saints still living at that time (cp Jn 5:25-29; 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:42-43, 51-58; Col 3:1-4; 1Th 4:13-18;1Jn 3:2-3; Rev 20:6). That is why the resurrection is so important to believers (see also comments on Jn 5:28-29, 14:1-3, 1Cor 15:51-54, 1Th 4:13-18, He 9:13-15
| + | [["Romans"]] |
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| − | ==<div id="10:12-13 What do we learn from what Paul says here?"></div> 10:12-13 What do we learn from what Paul says here?==
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| − | This is one of numerous scriptures in the Bible that clearly refutes the teaching in the church that before anyone was even born God has already determined whether or not they will be saved. It is plainly evident here that God will save everyone who invokes His name for salvation, regardless of who they are, or how vile a sinner they may have been. All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, so it is also a lesson against bigotry in the church. No one can hold themselves to be above others. God is no respecter of persons (cp Ac 10:34-35; Ro 2:10-11; Ga 3:28; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1-9; 1Pe 1:17). God does not take into account race, colour or creed. No one can earn salvation - which is what the Jews tried to do - they must accept it as a gift from God, who offers it freely to all mankind through Jesus Christ (cp Jn 3:16-18; Ro 3:10,20-26; 5:1-2, 6-12, 18-19; Ga 3:22). The Jews thought they were the only ones worth saving, but when they rejected Christ and tried to make themselves righteous by the works of the law, God set them aside and turned to the Gentiles (cp Ac 13:44-47; Ro 9:30-33; 10:1-4). But this does not mean, as we saw in our study on Ro 9:25-29, that God has completely rejected the Jews - there will be a remnant saved at Christ's second coming (cp Isa 10:20-22 and 11:10-16 with Ro 9:27-29 and 11:1-2, 12,23, 26-29). See also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6
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| − | ==<div id="10:14-17 Does this mean that everyone has to hear the gospel to be saved?"></div> 10:14-17 Does this mean that everyone has to hear the gospel to be saved?==
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| − | Yes! Ro 10:14-15 and 17 are very clear on this point - it is the gospel alone that saves. Of course this does not mean that God cannot still sovereignly move upon sinners to bring them to Christ if He so chooses. But as far as Christians are concerned, they must preach the gospel in order for sinners to hear and believe it for their salvation (cp Mt 24:14; 28:18-20; Mk 13:10; 16:15; Lk 24:46-48; Ac 1:8; 10:42). These scriptures all confirm what Ro 10:14-15 and 17 teach: sinners must hear the gospel to be saved. Christians must be very clear on this point, because there is a teaching that has persisted in the contemporary church called "lifestyle evangelism", which advocates that sinners can be won to Christ simply by letting them observe the exemplary lifestyle of Christians. But that is not correct as scriptures clearly prove (cp Psa 22:22; 40:9-10; 119:13; Eze 33:10-12; Jn 5:24; Ac 1:6-8; Ro 1:16-17; 1Cor 1:17-21; 4:15; 1Ti 4:16; Tit 1:1-3; Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23-25).
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| − | These scriptures are not exhaustive, but representative of the many that clearly refute lifestyle evangelism. Every one of them teaches that the gospel has to be proclaimed for sinners to receive it and be saved. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that sinners can be saved by observing the lifestyle of Christians, no matter how exemplary their lifestyle is. No one lived a more exemplary lifestyle than Jesus, yet no one got saved as a result of it. They got saved because Jesus confronted them with the gospel, and it is the same throughout scripture (cp Jn 17:14, 20; Ac 4:1-4, 29-33; 8:26-38; 10:36-37; 12:24; 13:2-5, 26, 38-39, 42-44, 48-49; 17:1-4; 28:23-24). Lifestyle evangelism places no urgency on winning souls to Christ, which Jesus and Paul both emphasized (cp Jn 4:34; 2Ti 4:1-2). Lifestyle evangelism teaches another way of evangelizing that is totally unscriptural. It could be weeks or even months before sinners can be confronted with the gospel, yet in the meantime they could die and be lost forever. If that were to happen their blood will be on the hands of the Christians involved. But if the Christians had already confronted the sinners with the gospel and they rejected it, God will not hold the Christians to account (cp Eze 3:17-21 (also Eze 33:7-9). It is plain from scripture that lifestyle evangelism is not a valid teaching for New Testament Christians.
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| − | Another fallacious teaching which many Christians cling to, and which scriptures also refute, is the belief that one must wait on the leading of the Holy Spirit to confront a sinner with the gospel. As we learned in 2Ti 4:1-2 Christians are commanded to proclaim the gospel, whether or not they consider it an opportune time and whether or not they feel like it, so we do not have to wait on the Holy Spirit's leading to share the gospel of salvation with a lost sinner. All we have to do is obey Christ's command to preach the gospel, and the Holy spirit will work through it to convict of sin and engender faith in those we preach to who are disposed toward eternal life, to believe the gospel for their salvation (cp Ro 10:17 and Jn 16:7-11 with 1Cor 1:21 and Ac 13:44-47). The Holy Spirit does sometimes prompt Christians to witness to a particular person, but that is the exception rather than the rule (cp Ac 8:26-39). Ro 10:14-17 also refutes the belief held by some Christians that sinners can be "prayed into the kingdom". While it is incumbent upon the church to pray for them, prayer alone will not get sinners saved. As has been proved throughout this study, hearing the gospel is necessary in order for them to believe it for their salvation.
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| − | (See also comments on Mt 3:10, 12:30, 28:19-20; Lk 19:11-27; Jn 15:2, 15:4-6, 15:16; Ac 11:19-21; Ro 1:13, 1Cor 9:16-17; 2Cor 5:18-19; Eph 1:11-14 and 2Ti 4:1-2,
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| − | ==<div id="10:18-21 Had the gospel already gone out into all the earth at the time Paul wrote this?"></div> 10:18-21 Had the gospel already gone out into all the earth at the time Paul wrote this?==
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| − | Yes! World in V18 means the known world of that time, which was the extent of the Roman Empire. Paul applied Psa 19:4, which refers to the revelation of God's glory and His handiwork throughout the earth, to the evangelizing of the Jews (cp V18 with Psa 19:1-4 and Ro 1:18-20). The point Paul was making in Ro 10:18-21 is that the Jews had all heard the gospel, but had rejected it. That is why in Ro 1:20 Paul said they were without excuse. Right throughout their history the Jews obstinately refused to obey God, and Paul goes back into their past to quote Moses and Isaiah who had both predicted that what was happening to them now would happen, because of their disobedience and stubbornness (cp Ro 10:19-20 with Deut 32:15-26 and Isa 65:1-7). God did not want to punish the Jews and pleaded with them throughout scripture to change their ways, but they would not listen and eventually God had to temporarily put them aside, and take the gospel to the Gentiles, who were "no people" in the Jew's eyes. God did this to provoke the Jews to jealousy, that in due course they would come to accept the gospel (cp Ro 10:21 with Isa 65:2 and Hos 11:1-7). Gainsaying in Ro 10:21 (KJV)means the Jews declared themselves against God and refused to have anything to do with Him (see also comments on Ac 13:48; Ro 1:19-21; 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6
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| − | '''Back to [[Romans Study]]'''
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It does not mean that Christ is the end of the law in an absolute sense. He did not abolish the will of God as expressed in the law (CP Mt 5:17-18; Lu 16:17).
Rather, Christ's coming signalled the end of the law with regard to the attaining of righteousness, because Christ Himself was the way of righteousness (CP Ro 1:16-17; 3:21-22; 9:30; Php 3:8-9).
When God revealed His righteousness in Christ He put an end to the law as a way of salvation. It is in this sense that Christ is the end of the law. He is the end of the law for everyone who believes (CP 2Cor 3:13-16; He 8:13).
Also, as we learned in our study on Ro 9:30-33, the law was there only to lead people to Christ that they may be justified by faith (CP Ro 3:21-28; Ga 2:16; 3:23-26; Eph 2:14-18; He 10:1).
See also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6 and author's studies The Old Covenant -
Fulfilled in Christ and Completely Abolished in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1), and Israel in God's eternal Purpose in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2).
