The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 10:14-21)‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”

The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 10:14-21)

 
This week we will conclude our reading of chapter 10, verses 14-21 as we consider Israel’s Rejection of the Gospel...

In our last study, we learned that the “Jew” didn’t understand that God’s “salvation” was a “whoever” proposition. They did not understand that there was “no difference” between the “Jew” and the “Gentile.” However, they should have understood this “witness” because it is found throughout their Old Testament Scriptures! We remember that the Apostle Paul diligently describes this earlier in the chapter where the “Jews” were “seeking to establish their own righteousness” and were thus willfully “ignorant” of this great “truth”:

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God – Romans 10:2-3

However, despite the “Jews” professed “zeal for God” of which was “not according to knowledge,” God has graciously placed upon His “special” people of “Israel” the greatest blessings ever given to any “nation” in history! 

 

Therefore, the Scriptures tell us that God “chose” the “Jews” for three specific reasons:

 

One ~ To witness of their “peace” with God.

Two ~ To “believe” the Scripture.

Three ~ To be the “nation” of the Messiah.

It was through that “chosen” nation of “Israel” that God would bring the “Savior” of the world! These are a tremendously privileged people and as we have been learning in our study of the book to the Romans, the sad reality is that “Israel” is now temporarily “blinded” by God and is at this time “set aside” from their “special” place of privilege. And that's why history has been so exceedingly difficult for the “Jews.” The Apostle Matthew also reminds us of Jesus’ stern and sobering words spoken of “Jerusalem”:

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling – Matthew 23:37

In other words, “Jerusalem” was “unwilling” to respond to “Jesus Christ” – as a “hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” The “Jews” who killed “the prophets” and stoned “those who are sent to her” have refused to “believe” and embrace the “Savior.” As a result, their “children” were left to desolation and brought upon itself an unending holocaust of “judgment” which will culminate in the future time of global horror known as the Great Tribulation…

 

The “Jews” were to witness of their “peace” with God:

 

Having established the proportions of the “Gospel,” the Apostle Paul now shows how God “sent” out His “salvation’ message via a “preacher” to those who would “call on Him” in whom they have “not believed” and would “believe in Him” of whom they have “not heard”:

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? 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! – Romans 10:14-15

Once again, Paul quotes a most beloved Jewish Old Testament Prophet:

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” – Isaiah 52:7

This is a very joyous “salvation” verse because “good news” has come from God to “Zion” that their captivity in “Babylon” was finally over! These are “beautiful feet” because they bring “glad tidings of good things!” It is a message of “happiness” for liberation and freedom from personal “sin” – “Your God reigns!”

 

Paul’s whole point here in these passages is that you can't “believe” unless you “hear” a message of “glad tidings of good things.” You can't “hear” unless a “preacher” gives it. You can't “preach” a message unless you've been “sent.” You can't get “sent” unless Someone sends you. And God has sent “preachers” far beyond “Israel.” God has sent them across the entire world with the “gospel of peace” to “Jew” and “Gentile” alike who will “call” on the “Lord.” But, only to those who “call” properly on God’s terms can be “saved.” There's no other way to “believe” than to “hear” the “truth” of the “Gospel” thorough Biblical diamarturomai – “testimony.”

 

IMPORTANT POINT!: A clear Gospel message precedes saving faith! The proper understanding of who “Jesus Christ” is, of who “God“ is, of who “sinful man” is and the provision of “salvation” by “grace” through “faith” is essential for one to realize his need for a “Savior.” Not to mention WHY he needs a “Savior” in the first place! This “saving” message of “salvation” doesn't just happen by intuition. It doesn't happen by mysticism. It happens through a proper “understanding” of these “saving” Biblical doctrines of which are absolutely necessary for the “lost” soul to appropriately “know” and “believe” in “Jesus Christ” as “Lord” and “Savior” – This is the crown of Paul’s argument throughout his epistles!

  

The “Jews” were to “believe” the Scripture:

 

However, there’s a big problem for “Israel” today. Paul again paraphrases “Isaiah”:

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God – Romans 10:16-17

They have not all “obeyed the gospel” and that's the problem! Preaching was to “all” men – “Jew” and “Gentile” alike. That was God's purpose. There is a wide open “call” today to “all” but they don't “obey” it. The “Gospel” message goes to the “ends of the earth” to “whoever believes” and “whoever calls” on the “name of the Lord” will be “saved.” But men just won't “obey” it. They are “disobedient” to the saving “Gospel” message:

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? – Isaiah 53:1

Isaiah chapter 53 is a prophecy about Jesus Christ's death and here “Isaiah” is essentially saying “Lord, we really can't find anybody who believes this!” The question implies that most people didn't “believe” it! The word to “obey” is hupakouo – the word for “acoustics.” It means to “hear under” or to get into submission – like a servant. The “Jews” have not “heard” it submissively with a “heart” of “obedience” to “Jesus Christ.” In all the messages of “Salvation” throughout the Scriptures, there is a sense of “obedience.” In other words, it isn't just “believing” various Biblical facts. It is also affirming that I will hupakouo – “line up under” – “obey” and “submit” to His perfect Will, His perfect Word and His perfect Way. Therefore, a true, saving “faith” is an “obedient” life of “submission” to “Jesus Christ” – AMEN!

 

REMEMBER: We must not so tenaciously cling to a lopsided theology that puts everything on the Sovereignty of God and does not allow for Man’s Responsibility within God's plan and providence. Both are true – This is the doctrine of Concurrence!

 

The “Jews” were to be the “nation” of the Messiah:

 

Paul now closes this chapter with a telling summary from David in the Old testament book of the Psalms:

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.” – Romans 10:18

What David is saying here in Psalm 19 is that the celestial bodies proclaim to the “whole earth” that there is a “God” – their “sound” and “words” have gone to the “ends of the world.” God showed this “truth” by sending His messengers – the “stars” in “heaven” and the “preachers” on “earth”:

Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun – Psalm 19:4

Their “line” and “sound” has gone out everywhere! Paul borrows this very vivid verse as a symbol and foreshadowing of how the “Gospel” of “Jesus Christ“ will extend to “all the earth” as a the testimony of “heaven” by the “sun” and “stars” themselves – People are without excuse!

 

Next Paul quotes “Moses” speaking of “Israel”:

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.” – Romans 10:19

In representing the “law” – “Moses” told the “Jews” that because of what “is not God” and their feverish fetish with “foolish idols” the time would come when “God” would embrace those who “are not a nation” – “Gentile” & “foolish” – to “provoke” them to a “jealousy” about His relationship to them:

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 – Deuteronomy 32:21

When we read Deuteronomy chapter 32 in its entirety we find out why God was “provoked” to “jealousy.” In verse 5 we see the “unbelief” of “Israel.” In verse 20 we see their “judgment” from “God.” And in verse 21 we find God will “provoke” and “move” the “Jew” to “jealousy” and “anger” by a “foolish nation” of “Gentile” believers. Here God equates the “foolish idols” of the “Gentiles” with the “foolish nation” of “Israel – A nation of fools!

 

Paul then quotes “Isaiah” speaking of the “Gentiles”:

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.” – Romans 10:20

In representing the “Prophets” – “Isaiah” said the same thing “Moses” said! There was a “Gentile” people who didn't “seek” and who didn't “ask” for God. But they had a “salvation” relationship with Him through “faith” in “Jesus Christ”:

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 – Isaiah 65:1

Therefore, “whoever” will “call upon the name of the Lord” will be “saved.” And Paul is saying to the “Jews” that as long as they “believe” that this “faith” belongs only to “Israel,” then they have bound themselves in willful “ignorance” because the “truth” of God extends to “all” people. Tragically, most “Jews” rejected the “Gospel” because it involved “Gentiles” – the “Dogs” of society. And most “Jews” today still reject it for that same reason – By God’s Sovereign will!

 

And finally Paul paraphrases “Isaiah” in speaking of “Israel”:

But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” – Romans 10:21

So, why did the Lord reject “Israel” and turn to the “Gentiles?” Because God had originally said to these “rebellious” and “contrary” people:

I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts – Isaiah 65:2

Again, the “Jews” refused to “believe” God and they willfully chose to “walk in a way” that “is not good” by “their own thoughts.” The word “contrary” literally means to deny or to speak against – anti-lego – to “contradict.” And so “God” says they were “ignorant” of their own “Scriptures.” If “Israel” had “believed” the prophecy of “Moses” and the prophecy of “Isaiah” they would have “known” that the day would come when they would become a “rebellious people” and that “God” would reach out to the “nations” beyond to “provoke” them to “jealousy.” 

 

The phrase "All day long" means patiently and continually and "Stretched out My hands" means a loving embrace of intimacy. A patient and loving God has “stretched out” to the “Jews” again and again and again but they have resisted in willful “disobedience.” However, one “Day” that will all change...

  

In closing:

 

The “Jews” today still reject “Jesus Christ” as their “Messiah.” In fact, for them to individually embrace Him is to go “contrary” to their leadership and religious “Jewish” traditions – they won’t even “look” to Him! And one of the reasons they have totally “rejected” God’s plan of “salvation” is because they see the “Gospel” and the Christian “faith” as a “Gentile” religion. This “sin” of “unbelief” is nothing new…

 

Before the Inquisition, Galileo was summoned before a court to be tried for “heresy” in declaring that the earth revolved around the sun. In fact, he was actually denounced as a scientific heretic! What Galileo discovered of course was true. But the existing establishment of the day denied this truth. During his “hearing” in court, Galileo spoke this poignant plea to his judges:

"I can convince you. Here is my telescope, look through it and you will see the moons of Jupiter."

This great historian says they refused to “look!” They were so convinced the earth did not revolve around the sun, no amount of evidence would ever make them change their mind… They wouldn't even “look!”

 

That's the way it is with “Israel” today – they refuse to look!  They've made up their mind – regardless of what their “Scriptures” tell them. They are willfully “ignorant” of the Person of “Jesus Christ” and His provision of “salvation” by “faith.” The “Jew” simply will not accept something that includes “Gentiles” equally to themselves – They won’t even “look!”

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed – John 3:18-20

So… Is this willfully “ignorant” and “sinful” unbelief of “Israel” permanent? The answer to that question comes in chapter 11…  (Hint: The correct answer is NO!) And we are very glad for that – Praise the Lord! 

Please continue reading verses 14-21 of the tenth chapter of Romans.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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