Romans 10 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Note: The first part of Ch 10 was considered with the studies of the previous chapter

Passage: Rom 10:5-13

5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’ 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 ‘or “Who will descend into the deep?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

A. Find Out:    

1. Who was justified by the law? v.5
2. What 2 things does unbelief query? v.6,7
3. Where is God’s word? v.8
4. What 2 elements are necessary for salvation? v.9,10
5. What do we have to do? v.13

B. Think:

1. Read Leviticus 18:5 How is v.5 the explanation of v.4?
2. Read Deuteronomy 30:9-14 Moses was speaking about God’s word that had come to them. What point was he making?
3. What point was Paul thus making?

C. Comment:

Paul, quoting Moses, indicates that Christ is the end or fulfilment of the law, because he and he alone has done what the law required for all men. He died as a curse (see Galatians 3:10-13) for all sin. Therefore he lived, he rose from the dead as a proof of that.

Right, says Paul, now thinking back to the Old Testament, don’t say where is God’s word about salvation (like Moses said to the Israelites about it), you don’t have to go saying who can get up into heaven to get such a word about salvation, otherwise you’ll be saying that Christ didn’t bring it and he’s not ascended as the living resurrected Son of God. Similarly, don’t go saying who can go to the depths of the earth to find a word about salvation because that again denies that Christ has achieved it, by saying he didn’t die in your place and descend into hell temporarily on your behalf.

Then finishing where Moses finished he says, No, look, the word of faith is very close to you, you know it’s in your heart. When you believe in Jesus that’s it, you are justified. When you speak it out it brings the daily salvation you experience.

This is a passage about simply believing what has happened, and living it out.

D. Application?

1. The truth is in my heart!
2. Can I just accept that truth?

Passage: Rom 10:14-21

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: did they not hear? Of course they did:

‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.’

19 Again I ask: did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

‘I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
    I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.’

20 And Isaiah boldly says,

‘I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.’

21 But concerning Israel he says,

‘All day long I have held out my hands
    to a disobedient and obstinate people.’

A. Find Out:

1. What is the order of events that culminates in belief? v.14,15
2. How did Israel respond to the good news? v.16
3. How does faith come? v.17
4. What question does Paul next ask and deal with? v.18
5. What question followed? v.19
6. But what happened nevertheless? v.21

B. Think:

1. How in the first half of today’s reading does Paul show what are essential prerequisites for salvation?
2. How does he then show that those came but to no avail in the case of Israel?

C. Comment:

Paul has just concluded (v.13) that “everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved”. Now he takes a hypothetical question to follow the argument through: How can you call on God if you don’t believe, and how can you believe if you’ve never heard, and how can you hear unless someone tells you and how can someone tell you unless they have been sent by God? But, he says, God HAS sent His messengers.

Yes the message was preached. Faith comes from hearing, he says, so hearing about Christ ought to have released faith.

However, he continues, in the case of Israel that didn’t work out. Hold on! he says, did Israel actually hear? Oh yes, very clearly. Well did they understand what they had heard? Oh yes, very clearly.

In Israel’s case their disobedience and their obstinacy stopped them responding. Thus the majority of Israel have not been saved.

Sadly the truth is that people can hear, can understand what the Gospel is saying, but still refuse to respond to it. Such is the foolishness of sin.

D. Application?

1. Jesus, and later James, said we should be doers as well as hearers (Matthew 7:26/James 2:26)  May that be true of us!
2. Faith is active!