Romans Chapter 10,

Romans chapter 9 emphasized God's sovereignty: It is God who carries out His purpose (9:11); it is God who elects (9:11); it is God who calls (9:11); it is God who shows mercy and has compassion (9:15-16); it is God who hardens (9:18); it is God who prepares the vessels of mercy unto glory (9:23); it is God who has called Jews and Gentiles in one body (9:24).

Romans chapter 10 emphasizes mans responsibility: It is man who must pray (10:1); it is man who must submit (10:3); it is man who must believe (10:4); it is man who must believe in his heart and confess with his mouth (10:9-10); it is man who must call upon the name of the Lord (10:12-13); it is man who must hear and believe the gospel (10:14-17). God does the saving but man must do the believing (see Acts 2: 38; Romans 6: 3-4).

A General Outline:

I. Why Israel was rejected 10: 1-21

a. They were rejected because they sought justification by another means that that provided by God 10: 1-4.

b. The two methods of justification explained. 5-13.

c. How they shall call on him. 14,15.

d. Objection to the gospel method of justification 16-21.

Since so few have accepted Jesus the Messiah, so he must not be the Messiah? 16

Answer: Isaiah said few would accept. All heard and could believe but they chose not to do so. 17-21.

I. The cause of Israel's Failure! (1-4)

A. Reason One: Israel thought they were not in need of salvation. They thought that they were already saved! (10:1)..

B. Reason Two: Jews were ignorant of God's way of making men righteous. The had zeal for God (10:2) but ignorant. Being a good person, being sincere is not enough. Sincerity must be linked with knowledge and truth!

C. Reason Three: The Jews were proud and self righteous (Romans 10:3). They would not submit to God. They were proud of their own religion and works.

II. Righteousness by Works and by Faith (10: 4-13).

A. Christ is the end of the law. Christ did not destroy the law. He only fulfilled the law. The law pointed people to Christ. It was the schoolmaster.

B. V.5, A description of righteousness by law.

a. Already been proved that it can't be done.

b. With the exception of Jesus

C. VS. 10: 6-8- Righteousness by Faith described!

a. Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 30:12. “The word is near you, in your mouth.” That is: “that is the word of faith we preach.”

b. We do not have to go to heaven to get it, or descend to the depths of the earth. Jesus was not raised by our power. Our salvation, justification, sanctification, and glorification in not based on human efforts. It is right there for us to receive, that is the Word of God.

D. Righteousness by Faith realized (10: 9-10).

a. belief comes from the heart and is confessed by the mouth. The divine response is: you will be saved!

b. In Colossians 2:6 Paul said “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him.” The point of course is that a belief and confession requires a walk. To believe and confess is only the start of the journey.

c. Romans 10:10, says the same thing. It is the belief (faith) that brings righteousness and the confession.

E. Righteousness by faith is assured (v. 11).

a. Paul wants us to know that what he stated is promised. It was authorized, prophesied and assured by the OT, so he quotes Isaiah 28: 16.

F. Righteousness by faith for all (vs. 12-13)

a. Both Jew and Gentile receive righteousness the same way: There is no difference!

b. The same Lord is rich to all (v. 13)

c. There is a single requirement (v. 13). A quote of Joel 2:32

G. The Human need vs. 14-17.

a. Humans need to call on God. David as a saved person called on God Psalms 116: 12-13.

b. Need to read John 6:44-47 . In order to believe in Jesus, first one must hear about Jesus.

H. The human Response

a. We read that there were many Jews who refused to accept the gospel message. Isaiah said they would reject Christ (Isaiah 53:1).

b. Also, see Jeremiah 37:17; 42:2, 20). People need to hear from the Lord.

I. The result of the Jew's rejection 18-21.

a. The question is: did Israel understand? See Deuteronomy 32:2. Also, Isaiah 65:1. Israel is guilty. Paul also quotes from Psalms 19: 4. In Psalms 19:4, Paul claims that God had revealed Himself through His creation and later to the world through His word.. Israel therefore is lost.

b. In verses 19-20, Paul makes it clear that the message went out to the Gentiles and that the Gentiles were to be saved and the fate of the Jews is revealed.

by Warren L Rogers