Romans 10:1 (NASB), Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
1. Israel was wrong about its righteousness.
• Israel was sincere, but sincerely wrong. (10:2)
• Israel trusted in its own goodness. (10:3)
• Israel missed the goal -- Christ’s righteousness. (10:4)
What is sin?
• Sin is anything that displeases God – anything that is against His law.
• Sin can be in words, deeds, or thoughts.
• Sin is not doing what God tells us to do (omission), or doing what God tells us not to do (commission).
• The best person may only sin 3x/day. But that is a 1.000/year and 70,000 sins in a lifetime!
• Beware of self-righteousness.
Romans 10:5 (NASB), For Moses writes of the righteousness that is based on the Law, that the person who performs them will live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching...
Romans 10:9 (NASB), ... that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
2. Israel must believe and confess, “Jesus is Lord.”
• Jesus proved who He is in the incarnation/resurrection. (6)
• “Jesus is Lord” is the early Christian creed. (9)
• Faith in Jesus results in His righteousness/salvation. (10)
• Salvation is transferring trust from self to Christ. (11-13)
Romans 10:14 (NASB), How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? 15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:18 (NASB), But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? On the contrary: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous with those who are not a nation, With a foolish nation I will anger you.” 20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who did not seek Me, I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.” 21 But as for Israel, He says, “I have spread out My hands all day long to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
3. Israel stubbornly refused to believe in Jesus.
• Israel did hear about Jesus.(18)
• Israel did know about Jesus. (19)
• Israel failed to trust Jesus -- but the Gentiles did!(20)
Romans 10:21 (from Isaiah 65:2), “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts.”
CONCLUSION: What Should We Think About Israel?
1. Israel was wrong about its righteousness.
2. Israel must believe and confess, “Jesus is Lord.”
3. Israel stubbornly refused to believe the Good News.
John Lennox, “The problem with unbelieving Israel is that, though physically descended from Abraham, they had not understood the prime lesson that his life was meant to teach them–what it means to trust God.”
