Bible Study Notes - How are They to Hear? - Romans 10:1-17

Bible Study Notes 

How are They to Hear? – Romans 10:1-17

Introduction

 Try to recall the zeal you had when you first accepted salvation by faith in Christ.  Can you remember your eagerness to learn more about Christ and experience God’s power in your life?  Did your enthusiasm lead you into daily meditation, prayer and study? Maybe, you became active in Bible Study, Sunday school or other spiritual growth group. At the very least, perhaps you became more committed to weekly church attendance.  Or, did you soon become complacent; satisfied that being a “good” person was enough?

  The Apostle Paul cautions against this last response.  He traces it to a misplaced zeal that is not firmly rooted in a developing knowledge of God.  Paul challenges believers to get to know God. He teaches that we are to call on Christ out of a heartfelt faith that causes us to desire a vital relationship with God.

 

 Lesson Setting

  Paul’s personal experience with God and Christ moves him to dedicate his life to teaching the gospel to all people.  In fact, over the course of his ministry he becomes known as someone who can persuade persons from every walk of life to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  However, in this passage we focus on Paul’s deep concern and frustration for his Jewish brothers and sisters. These are his people, so quite naturally Paul desires that they too experience the new life he has found in Christ Jesus. 

  The Israelites were a minority in the church.  This was in part because of their personal conflict over the role of the law in God’s plan for salvation and righteousness.  The reluctance of the Jews to release themselves from the constraints of the law to embrace the freedom Christ purchased with his death offended the majority of Gentiles.  In an ongoing struggle between the two groups, some Jews even attempted to impose the laws, particularly those concerning circumcision, diet and holy days on Gentile converts.

  Paul settles the dispute over the law by putting its role in Godly perspective.  He teaches that faith in Christ surpasses obedience to the law because Christ redeems the life of the believer in a way the law cannot.   Paul also makes it clear that God is not a respecter of persons.  Therefore, God extends the gift of salvation by faith in Christ to all people whether Jew or Gentile.  Everyone who believes that Christ is equally welcome into the family of God.  In addition, Paul teaches that God calls believers to pass on the great news of salvation in Christ so others may hear and be saved.

Exposition

I.                   Paul desires the salvation of his Jewish brothers and sisters  (Romans 10:1-4)

 

  Paul writes that it is his fervent prayer that the Israelites will accept the truth of God’s loving offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. Paul respectfully acknowledges that the Jewish people have a longstanding zeal for God.  Nevertheless, he maintains that their zeal is misplaced because it does not arise out of a personal knowledge God. 

  According to Paul, the religious fervor of the Israelites was motivated by a desire to achieve righteousness.  Paul explains that this quest for righteousness led the Jewish people to do good works under the law in the hope of gaining favor with God.  To this end, the Jews lived as though they believed that God was keeping a balance sheet of sorts on each person.  In line with this thinking, God posted a credit or debit entry to memorialize each act of obedience or disobedience to the law. 

  Paul teaches that the Jews completely missed the point.  They did not see that righteousness comes from God.  Paul asserts that the Israelites were blind to God’s righteousness because they did not really know Him.  Rather than cultivate a relationship with God the Jews chose to embrace the law. 

  This is because the adherence to the law involved little thought.  You either behaved in a manner that satisfied the law or you did not.  On the other hand, a mature relationship with God required continuous study, prayer and meditation to achieve a greater understanding of God’s will and ways.  It also required self-reflection and conscious changes in behavior flowing from a deepening appreciation of God’s love.  These were some of the challenges of developing a real relationship with God. Rather than rise to these challenges, the Jews chose to focus on the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law, which is rooted in God’s love and righteousness.  Consequently, the Israelites unwittingly attempted to achieve righteousness by their own actions. 

  However, Paul teaches that Christ is the culmination of the law.  The Savior’s act of obedience to God’s will unto death was the ultimate fulfillment of the law.  Christ’s ministry through his life, death and resurrection offers the world the greatest revelation of God.   We experience God in Christ’s words as well as his actions.  Through Christ we know that God is love.  Christ confirms the significance of love when he is asked which is the most important of the commandments.  Jesus answers, “Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… Love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

II.                Paul explains why faith in Christ surpasses obedience to the law (Romans 10:5-10)

 God gave the Israelites the law to direct them in the right way to relate to others as well as to Him. Therefore, the law provided an orderly system of acceptable behavior authorized by God. Likewise, the law made us more conscious of sin. (Romans 3:20) Yet, the law proved insufficient in that it failed to impart a greater understanding of God or to draw people closer to Him despite its potential to do so. In practice, the Israelites found it difficult to resist the pull of sin to satisfy God’s laws.

 As a result, some people attempted to pick and choose the laws that applied to their lives.  Others tried to manipulate the law to find a way to fit their behavior within its context.  Both approaches wrongly focused on the letter of the law rather than its spirit, which was to help us to appreciate and live within God’s will for us.  Paul reasons that the Israelites chose the law over the work of developing a vital relationship with God because the law seemed to offer the less challenging way of life.

  However, in reality the law proved to be as great a burden as it was a help.  The Jewish people became so engrossed by the law that it became their master.  Ironically, in their efforts to adhere to every nuance of the law in pursuit of personal righteousness the Israelites actually lost sight of God who alone is righteous.  In this passage, Paul instructs the Jews about faith based righteousness by reminding them of God’s offer of life and prosperity as recorded in Deuteronomy 30:12-14.  Paul’s message is that righteousness by faith in Christ is as readily accessible as it is available.

  If we have faith in Christ we need not look outside of ourselves in an unending quest for righteousness.  Rather, the word of faith is within us because as Paul explains “… it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” This is the essence of the Christian faith, the belief that Christ is the Lord who died in atonement of our sins, but rose from the dead in accord with God’s divine plan for the salvation of humankind. 

  When Paul says that if we confess that Jesus is Lord we will be saved he alludes to the completion of our redemption at the time of Christ’s return.  Faith surpasses obedience to the law because Christ, the living Lord, is the supreme priest who continuously intercedes to redeem our lives on earth and in heaven. God’s sacrificial gift of Christ and its assurance of eternal life, frees humankind from the tight reigns of the law.  For as we come to know God through Christ we conform to His will and ways out of love rather than fear of condemnation.

III.             Paul teaches that salvation is available to all who have faith in Christ (Romans 10:11-13)

  Paul teaches that God freely extends the gift of salvation to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, age or other wordly classifications. As a result, God’s gift of salvation is as universal as the love that purchased it.  God’s singular requirement for salvation is faith in Christ.   “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all… Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 This is because God is impartial.  The Creator looks straight to the heart and is in no way influenced by our outward appearance. Therefore, it is fitting that faith in Christ must be rooted in the heart. Proverbs 4:23 declares that the heart is the “wellspring” of life. The Bible also teaches that what is in our heart determines our character.  (Matthew 6:18) Likewise our heart controls our words, which generally direct our actions. “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45) On that account, Paul teaches that a person must first believe in his or her heart that Christ is God’s chosen Messiah then confess by mouth that Jesus is, in deed, Lord.

 

IV.             Paul insists that the good news of salvation in Christ must be shared so others may believe (Romans 10:14-17)

  In this final passage of our focal scripture, Paul teaches that believers must spread the gospel message so that others may hear of the gift of salvation in Christ and believe. Since this segment of the letter is primarily directed to the Jews, Paul is responding to the assertion that they were not given a real chance to hear and accept the gospel prior to this. 

  True to his legal training, Paul makes his argument for evangelism through a series of rhetorical questions that establish the requirements of God’s gift of salvation in Christ.  Though Paul’s questions present these in reverse order, the requirements are (1) God sends messengers, (2) they declare the gospel, (3) the good news is heard and (4) the message of salvation is believed.  For as Paul teaches, to call on Christ and be saved a person must first believe in him.

  In verse 16, Paul highlights the requirement of heartfelt belief.  He does this by recalling that Isaiah foretold the gift of salvation in Christ.  Accordingly, the Israelites were the first to hear God’s plan to redeem humanity through Christ.  “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.”

  As a result, Paul concludes that faith only comes from hearing the message through the word of Christ.  To this end, it is up to Christ’s messengers to lead others to God. Therefore, Paul teaches that God is honored when Christians share the good news of salvation by faith so that others may hear and believe.

The Main Thought Explained

  “And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?  And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?” Romans 10:14-15

 

 Here Paul utilizes a series of rhetorical questions to state his position in support of the spread of the gospel of salvation in Christ. This method evidences Paul’s legal training.  In the Rabbinical technique, Paul’s inquiries present the main point first then each sub-issue follows in logical order.

  When we consider the second question in our focal scripture we may be tempted to think it applies only to the ordained clergy.  We must take care not to accept this interpretation although it quite graciously lets us off the hook.  This is because the Bible clearly teaches that believers are to follow Christ’s example and continue his work of redeeming lost souls to the Creator.  Particularly as Christians who have chosen the Baptist tradition, we ascribe to the priesthood of all believers. (1 Peter 2:9) 

  God wants each of us whether lay person or ordained and regardless of our role or title to share the message of salvation in Christ.  However, to do this to God’s honor and glory we must first develop a vital personal relationship with Him.  Accordingly, with the help of the Holy Spirit we should earnestly study the Word and yield ourselves to God’s guidance so that our testimony will lead others to Him rather than astray.