Sincerely Lost

Over the last few weeks we have seen Paul’s overwhelming desire for the Jewish peoples to accept Christ. In this chapter 10 Paul will lay out the problem of religious zeal without the correct knowledge.

Can a person be sincerely wrong about what they believe and enter into heaven? We often here that sincerity is the standard by which God will determine a persons eternal destiny. Many people say as long as a person is religious does good and sincerely wants to please God than God will overlook thier lack of knowledge and sin even if they are worshipping a god by another name. Is this idea true? Does the Bible address this type of thinking?

Let’s look at the Paul’s description of the Sincere

I. The Sincere can be Sincerely Lost.

Romans 10:1 CSB

1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation.

Notice that Paul’s concern for his zealous or sincere fellow jews is based on the state of their eternal soul. Despite their zealousness he views them as lost. I am concerned for thier salvation. Then look at how he describes them.

Romans 10:2 CSB

2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

So Paul recognizes that it is possible to have a type of zeal for God and yet be on the wrong side of salvation.

Maybe some of you know people like this. Maybe you feel confused about weather or not these people are Christians despite belonging to lets say the Mormons or Jehovah's Witness Cults.

But Paul indicates that what they know and believe about God differentiates them from real Christians verses false once. Knowledge matters. What we believe matters. Truth Matters. God’s word matters.

What lack of knowledge keeps people religious ,but lost?

#1 (as we have already seen) The believe zeal is a replacement for knowing God.

#2 They are ignorant of the righteousness of God. (Vs 3)

this has the idea that people do not understand just how Holy and righteous God is...No human standard in this fallen world can measure up to the God perfect righteousness. In the same way, they are ignorant of the fact that Christ is the expressed righteousness of God and through his death and resurrection satisfied God’s perfect standard for us. He is the only one who could take our place.

Acts 4:12 CSB

12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

There are some that say that religion was designed to control you and I would say to that some religion is designed to this very thing. If one creates a system of beliefs in which a person has to earn his or her salvation then you create man made standards for righteousness then you will be controlled by man. This is what the Jews were doing.… but in christ we recognize that we are not in bondage to men’s laws and standards but are set free to love and serve Christ without fear of condemnation.

which brings us to this next idea...

#3 They believe thier standard of righteousness is good enough in God’s eye’s.

look at the second part of verse 3.

When a person is religious, but lost they will always create thier own rules. These religious rules will aways benefit the ones who make them up because they make laws that are easy for them to follow. The fallen human nature is to create a standard of righteousness that makes us feel better than those around us. yet we must be clear. God is not comparing you to other people but to himself, his perfect righteousness. For those who have repented from sin and put thier faith in Jesus Christ God then instead of looking at your righteousness he looks at Christ who has satisfied God’s holy justice and in this we can have peace with God. We are free from the fear of death.

The next thing we see is the loving simplicty of a gospel that is accessible to all.

II. The Gospel is readily accessible to all

Romans 10:5–13 CSB

5 since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. 8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Now when we look at scripture we must look at it from the lense of the original audience. This letter is obviously written to Rome. The cultural center of society and the center for religious belief. Romans had in thier mytho’s stories of great hero’s titans traveling down into hell to fight Hades or attack Zeus in the heavens. Paul is saying the gospel does not require superhuman or spiritual feats. It is accessible and needed by both the least of society and the greatest hero.

Look at verse 8-9

Romans 10:8–9 CSB

8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So what does it mean to confess “Jesus is Lord”. Scripture interprets scripture for us.

Romans 10:10–12 CSB

10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him.

Notice that Paul puts sincere belief before confession. One does not confess something to be true until he believes it. Belief will result in both righteousness and a crying out to God for salvation. Paul is not separating these things as if they are separate from each other rather he is connecting them to each other. True belief results in a changed heart that recognizes that Jesus is Lord of all things. So much so that the mouth will utter the hearts response.

So there are no magic words here. simply praying a prayer or uttering Jesus is Lord cannot be used as a “just in case its true plan” No we are talking about true belief.

So then what do we do with those who have a lack of knowledge? What is the solution.

III. We take on ourselves the responsibility to reach the Lost

Remember this is still under the umbrella of Paul pouring out his heart in hopes that his people will come to faith.

Romans 10:14–17 CSB

14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. 16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

Paul is using simple logic. There is a world full of people who have never heart the good news of Christ. Not a gospel of striving but rather a gift of grace. But they will not call to him unless they believe. They will not believe unless they hear. They will not hear unless someone tells them. No one will tell them unless they are sent.

This is simple logic to understand. In fact, I believe this passage alone maybe one of the clearest passages against determinism. That is that God has chosen only some and rejected others. For it is true that we cannot come to God unless the spirit draws. But how is one drawn. The Holy spirit draws us through The Word. No one is saved outside of hearing the Word of God. It is then our joyful responsibility to proclaim life in a land of the dead. To watch as we both live out the gospel in deed and proclaim it with our mouths.

In this way we get to be part of Christ resurrection work.

As most men do at some point in their life you will daydream about rescuing or saving people. It usually some ninja type scenario where somehow you just know martial arts and you fight off the 5 or 6 bad guys single handedly. Saving the lady in distress. Most of us in theory would love to be the hero or heroine in the story.

But even if you managed against all odd to save someone life.. The truth is you haven’t saved thier life, you’ve only postponed their death. they will still in some way and sometime die.

Hebrews 9:27 CSB

27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—

Why do I say that...because the only way to truly be part of saving someones life is to give them the antidote to death. That is to tell them about eternal life in Christ, purchased by his blood.

If you want to be a true hero. If you want to truly save peoples lives we must tell them about Christ.

But the truth is this not all that hear will believe.

Romans 10:18–21 CSB

18 But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did: Their voice has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 19 But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that lacks understanding. 20 And Isaiah says boldly, I was found by those who were not looking for me; I revealed myself to those who were not asking for me. 21 But to Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.

Scripture says that God is holding out his hands to a rebellious people yet they choose not to come. In this passage we see the loving merciful heart of God.

We see this sentiment repeated by Jesus.

Matthew 23:37 CSB

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Does this sound like a God that has only chosen some....no. He is holding out his hands after revealing himself through Jesus, the word in the flesh to a people that were not looking for him. They had no idea they even needed him. In his mercy he has showed us our need. Our sin debt that we cannot pay but was paid for by Jesus Christ. He is waiting for you to come.....He wants you to come, but he will not force you. You to come.

To those still rejecting: How long will you put off the beckoning call of God? One day it will be to late. When he returns or when you die in your sins...it is too late. His mercy is only available to the living after death you will fall into the eternal terrible wrath of God. Don’t be foolish call out to him today.

Isaiah 55:6–7 CSB

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call to him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will freely forgive.

To the believer: do you have any compassion in your heart for the lost. Will you be the one willing to be sent. Will you be God’s servant? Will you surrender your lips to his service. If you will, you get to part of bring life to the dead.