The Remnant of Israel: Romans 10:8-16-God’s Offers the Gift of Salvation to Both Jew and Gentile Lesson # 7

In Romans 10:8, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 30:14, “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU” to indicate what the righteousness originating from and based on faith in Christ does think.

Romans 10:8 But in contrast what does it say? “The word is always readily accessible and available with respect to you,’ in your mouth as well as in your heart, namely, the word, which brings about faith, which we make it a habit to publicly proclaim as heralds in a dignified and authoritative manner.” (My translation)

This passage teaches that the gospel message that Paul and his fellow communicators were proclaiming everywhere throughout the Roman Empire to the unsaved taught that acquiring God’s righteousness originates from and is based on faith in Christ and not by means of obedience to the Law.

Paul is writing rhetorically in Romans 10:9-10 indicating that when he speaks of righteousness and salvation, he is speaking of the justified sinner’s new relationship with God and not two different ideas that are not connected.

Thus, in these two verses, Paul is not presenting two conditions for salvation or teaching that there must be a public affirmation of Christ’s deity as well as faith that the Father raised Jesus from the dead.

Rather, he is speaking of salvation from two different perspectives: (1) The sinner must acknowledge that Jesus is God. (2) The sinner must believe that the Father raised Him from the dead.

The two are inextricably tied to each other since the resurrection demonstrated the deity of Christ.

That Paul is writing rhetorically is indicated in that Romans 10:10 he is following the same word order of Romans 10:9 in that in both verses he speaks of believing with one’s heart and acknowledging with one’s mouth.

However, in verse 10, believing with one’s heart precedes acknowledging with one’s mouth whereas in verse nine acknowledging with one’s mouth precedes believing with one’s heart.

That Paul is writing rhetorically not only suggests that righteousness and salvation are both speaking of the justified sinner’s new relationship with God and not different ideas that are not related but also it indicates that acknowledging with one’s mouth and believing with one’s heart are one in the same.

Believing in one’s heart that the Father raised Jesus from the dead is the same as acknowledging that Jesus is God since the resurrection demonstrated that Jesus is God and faith alone in Christ alone is the only way to receive eternal salvation.

Therefore, in Romans 10:9, Paul teaches that if the Jew acknowledges with his mouth to the Father that Jesus is Lord, which is equivalent to believing in his heart that the Father raised him from the dead, then the Jew will receive eternal salvation.

Romans 10:9 Because, if you acknowledge with your mouth Jesus is Lord in other words, exercising absolute confidence with your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead ones, then you will be delivered. (My translation)

Paul’s statement in Romans 10:9 is not presenting the content of the gospel since Christ Himself and His death and resurrection are the content of the gospel according to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

Paul’s statement in Romans 10:9 is not presenting the content of the gospel but rather it is explaining “how” the gospel is readily accessible and available to the Jew.

Namely, if the Jew acknowledges with his mouth to the Father Jesus is Lord, which is to believe in his heart that the Father raised Him from the dead, then he will be saved.

Paul in Romans 10:10 continues his thought from verse 9 by teaching that a person believes with his heart that the Father raised Jesus from the dead resulting in righteousness while on the other hand with his mouth he acknowledges to the Father Jesus is Lord resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:10 For you see, with the heart, one, as an eternal spiritual truth, does exercise absolute confidence resulting in righteousness on other hand with the mouth, one, as an eternal spiritual truth, does acknowledge resulting in deliverance. (My translation)

Notice that both confessing with one’s mouth and believing with one’s heart have the same results since both righteousness and salvation speak of the justified sinner’s new relationship from different perspectives.

Therefore, in Romans 10:9 when Paul teaches that if the Jew confesses with his mouth Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that the Father raised Jesus from the dead he is referring back to what he taught in Romans 1:4, which teaches that the resurrection of Christ demonstrated the deity of Christ.

In Romans 10:11, he quotes the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 28:16 to support his teaching in Romans 10:9-10 that salvation and justification is through faith alone in Christ alone who is the subject of the gospel.

Romans 10:11 Because, the Scripture says, “Anyone who at any time does exercise absolute confidence in Him will never be disappointed.” (My translation)

Paul’s statement in Romans 10:13 makes clear that calling on the name of the Lord is synonymous with faith in Christ since he says to do so results in salvation and the Scriptures teach that salvation is only through faith alone in Christ alone.

Romans 10:13 Indeed, “anyone, whoever, for himself calls on the Lord’s unique person will be delivered.” (My translation)

In Romans 10:12, Paul teaches that anyone whether Jew or Gentile who places their faith in Jesus Christ will never be disappointed because there are no racial distinctions since Christ is Lord of both racial groups, who is infinitely generous on behalf of those who call on Him.

Romans 10:12 Because, there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no distinction between Jew and Greek because the same Lord is, as an eternal spiritual truth, Lord over each and every person, who is infinitely generous for the benefit of each and every person, who, at any time, does for himself call on Him. (My translation)

This passage teaches that the reason why anyone who does exercise faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior will never be disappointed is that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile since the same Lord is Lord of both racial groups, who is infinitely generous on behalf of those who call on Him.

Paul in Romans 10:13 cites Joel 2:32 to support his teaching in Romans 10:12 that the offer of salvation is for both Jew and Gentile.

Romans 10:13 Indeed, “anyone, whoever, for himself calls on the Lord’s unique person will be delivered.” (My translation)

In Romans 10:14, Paul poses three rhetorical questions that emphasize the importance of the communicators of the gospel in order that the unsaved Jew might have an opportunity to exercise faith in Jesus Christ as Savior so as to be saved.

Romans 10:14 Therefore, how will they, themselves, call on Him in whom they never exercised absolute confidence in? Consequently, how will they exercise absolute confidence in Him whom they never heard of? Consequently, how will they hear apart from someone, as an eternal spiritual truth, publicly proclaiming as a herald in a dignified and authoritative manner to them? (My translation)

In Romans 10:15, Paul poses a fourth rhetorical question and cites Isaiah 52:7 to demonstrate Israel’s culpability.

Romans 10:15 Consequently, how will they publicly proclaim as heralds in a dignified and authoritative manner, if they are not commissioned? As it stands written for all of eternity, “How beautiful are the people, who themselves proclaim the good news, which is divine in quality and character.” (My translation)

Paul in Romans 10:16 states that not all the citizens of Israel obeyed the gospel command to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved and to support this statement and to demonstrate that this rejection of Jesus Christ by Israel was anticipated by God, he quotes Isaiah 53:1.

Romans 10:16 But on the contrary, by no means did everyone obey the gospel for Isaiah says, “Lord, who will exercise absolute confidence in our message?” (My translation)

That Jesus Christ is the object of faith for salvation and justification since His death on the Cross as an impeccable person redeemed sinful mankind from the slave market of sin.

It also satisfied the demands of a holy God that human sin be judged, reconciled the entire human race to God and fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law.

He is also the object of faith for salvation and justification since His death dealt with the problem of man’s sin nature, which is the source of personal sin.