The Epistle to the Romans
Lesson 17
The Gospel, Scorned by Israel

Reading Assignment: Romans 10

Introduction
In our last lesson we reviewed Romans 9 and witnessed Paul vindicating the righteousness of God in turning to the Gentiles after setting Israel aside as a nation, temporarily, because of their unbelief.

Romans 10, which we are about to study, proves that Israel’s temporary rejection in no way involves the rejection of any individual Israelite. During this dispensation of Grace, Israel, as a nation, is not viewed as existing in covenant relation to God. That will be restored when Christ returns and “all Israel shall be saved,” Romans 11:26.

In chapter 10, as we shall learn, Paul makes clear that the promise of God’s salvation applies not only to the house of Israel but to every individual Gentile as well.

Importance of this Lesson

• Romans 10 is of tremendous importance. In verse four, we have the KEY SPIRITUAL THOUGHT for the entire epistle – Christ is the believer’s righteousness. Verses nine and ten are two of the most beloved and widely used verses on the way of salvation, which have brought assurance to countless thousands through the years. Verses fourteen and fifteen have special appeal for missionary calling and endeavor – “how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?” Finally, the entire chapter shows that while God has temporarily rejected Israel due to their unbelief, He has opened the way to salvation for all individual Gentiles and Jews.
  (Memorize Romans 10:4 for the exam.)

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The Lesson

I. PAUL’S LOVE FOR ISRAEL AND GOD’S SIMPLE PLAN OF SALVATION – Romans 10:1-13

1. Verse 1 – Revealing the same burden for Israel he expressed in Romans 9:1-3, Paul here yearns and prays that they might be saved.
2. Verse 2 – Israel failed to recognize their rebellious, disobedient attitude. They had a zeal for God and sought to serve Him, but not according to knowledge. That is, they rejected the fuller revelation of God’s mind and will through Christ. Many today have a form of godliness who yet deny Christ and His Word.
3. Verse 3 – Rejecting the righteousness of God in Christ, Israel worked hard to establish their own righteousness. The phrase “God’s Righteousness” here, differs somewhat from the often repeated phrase “the Righteousness of God.” For example, the righteousness of God becomes ours in Christ through imputation (Romans 3:21-22). As used here, it simply means that the Jews were ignorant of how righteous God actually is. How foolish of them to think that by their efforts they could attain righteousness suitable to God.
4. Verse 4 – Here is the KEY spiritual thought in the entire epistle: Christ is the end (the consummation and fulfillment) of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. The law demanded a righteousness to which no man could attain. But Christ fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17-18). He satisfied every requirement. Now He Himself becomes our righteousness. That righteousness is imputed to us when we believe (Romans 3:21-22).
5. Verses 5-7 – In these verses, the apostle contrasted the righteousness of the Law and the righteousness, which is by faith. In the words …That the man which doeth those things shall live by them, Paul was quoting Leviticus 18:5, and describing the very nature of legal righteousness, “which if a man DO, he shall live in them.” The fact is no one but Christ could DO all that the law required. If a man broke even one part he was a lawbreaker (Galatians 3:10), and lost all claim to eternal life apart from substitutionary sacrifice. All who seek to be saved by the law will be judged by the law.
   1. In verse 6, Paul applied to Christ the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 30:12-14. There Moses challenged Israel to realize that the Word of God was not hidden or far off and they need not look for it in heaven or beyond the sea since “the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.”
   2. In our text, Paul said that you need not bring Christ down from heaven or bring Him up from the dead to reveal God’s righteousness. He has already come down. He has been here. He has already been raised from the dead. The righteousness, which is by faith, lays hold on these blessed truths. (Know the meaning of verses 6-7.)
6. Verse 8 – …The word is…in thy mouth… Many had confessed it. …The word is…in thy heart… Many had received Christ into their hearts by faith. It is precious to realize that salvation is not in some far-off place. It is … nigh thee…, and is available to all through a simple act of faith. (Know the meaning of this verse.)
7. Verses 9-10 – These remarkable verses which clearly reveal the way of salvation have been mightily used of the Holy Spirit to bring assurance to innumerable souls. Commit them to memory.
   1. …confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus… (Actually, Jesus, as Lord). This confession is to God Himself in which we acknowledge Christ to be our Lord.
   2. …and shalt believe in thine heart… that is, genuinely, sincerely, with all your being.
      … that God hath raised him from the dead… Saving faith does not exist whenever there is doubt concerning the resurrection of Christ. …thou shalt be saved. The word “saved” is inexhaustible. It is the most inclusive word in the Bible because it embraces every doctrine related to our salvation, such as “justified,” “redeemed,” “sanctified,” “forgiven,” etc. It involves being rescued, ransomed, found and set free.
   3. In verse 10, Paul simply reiterated what he had just written, making perfectly clear that there is no other way to be saved or made righteous than through sincere faith in Christ and open confession of Him as Savior and Lord.
8. Verse 11 – This is a quotation from Isaiah 28:16. By referring to it, the apostle was proving that the universality of the Gospel he preached was not in conflict with what the Lord had said to Israel.
9. Verses 12-13 – These verses continue and confirm this fact, …For whosoever (Jew or Gentile) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. To call upon the name of the Lord is to exercise faith in that name. The Lord’s name represents all that He is. To call on that name is to place one’s trust in Him.

II. WHILE GOD “STRETCHES FORTH” HIS HANDS TO ISRAEL, THEY SCORN THE UNIVERSAL GOSPEL OF CHRIST – Romans 10:14-21

1. Verses 14-15 – In these two verses, God sets forth His plan for the universal proclamation of the Gospel in this age of grace.
   1. Perhaps anticipating further questions and objections from the Jews, Paul asked four questions:
      1. How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
      2. How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
      3. How shall they hear without a preacher?
      4. How shall they preach except they be sent?
   2. The Jews knew about God. They believed He existed. Preachers had proclaimed the Truth to them. God had sent these preachers. But Israel rejected the message and the messengers. Read 2 Chronicles 36:15,16 and Psalm 81:11-13.
   3. In relation to the Gentiles and this age of grace, these verses represent one of the greatest challenges to missionary endeavor in the Bible. It is still true, how will one call on the Lord in whom they do not believe, nor believe if they have not heard nor hear without a preacher or preach if one is not sent. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will raise up laborers (Luke 10:2).
2. Verse 15 – …How beautiful are the feet…The apostle here quoted from Isaiah 52:7 to give us God’s estimate of those who preach the Gospel of Christ.
3. Verse 16 – Paul quoted a passage from Isaiah 53:1 to show that in spite of their unusual privileges, many Jews did not believe or obey the gospel they heard.
4. Verse 17 – This verse declares that saving faith results from hearing the Word of God. Some Jews may have objected saying, ”when did we hear it?”
5. Verse 18 – Here is Paul’s reply. He quotes Psalm 19:4 to prove that all have heard the Word in some form or another. …their sound went into all the earth…. Read again Romans 1:19-20.
6. Verses 19-20 – …Did not Israel know? From all that they had heard, Israel should have known that God would make His righteousness, His truth, His Word known to all the nations of the earth and make available to them His great salvation. Words like …I will provoke (move) you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you…I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. (See Deuteronomy 32:21; Isaiah 65:1), should have convinced Israel that God has included the heathen Gentile world in His great redemptive plan.
7. Verse 21 – …All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:2. God turns away from Israel but not without reminding them of forbearance, long-suffering, and constant efforts to save them.
   1. This turning is not forever, as we shall plainly see in the study of Romans 11:25-26.
   2. Remember that today believing Jews and believing Gentiles are one in Christ, Ephesians 2:14-16, 3:6.

Examination

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