Lesson 131

Romans Chapter Ten

The Faithfulness of God

 Israel in the Present

Review:

 

7. The Gospel and Faith

a. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of the Gospel.  1 Pet 1:12; Jn 16:13-15

b. This is because the unbeliever being under spiritual death can not comprehend spiritual info. 1 Cor 2:14

c. The Gospel is the message and power of God in salvation. 1 Cor 15:1-4;  Rom 1:16,17

d. Jesus Christ is the person of the Gospel and therefore the object of faith in salvation.  All the merit resides in the object of faith. Rom 15:20;  Jn 3:16

e. Faith is the mechanic of appropriating salvation. Eph 2:8,9

1. Reason: faith is the only system of perception that is compatible with grace. It is non-meritorious, that is there is no human merit involved.

2. Faith exhaled in Jesus Christ results in instantaneous salvation.

3. Faith is man's response to the convicting ministry of G/HS with the result being regeneration, new life in Christ.

 

Intro: 10:9-13 

This is probably one of the most abused passages in the Bible, that is, in the context of evangelism in all of Scripture.

 

 

 

 

Overview of 10:9-13

#1.  [actually need to go back to vs:6]  Rom 10:6-13 is a solid unit, no single verse should be considered alone, outside that context.

 

 

 

#2. 10:9-13 elaborates on what is meant by "the word of faith" the gospel     that Paul proclaimed, that is near you in your mouth and in your heart [v.8].

 

 

The 2 key words of vs:8  heart and mouth are carried over in the same order from Dt 30:14 which is quoted in the previous section.

 

What we have here is that mouth and heart are used in context as figures expressing the reality that you have something, you possess something.  

 

3. There are 4 elements in 10:8-13

#1. possession  vs:8  place of the word of faith is in the mouth/heart

What is to be your possession here, in your mouth and in your heart?

a. that Jesus is Lord, kurioj, that He is God, deity 

b. that Jesus is alive, raised from the dead.

 

 

#2. requirement  vs:9  "if" conditions/requirements;

 

- Paul early in his ministry in Acts 16:31 told the jailer in Philippi in response to his question, 'what must I do to be saved?' "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."

- Which is right or is it possible when we properly understand Rom 10 that Paul is saying the same thing?

 

 

#3. results  vs:10  eij leading to, resulting in;

- aren't the results that flow from both the same?

- The only way that you can argue against this is to say that righteousness  and salvation are different! But their not!

 

 

#4. assurance  vs:11-13  you will not be disappointed, that is the one who believes

 

- In vs:11 the assurance comes from believing in Christ, will not be disappointed; 

 

- In vs:12-13 assurance; available to all who calls upon the Lord.

 

 

 

 

4. When you examine the whole context, who is the confessing or calling made to? who is addressed?  Is it to men or to God? 

- the confession must be to God about His Son, Jesus Christ!

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                         The flow of the context           

                              Note

   - Begins with           mouth   and   heart;    v.8                hard to deny the

     moves to               confess         believe  v.9-10             structure!

     leads to eij              salv.            +R        v.10   

    

     followed by                                                                 each idea reinforces

      a promise             saved           not disappointed           the next; each side

                                v.12-13               v.11                       matches the other

                                 [call]                     

 

5. More Detail on vs:9.

- Whenever you see the word believe you need to ask believe in whom! 

- Whenever we confess we need to ask confess what to whom!

 

 

- The point of contention in the interpretation and use of this passage or should say misuse is related to the word "confession."

 

- Word is o`mologew  o`moj  [same] + logew  [to speak]; the emphasis is to say the same thing, to agree with, to name or site the same thing.

 

 

- What does it say here in Rom. 10:9,10 that is the result of confession?   Salvation! There is only one who can save!  God!

 

 

-  What is believed or confessed, agreed with God about His Son that is emphasized here is that Jesus is Lord, that is deity; and that He was raised from the dead.

 

 

For the Jew to confess that Jesus is Lord, is acknowledgment that He is God and the promised Savior.

 

For them to admit that God had raised Jesus from the dead was to admit that they were wrong in their rejection of Jesus.

To the Gentiles, resurrection from the dead was foolishness (see Acts 17:31-32).

 

 

It is the basis for our hope of eternal life. It is proof that the work of our Lord was acceptable to the Father, "He was raised because of our justification" (see Romans 4:25).

(see Acts 2:23-24, 31-32; 3:14-15; 4:10; 5:30-31; 10:39b-40; 13:29-30).