BELIEVE
Romans 9:30–33; 10:1–3, 9–17
Romans 8:28–29 are two of my favorite verses in this wonderful book. They promise that nothing will happen to me today unless it first passes through the filter of the permissive will of God.
Whatever happens, good or bad, God will ultimately turn to my good and His glory. It will turn to my good because God will use it to make me more like Jesus.
Righteousness through Faith (9:30–33)
In chapter 9, Paul continues his argument for justification by faith and deals with Israel’s past election as God’s chosen people.
In this passage, he discusses the faithfulness, righteousness, justice and grace of God. In verse 16, Paul states that our salvation “does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.”
The Gentiles were declared righteous by their faith. However, the Jews who pursued righteousness by keeping the law had not obtained it. These Jews believed their performance would earn God’s approval.
Paul quotes from Isaiah 28:16 identifying Jesus as the foundation Stone that became a stumbling block to the Jews.
Why is salvation by grace through faith in Christ so hard for some to accept?
Misguided Zeal (10:1–3)
In these verses, Paul discusses Israel’s current rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Even though Paul was considered a traitor by the Jews, he continues to pray that they might be saved.
He credits them with having zeal toward God. However, it is a misguided zeal. They did their best to adhere to God’s law and had even added their own traditions to “improve” His law. They were proud. In their self-righteousness, they refused to submit to God. Paul had made the same mistake before he met the Lord on the Damascus Road.
Salvation Available to All (9–13)
Verses 9–10 are some of the great witnessing verses from the Romans Road. “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. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”
This is an eternal principle that describes a spiritual transaction. It involves belief and confession. Verse 13 is a quote from Joel that declares, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Go Tell (14–17)
As Paul closes out this section, he asks a series of questions aimed at encouraging his readers to go out and share the good news of the gospel. He builds a case that ends with, “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.”
In his book “Heroes of the Faith on Pioneer Trails,” E. M. Harrison gives four reasons the church should share the gospel. There is the command from above (Mark 16:15), the cry from beneath (Luke 16:27), the call from without (Acts 16:9) and the constraint from within (2 Cor. 5:14).
When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? Do you have a witnessing tool that you like? Some good resources are Evangelism Explosion, The Four Spiritual Laws, The Romans Road, The Bridge to Life illustration and napkin evangelism.
By Don Fugate
Senior pastor of Foxworthy Baptist Church in San Jose, California
