I sat in a little diner up the road a dozen years ago with a man that attended our church. He had served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher in another church but had been attending our church for about a year. He had serious questions related to the gospel. In the conversation he told of a man that he encountered with his work. The man was dying and knew it. So this fellow, being rightly concerned about the man’s eternal condition, told him that he needed to be saved. The older man agreed and asked how. The response of the man who supposedly understood the gospel disturbed me. Instead of explaining the gospel to him, telling him of God as Creator and Sovereign, man fallen in sin and facing condemnation, Christ the Son of God coming to fulfill all righteousness and bear the judgment of God at the cross, he did none of this. He offered no hope through the grace of God meeting us in our sin to deliver us from judgment and bring us into relationship to God. He gave no gospel invitation of repentance and faith as our response. He told him that he just needed to repeat a prayer as he led.
The older man rightly protested. “But I don’t understand,” he replied. The other man told him, “That’s alright. You don’t need to understand, you just need to pray this prayer with me.” At that, the older man gave in, repeated the prayer, accepted congratulatory comments, and then they parted ways.
The older man died a week later. As I sat and listened to the story, the man told me, “I sure am glad that he prayed that prayer!”
Knowing that it would burst his bubble but also knowing that the truth of the gospel stood in the balance with this man, I spoke up. “Praying a prayer does not save anyone. The man was right that he needed to understand at least the basics of this salvation through Christ that you told him he needed. But you substituted a repetitious prayer for the gospel.” Praying a prayer is not the gospel. I challenged him to tell me where the Scripture ever gives us this pattern for evangelism. Where are we offered a prayer to recite? Where are we even told to pray a formulaic prayer to be saved? He made a couple of attempts to respond but had no answer. Then he asked a troubling question. Even though he had served as a deacon and teacher for many years, and was considered a leader in his previous church, he could not distinguish the biblical gospel from the little formula that is often substituted for repentance and faith in Christ. He asked, “If praying the prayer does not save someone, then how can a person ever be saved?”
I asked him what the Bible said. He replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Indeed, that was right. So I said, “Tell them to believe.” “But how can they believe without praying the prayer?”
I wish that I could say we came to a helpful biblical understanding in the conversation but unfortunately, that was not the case. He could not get over the hump of a neat little formula that served as a substitute for the biblical gospel.
Does that mean that we must complicate the gospel or that a person must grapple with all of the theological issues related to the gospel before he can be saved? Certainly not! It is not a matter of complicating the gospel that is the problem. It is a matter of neglecting to declare it, and then to apply it as the Scripture invites.
That is our concern in Romans 10. The declaration of Christ as righteousness calls for application. Paul had laid out the gospel, distinguishing it from the failed attempt of achieving righteousness through the law. Now he calls for a reponse. We’re not to complicate the gospel or substitute little formulas or avoid it. We’re to receive Christ as righteousness by faith. Yet here again many stumble over the stumbling stone. So how do we personally apply the gospel? Let’s consider this by asking a few questions from our text.
Romans 10:5-13 is vitally connected with the previous paragraphs. “For” shows the connection by way of explanation. Paul uses that connecting particle six times in these verses. Each builds on the other.
So what is the connection between verses 1-4 and verse 5? Actually, it is best if we go back into chapter 9 to see the flow of the argument. The Apostle had explained that God is sovereign in salvation, going further to demonstrate that Jewish ethnic identity did not equate with salvation. God has mercy on whom He has mercy. None can force His hand (or for that matter, none even tries, as is evident from the earlier explanation about the sinful propensities of man—chapters 1-3). Ironically, Gentiles that did not pursue righteousness attained it, and Israel that pursued a law of righteousness failed to arrive. Paul explains why. “Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.” Consequently, “They stumbled over the stumbling stone.” That stumbling stone refers to believing Christ as righteousness. Though God had provided His righteousness through Christ, the Jews did not understand, but instead, sought to establish their own righteousness through an intricate series of regulations and laws. Paul’s assessment: “They did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” Such righteousness is found in only one place—better, in one person. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” The righteousness that God demands to stand before Him is found only in Jesus Christ.
Now, that brings us to verse 5. What was the problem that the Jews faced? For that matter, what problem do multitudes of equally religious people face today? “For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.” In other words, can the practice of personal righteousness based on a standard of law eventually make someone righteous enough to stand before God? Does practice make perfect? Let’s consider this since it is the position taken by most people.
Paul quotes loosely from Leviticus 18:5 where Israel was told to perform God’s judgments and keep His statutes, and to live in accord with them. They were to do this because the Lord was their God. “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them: I am the Lord.” Talk about the laws would not work. Action was called for; perfect action. If one is to be counted righteousness then he must live completely, day by day according to the standard of righteousness in the law.
Now, is it a bad thing to live like that? Of course not! “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Rom. 7:12). It is a perfect guideline for righteousness. It gives clearly laid out details of how one is to conduct his life: what he must refrain from and what he must do; what he must not follow and how he must serve; how he is to conduct his life and what must have no part in his life. It’s all very clear. Live by every detail in the law—every day—every moment of every day—or else you come short of righteousness. No wiggle room is offered. God never said, “You must be careful to keep My statutes most of the time. You must be careful to observe My commandments at least six days a week.” No, perfect obedience was called for in order to attain righteousness through the law.
Will you not do this to attain righteousness? Will you not be diligent in turning from sin and giving yourself to the positive aspects of obedience commended by the law? Will you not pay attention to all that God has commanded so that you might be in right standing with Him? If one would practice the kind of righteousness based on the law he “shall live by that righteousness.” Do you live by that righteousness?
Admittedly, we’re uncomfortable when considering such perfection because if we are the least bit honest, we know that we fall far short of the standard of God’s law. Dare we think that our behavior regarding God’s law is enough to commend us to Him who is altogether perfect, holy, and infinitely righteous? Yet Paul tells us, if that is your practice –if you think that you can achieve right standing with God in this way—then you had better live by that righteousness if you would be right with God.
But the problem is that regardless of how much we try, we fail to submit ourselves to the righteousness of God when we’re trying to achieve our own righteousness (10:3). We’re substituting the flawed, faulty, failing, and failed self-righteousness for “the righteousness of God.” Does practice make perfect—perfect enough to stand before God? Never!
But this leaves us without any personal ability to put ourselves into right relationship with God. Yes, that is true. It raises the fear of impossibility when it comes to righteousness. The Apostle raises those fears and gladly dashes them upon the solid Rock of Jesus Christ! He does it by contrasting the righteousness based on faith with the righteousness based on the practice of the law. In the latter, it all depends on me. If I can live perfectly before God with regard to His law then I’m home free. The former depends upon Jesus Christ.
To build his argument, Paul quotes loosely from Deuteronomy 30 as Moses reestablishes the covenant with the second generation out of Egypt who were standing on the edge of the Promised Land. They were in covenant with the Lord and now they were to live as His covenant people. He had promised to circumcise their hearts so that they might love Him with all their hearts and souls (30:6-7). Their forefathers were externally circumcised but their hearts remained stony and hardened against the Lord, so they fell in the wilderness in unbelief (Hebrews 3-4). They needed new hearts. That’s what God promised. The commandments of God would then not be difficult to bear; obedience would be the norm for them. Yet it seemed impossible in light of their past! Paul’s implication is that this impossibility is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ. “But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: ‘Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)’.”
Moses’ exhortation pointed the Israelites to trust the Lord with the seemingly impossible attempt to obey Him. Paul explains this with more detail by using Moses’ illustration and applying it concerning Christ. How does the righteousness by faith differ with the righteousness derived from adherence to the law? It relies on Jesus Christ alone.
But where will we find such righteousness? Do we need to ascend into heaven to find God the Son, and implore Him to come to our aid? Do we need to persuade God to do something which we cannot do? Obviously, no one can ascend into heaven to attempt such a feat; more importantly, no one need make such an attempt! Christ has already come!
That’s precisely Paul’s point. That which is impossible with men, God has already done in Christ! We do not need to scale the atmosphere to attempt reaching heaven in its unreachable heights. “But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). What was impossible with men God granted in His grace and mercy.
The answer to our need for God’s righteousness is found in the person of Jesus Christ. God’s law needed fulfillment, but none of Adam’s race could suffice, until God sent His own Son to become one with the race of people that He came to redeem. Paul summarizes the doctrine of the Incarnation—eternal God the Son becoming man—in the picture of ascending into heaven to bring Christ down. God has already done what we desperately needed and could never do by sending His own Son for us.
The next verse (v. 7) asks, “Who will descend into the abyss?” And then Paul explains what is implied, “That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.” God the Son did come and live a sinless life, fulfilling every demand of the law. But then He faced the hatred and animosity of sinful men. Accused by the Jews and put to death by the Romans, did all hope for righteousness end in the grave? The “abyss” is the place of the dead, the netherworld, or the underworld—the place where no living person can go and return. Who can descend into the abyss to bring Christ up from the dead? Don’t waste the effort! You cannot do it but God did! In that statement, Paul encapsulates the work of Jesus Christ from His Incarnation to His Ascension. If His coming in the Incarnation meant the perfect obedience of the Son on our behalf, what does His resurrection from the dead mean?
The reason for the resurrection is because it is preceded by His death on the cross. What does the resurrection mean in light of the death of Jesus Christ? It means that everything God intended His Son to accomplish at the cross, He accomplished. Nothing else can be added to the death of Christ. The resurrection declared mission accomplished! That’s why our Lord could confidently declare from the cross in His dying breath, “It is finished!” (John 19:30)
What does that imply for us? It means that every detail necessary for us to stand in the righteousness of God has been completed. God is not sitting around and waiting for us to improve our lives or merit His favor or persuade Him to act on our behalf. Christ has done the work of redemption. Forgiveness full and free shouts from the empty tomb!
Yet multitudes still try to find righteousness in other ways. Some do it through mystical experiences. If they can just achieve a certain vision or a utopian rush of emotions or talk face to face with God, then they will be satisfied. So they run from one experience to another, a meeting here, a conference there, a retreat over there—all in pursuit of the mystical experience that will produce enough righteousness to give them peace with God. They search and try but do not find it. Others try to find someone that can persuade God on their behalf. Who can do it? Oh, the Virgin Mary or the saints can do this, they think. So rather than looking to Christ who has already accomplished the work of redemption, they pray to Mary or appeal to the saints to mediate for them with God. We do not need mediation when we have a Great High Priest, Jesus Christ the Righteous! “There is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
Quit your searching for righteousness! Quit clinging to faulty substitutes when there is One who has risen from the dead! Cling to Him! Rely upon His righteousness for you! The salvation that seems so impossible that you would chase after a mystical experience or pray to Mary or pray to saints or resort to legalism, this salvation has come in Jesus Christ!
When Paul asks the question, “But what does it say?” he again quizzes us from Deuteronomy 30. In light of Jesus Christ coming in the Incarnation and in light of His resurrection from the dead in answer to God’s demand for justice on behalf of those whom He would redeem, “what does it say?” Do we look for answers in some far away place? Do we wait on the philosophers or pundits of our day to provide us with the clues to live in righteousness? No, the answer comes in the simplest fashion. The answer to man’s dilemma before God comes through the most humble means—the preaching of the gospel. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching.”
“Near you” is in the emphatic position in the sentence. How striking, that the answer to our eternity is not in a far away place. It is not found in the elite circles or in the academy or in the corridors of power. It is “near you.” It is so near, Paul says, it is “in your mouth and in your heart.” It is within your grasp. If you struggle in your standing with God, see what God’s Word declares. It is “near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” The answer to man’s deepest need is found through believing and confessing Christ, the message of the gospel.
All the while people have looked in many places to find right standing with God. I remember climbing down steep steps underneath a monastery in Kiev, Ukraine years ago. It was a combination catacomb and monkish cell. Graves of old monks were carved in the stone beneath this massive building. Visitors lit candles at graves, placed flowers in front of them, and offered their prayers to the dead—all in vain hope that this would accrue merit with God for righteousness. A little door, small enough for a little child to think it a playhouse door, stood between us, and an old monk, in his cell. In that dark place, day after day, he lived and prayed and observed rituals, hoping that God would give him enough merit to one day, stand in His holy presence.
Silly and superstitious, we might say. I do not disagree yet his attempts to find righteousness is no odder than what is found above ground. Following the letter of the law, creating rules and regulations to live by, pushing yourself to achieve perfection, differs not one whit from the old monk, other than the location. It’s still an attempt at righteousness apart from Christ. The answer is not found in the monkish cell or in rigid legalism. The answer is faith in Jesus Christ! It is near you, in your heart and mouth.
And what is it? “That is, the word of faith which we are preaching.” It’s that gospel message, not just words repeated but truth to be applied, which we preach. “Word of faith” seems to convey both objective and subjective elements. Objectively, it is the truth of the gospel. It is “the word of faith.” It is stated in words, precepts, doctrine, and the stories in the Gospels. It is truth that you can study, ask questions of, listen to, be stirred by, observe, and find deeply satisfying. But it is also “the word of faith.” It is to be believed, relied on, trusted in, and depended upon. Laying aside all other claims, you rely upon this gospel of Jesus Christ. You do not trust in your merit and the gospel but in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
Paul added, it is the word of faith “which we are preaching.” That’s why it is “near you.” God meets sinful men with righteousness in the preaching of the gospel. Though despised and ridiculed among men, when that gospel is heard for what it is—the declaration of God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ—it becomes more precious than all the treasures of the world. Though the preaching be poor and lisping, though the messenger stammers at times, and struggles under the weight of his task, God is pleased to use the foolishness of preaching to save all that will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Though we will reserve more attention to this later on when we return to this text, I cannot leave us without at least quoting again the gospel invitation. “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord [better, due to the double accusative, Jesus is Lord], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Note just a few thoughts.
(1) The faith and confession called for focuses on both the person and work of Christ. He is confessed “as Lord,” that is, we believe and rely upon Him as God the Creator and eternal Sovereign. The same God in the Old Testament is the same God who has come in the flesh to redeem us, and who has been exalted above the heavens as Lord of lords. The faith and confession that “God raised Him from the dead,” implies that we believe that God was fully satisfied with the death of Jesus for our sins. God accepted His sacrifice so that our eternal debt is settled through Him who died and rose again. Our confidence rests, not in our own righteousness but in that of Him whom God raised from the dead.
(2) The confession, “Jesus is Lord,” is the natural overflow of the heart who truly believes “that God raised Him from the dead.” Faith in Christ results in confession of Christ—a glad submission to His Lordship.
(3) “Righteousness” and “salvation” are stated as a parallelism: one grand truth viewed in two weighty words. They express the believer’s standing with God—righteous before God; and that the believer has been eternally rescued from the curse of sin and power of Satan and death—“salvation.”
Have you believed in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead? Have you confessed publicly and openly that Jesus is Lord? If you would have right standing with God, if you would know the forgiveness of sins then confess Jesus as Lord and put your trust in Him who was crucified and raised from the dead for you.
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