Lesson by Pastor John Skaggs
Sovereign Grace Baptist Church
P. O. Box 1173
Claypool, Arizona 85532
520-425-8345
Date: 02-04-01
Sermon Number: 052
Romans 10:1-11
Topics Addressed in this Lesson
(Election, Salvation by
faith in Christ)
Righteousness by
Faith
The book of Romans is a favorite among
Christians. For in it we find a complete presentation of the Gospel and a
detailed explanation of how God saves sinners from His coming wrath. Paul is
glad to report that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation. It is not a
power in and of itself rather, God blesses the message with saving power when it
is His intent to save the hearer. That Divine intervention is necessary becomes
clear as we follow Paul’s arguments. Early in the letter he teaches that all
humans have sinned in Adam. He was our representative head therefore what he did
we did, when he sinned we sinned. From that day forward we have all been born
with a sin nature. Which is why, as soon as we are able, we begin to sin against
God. The Bible speaks boldly about the sin nature inherited by all men, saying,
we “go astray from the womb speaking lies.” In other words, the sons and
daughters of Adam and Eve begin their sinful carriers as soon as they are able
to express themselves. It is their nature to do so. For, the heart of man is
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. He is corrupt from the crown
of his head to the soul of his feet. He is a slave of sin, self, and Satan, the
father of all the unbelieving. The writer of Ephesians tells us that those who
are now saved were like all the rest, dead in sins, and subject to the Prince of
the Power of the Air. I could go on, but my point is made. The human race is
hopeless, helpless, POWERLESS, enslaved, and, dead in sin. The situation is
grave indeed. Only a great power can save them.
This is where the gospel comes in.
Sinners need not go to hell. For though salvation is impossible with men all
things are possible with God. He has determined to save a portion of humanity
for Himself through the person and work of the Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.
This Jesus came into the world to save sinners according to the will and intent
of God. This is good news indeed, for we are all sinners. But if God did not
accompany His Gospel with transforming power no man would ever be saved. For the
sinner is dead in sin. He cannot hear or rise from his tomb to apprehend the
gift offered. The power of God must make the Gospel effective or the sinner will
not be saved. “The Gospel is the “POWER” of God for salvation.”
In the early chapters of this book Paul
works hard to reveal the weakness and sinfulness of man as well as the power of
God to save. He explains that a sinner is not saved by keeping the law,
ancestral association, circumcision, baptism, or any other human act intended to
gain the approval of God. The sinner is only saved when he trusts in the person
and work of Jesus Christ for acceptance with the Father. This sounds pretty
simple but then as now few believe in Christ. In fact the majority of men do not
believe in Jesus for salvation, why is that? We can ask this question of the
Jews especially in light of the many privileges God had afforded them. Why do so
few believe in Jesus?
This is the question Paul set out to
answer in the ninth chapter. There we learn, to the dismay of some, that God
never intended to save the entire nation of Israel. He would save a remnant but
not all. Paul says, “It is not that God has forgotten His promises. Neither has
He changed His mind about His people. Rather, the fact is, not all Israel is the
true Israel to which the promises of salvation were made.” The fact that so few
in that nation believe has to do with God’s plan of salvation which includes a
little thing called, Election.
With two illustrations Paul shows how
God has always made a distinction between one man and another never intending to
treat them all the same. This aspect of God’s character began to be seen when He
created and blessed the physical nation of Israel while leaving the rest of the
world in spiritual darkness. That was not fair, according to our measure of
fairness, but it was God’s way nonetheless. Within that chosen nation He began
to make distinctions between individuals. Paul reminds us of Isaac and Ishmael
both of whom were Abraham’s sons. God refused to bless Ishmael with salvation
but poured out His blessing on Isaac. Then Paul draws our attention to Jacob and
Esau. God said, “Jacob I loved Esau I hated.” The Biblical record shows this to
be true. Was it because of something they did or would do that God loved and
saved one and not the other? Romans nine says no, rather, it was to make clear
the truth and fact of Divine Election, that this is how God deals with all men.
(See Romans 9:11) Then speaking of the whole process of salvation, Paul
declares, “It is not of him who wills, or runs, but of God who has mercy.”
(9:16) In verses seventeen and following Paul declares the Sovereign right of
God to save one man and not the other, saying, “He will have mercy on whom He
wills and will harden whom He wills.” Along this vein Paul speaks of God’s grace
toward Moses and of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Then he concludes the
chapter with the most revealing illustration, that of the Potter and the clay.
Let me remind you of the words.
(Romans 9:18-27 NASB) "So then He
has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. {19} You will say
to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" (This
is the typical response of men to the revelation of God’s sovereignty in
salvation. It is kind of a “How dare He treat us like this” statement. How does
Paul reply to the man or woman who objects to God’s sovereignty over the souls
of men? He basically calls us to silent submission.) {20} On the contrary,
who are you, (who do you think you are) O man, who answers back to God?
The thing molded (that’s us) will not say to the molder, (that’s God)
"Why did you make me like this," will it? {21} Or does not the potter have a
right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use,
and another for common use? (Does not God have a right to save one and not
the other?) {22} What if God, (what business is it of yours if God . .)
although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known,
endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? (These
“vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” are men in history like Pharaoh who
were and will be used by God for some good purpose but who will not be saved
from the coming wrath. He endures their presence on this earth with much
undeserved patience until they have served His purpose. They were not created
for salvation but to glorify God in other ways, one of which is revealed in the
next verse.) {23} And He did so (endured with much patience men like
Pharaoh, and Judas, and King Herod . .) in order that He might make known the
riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for
glory, {24} even us, (believers) whom He also called, not from among Jews
only, but also from among Gentiles. (In other words, the vessels of wrath
prepared for destruction have been created by and are used by God to reveal and
emphasize the great mercy God bestows upon the vessels of honor or the elect,
those created by God to receive His saving grace and mercy. These “vessels of
honor” are found in every nation under the sun as opposed to just among the
Jews.) {25} As He says also in Hosea, "I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY
PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,' (He speaks of Gentiles) AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED,
'BELOVED.'" {26} "AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM,
'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,' THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD."
{27} And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF
ISRAEL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED;"
This last verse is a great summation of
Paul’s argument in the ninth chapter. When the appointed years have all played
out there will have been millions of Jews born and passed away, there will have
been millions more Gentiles born and passed into eternity, but only a portion of
them will have been saved. For some were created as “Vessels of wrath prepared
or made for ultimate destruction” while others were created as “Vessels of mercy
prepared or made to receive the grace and mercy of God.” These are the remnant,
the elect from every nation. This is the doctrine of distinguishing grace. This
explains the Divine side of why one man believes and the other does not. This is
why only a small number of Jews believe in Jesus, “All Israel is not Israel.”
(I hope you will want to study
chapter nine until its teachings become clear. You will find the two previous
lessons on the chapter in the tract rack in the foyer. These are a more complete
treatment of this great text.)
The content of chapter nine often
enflames Gentiles, such as ourselves, because its teachings do not sit well with
our ideas of fairness and justice. We are proud creatures and as such have a
hard time with a God who is God indeed. He doesn’t bother us as long as He
remains a considerate observer. But when He presents Himself as the absolute
Sovereign ruler of all things including men and their souls we get
uncomfortable. Pride takes over and we begin to squirm and wiggle. We try to
explain the scriptures so that God does not appear quite so big and controlling.
But at last, His word will stand. He is in the heavens doing whatever pleases
Him among the hosts of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth and there is
nothing we can do to change that. But we can work on our attitude toward Him. We
can pray for the grace to understand and accept His truth. We can pray that God
will humble our hearts and give us the strength to bow in reverent worship
before our Creator. Yes, it is hard for Gentiles to meet the Sovereign God of
the Bible. It is hard to accept His way saving sinners, but how much harder must
it have been for the Jew?
We must remember that Paul was speaking
directly to and about them when these words were written. They believed that God
loved them and that all Jews would be accepted by God on the basis of good
works. But Paul pops their legalistic bubble by explaining that men are not
saved by anything they do or refrain from doing but by the distinguishing
exercise of God’s grace and mercy through faith in Jesus Christ. The Biblical
record reveals clearly the rage and murderous anger that these truths fostered
in the hearts of many Jews. They killed Jesus for preaching these things and
then they began to persecute Paul and the others. The Sons of Adam do not like
what the Bible has to say. The Jews were no exception. It is not surprising
therefore, to find the great apostle applying a healing, calming, balm to the
wounds opened up by the difficult truths taught in the ninth chapter. He begins
chapter ten with a reminder of his love for the Jews and then He speaks of God’s
grace toward sinners.
(Romans 10:1-13 NASB) "Brethren, my
heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.”
Paul is speaking to Christians about
his unsaved Jewish countrymen. Notice also that our brother’s belief in the
Sovereign bestowal of grace upon one and not the other does not make him
hardhearted or unconcerned for the lost. On the contrary he prays for the
salvation of his countrymen even though they repeatedly tried to kill him!
Listen to these few words on the subject, which I thought worth your time.
“As He was dying on the cross, Jesus
prayed for those who placed Him there, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they
do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). That was a prayer for the
salvation of His murderers! Following his Lord’s example, Stephen prayed with
his dying breath, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60). That,
too, was a prayer for his killers’ salvation. With that same forgiving
compassion, Paul held no grudge against his fellow Jews who maligned and
persecuted His Lord and himself, but rather prayed for their salvation. No
apostle better understood or more fully declared God’s sovereignty than did
Paul. Yet he knew with certainty that, perfectly consistent with God’s sovereign
power and grace, Israel’s salvation was not impossible. The apostle did not try
to reconcile the seeming incongruity between God’s sovereign election and man’s
responsibility to believe.
The elective decree of God is absolute
and certain, but it is a secret choice that He alone knows. It is not our
responsibility to try to determine whom God has chosen but to proclaim the
saving gospel to every person who will hear it, praying with Paul’s earnestness
that they will all receive Christ and be saved. Our responsibility is to be
diligent in preaching the truth and in loving our neighbor, our enemy. We should
be able to say with Paul, “I endure all things for the sake of those who are
chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and
with it eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:10).
Believers are to pray for and witness
to all unbelievers, knowing that God will faithfully save those who believe in
His Son. A theology that does not reflect genuine, heartfelt compassion for the
lost and a deep desire for their salvation is a theology that is unbiblical.” To
this I add my, “Amen!”
Lets continue with the text. (Romans
10:1-2 NASB) "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for
their salvation.”{2} For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but
not in accordance with knowledge.”
Religious zeal and sincerity are
greatly admired in our country. You may have heard someone say, with a tone of
approval in their voice, there goes a devout, Catholic, or Mormon, or Baptist.
One might remark, “That man is serious about his religion. He is in church
every time the door is open and you wouldn’t believe how much money he donates
to the work.” The uninformed would never doubt such a man’s relationship with
God. But the problem is, religious zeal, sincerity, and devotion, however
admirable they might be, are not redemptive. Many seriously religious people
have perished in their sin.
Salvation cannot be obtained through
religious devotion. Rather, sinners are saved by faith in the person and work of
Jesus Christ. It is His zeal for God that provides salvation to those who come
to Him by faith. The Jews were sincere worshipers of God but they refused to
come to Him in the right way, through Jesus Christ. And when it comes to
salvation you cannot choose your own way. There is one way to God and that is by
faith in Jesus. Paul continues to describe the problem with Judaism.
{3} “For not knowing about God's
righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject
themselves to the righteousness of God.”
Like all non-Christian religions
Judaism was and remains a religion of works. The Jew does not trust in a
salvation provided by a righteous God, rather, he seeks approval and acceptance
by presenting his own righteousness to God. Such a person is self deceived and
ignorant of truth. For, there is none who does good not even one. No man is
righteous. The Jew’s own prophet declared that the best of men’s deeds are but
filthy rags in the eyes of God. All have sinned and are, therefore, unacceptable
to God. This is precisely why the sinner must get the required righteousness for
acceptance with God, from God the Son.
{4} For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone who believes.
This is the Good News! Christ is the
end of the law, the fulfillment of the law, or the keeper of the law, obtaining
righteousness for everyone who believes in Him. You see every person is born
under the authority of God’s law. That law demands perfection from the cradle to
the grave while it promises hell to all who fail. Of course this condemns all
men for none can keep the law. But God has made a way! He sent Jesus to keep the
law on our behalf, to be righteous in our place and then to pay the price of our
law breaking with His own life. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone who believes! This is precisely what the Jews did not understand and
would not submit themselves to. Christ is our righteousness if we trust in Him
for acceptance with God and forgiveness of sins. He kept the law from the cradle
to the grave. He was perfect for me! By the grace, and power, of God I have
submitted to God’s way of saving sinners, therefore, I am saved. By grace I came
to God empty handed trusting only in His righteous Son and I am accepted in Him.
Christ is the righteousness sinners need for acceptance to God. He is the end of
the Law for all who believe. Praise God for such a Savior!
{5} For Moses writes that the man
who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that
righteousness. (That is, if a man could be perfect in thought and deed, as
measured by the law of God, he would not die a sinners death. But this is
impossible. For all are already guilty in Adam plus we go astray from the womb
speaking lies. Men cannot keep the law of God. Therefore, they cannot be
righteous. So what are they to do?) {6} But the righteousness based on faith
speaks thus, "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that is,
to bring Christ down), {7} or 'WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?' (that is, to
bring Christ up from the dead)." (In other words, one needn’t ascend into
the heavens or into the bowels of the earth to find salvation. One need not do
great things or journey to far away places in search of eternal life.) {8}
But what does it say? (what do the scriptures declare concerning this)
"THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—(That “word” is the
gospel.) that is, the word of faith (the word that calls you to believe,
the word) which we are preaching, {9} that if you confess with your mouth
Jesus as Lord, (Agree with the Bible, with Paul, acknowledge that Jesus is
who the Bible says He is, God in the flesh and Lord over all) and believe in
your heart that God raised Him from the dead, (believe what the Bible says
about Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, believe and) you shall be saved;
(Paul says it again a little differently) {10} for with the heart man
believes, resulting in righteousness, (when the sinner trusts in Jesus the
righteousness of God in Christ is imputed or given to him) and with the mouth
he confesses, (he confesses what he believes about Jesus) resulting in
salvation. {11} For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN, HIM WILL NOT BE
DISAPPOINTED."
One good man explains it this way, “A
man becomes righteous, perfectly righteous, through believing God’s record
concerning His Son and in the Son Himself. But the evidence that this faith is
genuine is found in the open confession of the Lord with the mouth. Faith is
necessary to obtain the gift of righteousness. Confession proves that this gift
is received. If a man does not confess Christ even at the hazard of life,
character, property, liberty, and everything dear to him, he has not believed in
Christ as Savior. In saying, then, that confession is made unto salvation, the
Apostle does not mean that it is the cause of salvation, or that without it the
title to salvation is incomplete. When a man believes in his heart, he is
justified. But confession of Christ is the effect of faith, and will be evidence
of it now and at the last day. Faith which makes the sinner a recipient of the
righteousness of Christ is made known by the confession of His name in all
circumstances.” End Quote
Paul’s concluding remarks make clear
His intent. "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM (be they Jew or Gentile) WILL NOT
BE DISAPPOINTED." {12} For (because) there is no distinction between Jew
and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who
call upon Him; {13} for "WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE
SAVED."
There is no great thing to do in order to be saved from the wrath of God. You need not ascend into heaven. You need not boar your way into the bowels of the earth. You need not make a pilgrimage to a guru in Peru. Rather, you must to stop thinking in terms of what you might do to be saved and begin thinking about what Jesus did to save you. It is His work, His righteousness, it is Jesus, that you must have for acceptance with God. If you will be saved you must put down all your tools, abandon all your works, and rest in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hear the words of our Lord. John 6:27-29 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal." {28} They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" {29} Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, (that which God requires of all who come to Him) that you believe in Him whom He has sent." This is the Good News. Men cannot save themselves but God has provided a Savior. All who stop trying to save themselves to trust wholly and only in Jesus Christ will become the very righteousness of God. They will be accepted by God in the person and work of Jesus. The Jew who trusts in Him will not be disappointed. The Gentile who trusts in Him will not be disappointed. If you will trust in Him you will never regret it. For in Him you will find eternal acceptance with God and everlasting life. {13} for "WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."