Romans 10:1-4

                                                             Romans 10:1-4

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

 

The most important thing that anyone can know is how to be saved.  People have many different convictions about salvation and how they can attain it.  Unfortunately, there are many false teachings about salvation.  Paul writes to confront these false ideas about salvation and how it can be attained and then make the truth of the Gospel clear.

 

SALVATION IS NOT BY ZEAL FOR GOD: The nation of Israel demonstrated great zeal for God.  So much zeal that they were willing to crucify Jesus and persecute the followers of Christ because they did not fit into their evaluation of what God desired.  This is why Paul says that their zeal was not based on knowledge.  Paul had first experience with this kind of zeal since he was one of the instruments of persecution that Israel used to enforce their convictions about God.  Zeal without truth is dangerous.  It is vital that we be zealous for God, but our zeal must be based on the truth of God’s Word and in the spirit of God’s love.

 

SALVATION IS NOT BY WORKS OF LAW: Due to Israel’s ignorance of the righteousness of Christ, they sought to establish their own righteousness based on obedience to the Law of Moses and all of their own interpretations of that Law.  Only Jesus has perfectly obeyed the Law both in letter and in Spirit.  The only way that righteousness if available to men is by the gift of God’s grace in transferring Christ’s righteousness to us.  It is important for us to follow the teachings of Scripture, but there is no way that any of us can meet God’s standard apart from Christ.

 

SALVATION IS BY FAITH IN CHRIST: Paul states that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  This does not mean that Christ annulled the law or in some way rejected the law.  It means that he perfectly fulfilled the mandates of the law and by His death fulfilled the requirements of the law. When Christ makes His righteousness available to all who believe on Him, He is fulfilling the law.  The law required death because of sin.  Jesus died though He was innocent of all sin.  His death paid the price of sin before God and satisfied the demands of the law.  We cannot keep the law, but we can place our faith in Jesus who did.

 

APPLICATION: Be zealous for God but according to the knowledge of Scripture.  Follow the teachings of the law and all of God’s Word but not out of some delusion that any of us can earn salvation by doing so.  Bow in thankful worship before the Lord Jesus Christ who perfectly fulfilled the Law.  Trust in Him for salvation and share that glorious message with everyone everywhere.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more