Romans 9:30-10:13 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Romans 9:30-10:13

• Have you ever heard this illustration before? Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger.
  • Paul would have worded it a little different though. Perhaps he would have said:
  • Going to synagogue doesn’t make you a Jew any more than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger.
• Context:
  • Remember Paul is writing this letter to Christian congregations in Rome made up of Jews and Gentiles the larger group being the Gentiles.  That both Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The Jews chosen by God for service to bring about His will have not been treated unfaithfully by God. To be saved one must be justified by faith whether Jew or Gentile. 
• Romans 9:30-33
• 30 What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness—namely the righteousness that comes from faith. 31 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law. 32 Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written, Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and the one who believes on him will not be put to shame.
  • How did the Gentile, the Non- Jews who were not seeking to be righteous obtain righteousness?
    • I would define righteousness as “Right Standing with God”. The Gentiles which did not have the written laws of God were not even seeking after righteousness with God… they find it in the Gospel about Jesus placing their faith in Christ.
  • How have the Jews in general, done in achieving righteousness?
    • Not very well.  How did the Jews pursue righteousness? By way of the law…why would that not work? The Law cannot save.  In reality they were trying to establish their own righteousness. What key ingredient were they missing? Faith…they were trying to earn their salvation and faith did not enter in to pleasing God. It was done as  works… mechanically or maybe they were doing things not even  commanded by the Lord
  • What or who does the stone represent?
    • Jesus…those who fail to place their faith in Christ are stumbling for Jesus and those who do are being saved
• Romans 10:1-4
• Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. 2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes,
  • What is Paul’s heart desire?
    • That his fellow Israelites might be saved by placing their faith in Jesus Christ.    
  • Can we relate to this desire in our own life for people we are connected too?
  • Is it wrong to pray for those who are lost?
    • In what way do we expect God to answer our prayers for the salvation of the lost? What do we expect him to do? … God loves the lost people we know more than we do…surely He is already doing all He can to influence people to salvation.  God is not going to force anyone to believe in Him.  Paul thought it was worth his effort and time to pray for those Jews that have rejected Jesus or not accepted Him yet.  I think we can do the same appeal to God He may use us or some other resource to reach out to those who have not accepted Him yet.
  • What admirable trait did the Jews have according to what says in verse 2?
    • Paul knew about this 1st hand didn’t he? Just based on his own life.
  • To be zealous “for God” is surely a good thing. What is the problem with their zeal?
    • Lack of knowledge!!! 
  • What does this mean for those who think that sincerity is the most important factor in one’s relationship to God?
    • Sincerity is a good thing and so is enthusiasm but without knowledge of Jesus Christ what is our faith in?  We can sincerely believe the wrong things and still miss heaven. 
  • What did the Jews seek to establish on their own?
    • See verse 3
    • Their own righteousness- they thought they could be good enough for God to save them.  Notice by trying to establish their own way of salvation they refuse to submit to God’s way…the way of faith!
  • What does it mean that Christ is the end or culmination of the law in verse 4?
    • What Jesus did on the cross makes it clear all attempts of  self-righteousness or law keeping of any kind as a way of salvation are at an end they are useless.  We cannot save ourselves.
  • Was the O.T. law able to save anyone?
    • No! The only way of salvation is faith in Christ! Even before Christ came, God’s plan and foreknown atonement was the basis for God’s offer of righteousness to those who accepted his loving promises. God’s way of saving people has always been grace based on faith. Never was it based on us being good enough. So Jesus is the end of the law for us  as well as Moses and Abraham.
• Romans 10:5-7
• 5 since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.
  • If you are going to trust in the law for righteousness what do have to do?
    • See verse 5 The person who does these things will live by them.
  • Paul goes on here to set up a contrast between righteousness by law verse by faith…Paul uses the words of Moses to bring out the righteousness by faith.  Moses said of the law in his day
    • Deuteronomy 30:11-14
    • 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.  
    • What Moses was doing is pointing out the accessibility of God’s laws…Paul makes the same point about faith and grace; he adapts what Moses said to get his point across.
  • Consider verse 6 &7 What is it Paul does not want us to say in our hearts?
    • ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).   We can’t do these things but who has? Jesus Christ and He has done them for us!!  That is what He has done come from Heaven taking on flesh, Jesus resurrected from the dead.
• Romans 10:8-13
• 8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 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. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
  • How close is the Word of faith?
    • In your heart and mouth
  • If that Word of faith is in your heart and mouth what should happen?
    • See Verse 9 9 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. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.
      • So righteousness by faith is not beyond anyone’s reach it is obtained by the gospel message( Death- burial – resurrection of Jesus) believe it you heart & confess it with your mouth… it is evidenced inward and outward
  • What is pictured here appears to be initial salvation. What does it mean never to put to shame?
    • It is a quote from Isaiah 28:16 They will not be disappointed…Faith in Christ will save
  • What is the “No Difference” between the Jew & Gentile?
    • There is no difference when to comes to salvation…Faith in Jesus the only way!!!
  • Who can come to Jesus for salvation? 
  • It is open to  all
• Take Away:
  • As lost as the Jews were in Paul’s day he still prayed for them and when given the opportunity presented the gospel to them.
    • Are we praying for those we know need to place their faith in Christ?
  • Who is the goal of the Law?
  • How are we seeking to be accepted by God by our own righteousness or that of Christ?