Romans Chapter 10

There were two fundamental problems throughout Israel’s history that resulted in the nation being temporarily set aside by God---hard hearts and seeking righteousness by works of the law (self righteousness). The later blinds people to the former and results in the mind being corrupted from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ (II Cor. 11: 3).

Here in chapter 10 Paul is recording what he had been preaching to the Jews in the synagogues throughout the Roman Empire. The overwhelming majority of Jews that Paul preached to had not believed that Jesus was their Messiah and resurrected King. He is telling them that what they were reading about in the Old Testament Scriptures each Sabbath day is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ and if they would believe that those Scriptures are talking about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection they could be saved too. These Jews had rejected the ministry of the little flock at Pentecost and now Paul is writing about his ministry to unsaved Israel. Verses 8-10 explains what unsaved Israel had stumbled at during the life and ministry of Jesus and on the Day of Pentecost from the preaching of Peter and other men full of the Holy Ghost---confessing and believing who Jesus is. Paul puts his finger on the problem with Israel spiritually…For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (10:2-4)

So, when Paul talks about heart and mouth he is not talking about your literal heart and mouth. He is talking about an “inner man” function of the soul. If the Jews had believed the verses in the Old Testament were talking about Jesus---they would get saved. Because of what Paul knew the Jews were saying about the Gospel of Christ he asks and answers their questions in verses 14-21.

Paul also reproves and rebukes them for accusing God of withholding the information they needed to be saved. The information was available to them, but they had refused to believe it because of the hardness of their hearts… How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? [15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! [16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [18] But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. [19] But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. [20] But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. [21] But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Verses 18-19 state emphatically that God had been faithful to get the Word of salvation to the ends of the earth. Israel had no excuse for not being saved. Paul takes the unsaved Jew’s thinking back to Isaiah 52 & 53 to demonstrate that there is enough information for Israel to know that Jesus is who He claimed to be. Paul quotes from Isa. 52:7 and 53:1 for Jews to think those verses through and come to the conclusion that the blood of Jesus Christ provided salvation for them. You must call on this Name for salvation. However, they must come by way of the Gospel of Christ that God had sent to the Gentiles. Israel must come by way of the Gentiles. That was something they were unwilling to do. They just could not bring themselves to believe that message.

Vs. 8-14… But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; [9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

In the book of Romans Paul is writing down for the benefit of the Romans what he had been preaching to the Jews (in their synagogues) throughout the Roman Empire and how it is that he wants them saved and they could be saved BUT THEY ARE NOT GETTING SAVED because they won’t believe what they are reading in the Old Testament Scriptures concerning Christ…Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39) The only scriptures they had at that time was the Old Testament… For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.  (10:4)

John 5: 42-46…But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. [43] I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, (Satan---Matt. 24:5) him ye will receive. [44] How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?[45] Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. [46] For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. It was possible for Jews to know who Jesus was from Moses’ testimony.

Now, in order for Paul to explain why the Jews were not believing who Jesus is (God), he takes a passage from Moses in Deuteronomy 30…For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. [12] It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? [13] Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? [14] But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. The “IT” was there already---the Word of God. The problem was that Israel, as a Nation, did not believe it. They wanted someone to go up to heaven and bring down the information or go to the deep and bring it up and they would believe it. The problem the Nation had was failing to believe the Word that God had already sent them. Moses is telling them that the information for the Nation to believe and operate under was already available.

“But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it…vs. 14”  In what sense is Moses telling Israel that the word is in their mouth and heart? Does he mean that Jews embraced the word of God and sincerely sought to live it out? No! Moses was telling them that as they read, memorized and listened to the word of God in their homes and synagogues it was in their mouths and hearts. By the very fact that the Jews are asking Moses, “Who is going to bring it down to us” indicates that they did not believe or trust the word Moses gave them was reliable.

Don’t miss the connection Paul makes between what Moses told Israel in Deuteronomy and what he has been telling Israel AFTER the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ… But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) (Rom. 10:6) The righteousness of faith will not say who can bring us the word of God? In Luke 16 Jesus told the Jews “they would not believe though one rise from the dead”. Why? Because ONE did rise from the dead (Jesus) and Israel would not believe it on the Day of Pentecost. Here is what Paul preached in those Jewish synagogues throughout the empire…You Jews are reading the Law of Moses every Sabbath Day; you are teaching it to your children. Moses said that the IT is the Word and the Word is Christ. Therefore Paul is teaching those Romans what he had been teaching in the synagogues. Jesus is the One that Moses was talking about and if they would believe it they too would be saved. HOWEVER, DO NOT ISOLATE VERSES 9 & 10 AS THOUGH THAT IS THE PLAN OF SALVATION. Paul goes on to say that Israel has been removed from its “most favored nation status”. They are now on the same level spiritually with the Gentiles nations of the world…THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JEW AND GREEK. The Jew has to be saved the same way a Gentile gets saved. Israel knew this and would not believe it. They were so busy in their religion (seeking righteousness by works rather than simply faith in the work of Christ on the Cross). KEEP IN MIND THAT PAUL IS TALKING TO THE ROMANS ABOUT THE JEWS THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE. He is explaining why they did not get saved after hearing Paul’s message of grace to them. Remember that Romans was the last book written during the “Acts Period”. Paul is giving a retrospective look back on his ministry to Israel.

There is another important insight regarding verses 9-10 that will help us interpret it correctly…verse 6 says… “say not in thine heart” . The issue is a “talking heart”. Paul is telling us that how we talk to ourselves about Jesus and the Gospel is critical to getting saved. There must be some understanding in the inner man in order for your “belief” to take root. Confessing with the mouth and believing in the heart is not a formula or recipe for salvation; Paul is reminding everyone that talking to yourself (inner man) about the essential components of the Gospel of Christ is fundamental to having scriptural belief (faith) that leads to salvation. 

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him”… I do not believe that vs. 9 & 10 are the key verses in chapter 10. I believe that vs. 12  is the key to understanding the chapter. Paul has announced some heretical teaching, according to the Jews. They could not stomach the fact that God has removed Israel from its most favored nation status. That was too offensive to a Jew to believe. That was one more powerful reason to reject Paul’s message of grace. 

So, in summary Paul says that even though the information Israel needed to have a relationship with God was available and knowable, Israel rejected it because they were so wrapped up in their “own righteousness” they would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God. People today reject the dispensation of grace not because it is unknowable or unavailable---they are so wrapped up in works of righteousness they remain ignorant of it and thereby reject it.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (vs. 13) Once again, this is not the method whereby God saves a person. It is clarifying what Paul just stated and the Jews rejected…there is no difference in the dispensation of grace between Jews and Greeks (the worst kind of Gentile). In context, Paul is declaring that anyone can be saved if they embrace the gospel of Christ.  That was breaking news in his day. The Gentiles were getting saved by receiving the message of grace (Rom. 9:30-33)

Christians have been taught for years the ABC’s of the gospel…Admit that you are a sinner; believe that Christ died for your sins; confess Him as your Lord and Savior. I want to suggest three more important words in presenting the Gospel of Christ…Understand, Apply, Accomplish.  UNDERSTAND how the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ APPLIES to YOU and what it ACCOMPLISHED for the whole world.

These verses repeat the phrase---heart and mouth. Now, based on what Paul had already written to them in Romans chapters 1-5 about reconciliation and justification, either Paul is preaching a different gospel to Jews and a different method for them to be saved in vs. 8-10 or he is exposing the non-negotiable reason Israel as a nation had stumbled and fallen…They were blinded to who Jesus is (God in the flesh); what His death on the Cross accomplished for them (the forgiveness of sin) and what His resurrection from the dead made available to them (divine righteousness as a free gift of God apart from the deeds of the law). As a result, Paul announces that the nation of Israel had lost its “most favored nation status” with God…For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (Rom. 10:12) Although there were some exceptions, the Jews largely rejected these “grace doctrines” resulting in Paul going exclusively to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46; 18:6; 28:28).

Paul is not writing these verses to tell grace believers how to witness to people. He writes this chapter to demonstrate why Israel was not getting saved. The information was available (through Paul’s message) but they did not believe the claim. The purpose of this passage is not a witnessing passage.