In Romans Chapter 9 and 10, Paul is explaining Israel’s relationship with God, and how heartbroken he is over it. In Romans 9:2 Paul says he has great heaviness and continual sorrow over his people. In Romans 10:1 he says his heart’s desire is for them to be saved.
He goes on to explain that Israel has a zeal for God, but that they’re misunderstanding what God expects. The children of Israel are trying to make themselves righteous by following the law; Paul is desperate for them to understand that righteousness comes by faith in Christ.
This would be a wild concept for a Jewish audience to accept. They had followed the law of Moses for generations…how could it be that righteousness simply comes by faith?
Paul points directly to the Old Testament to make the case for a righteousness of faith. In fact, he quotes the Old Testament five times in these fifteen verses to show his readers that righteousness by faith is not a strange new concept.
Romans 10:5 is quoting Leviticus 18:5
Romans 10:6-8 is quoting Deuteronomy 30:12–14
Romans 10:11 is quoting Isaiah 28:16
Romans 10:13 is quoting Joel 2:32
Romans 10:15 is quoting Isaiah 52:7
While he makes a compelling case in these verses, he makes a critical point in verses 14 and 15. None of this makes any difference if he doesn’t take these truths to the people he’s brokenhearted for.
There’s an important lesson here for us…if what we know about Jesus only stays in our churches, in our Bibles, and in our minds, the people we love won’t come to a knowledge of the gospel. Paul explains that we have to be sent with the truth for people to be saved.
According to Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Comission) and Romans 10:14 and 15, we’re sent so we can preach. We preach so people can hear. They hear so they can believe. They believe so they can call on the name of the Lord. And “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Let’s pray that those who we invite to next week’s service will hear, believe, and call to the Lord.
