How Can They Believe

How Can They Believe?

Romans 10:1-21

May 27, 2007 Pastor Jack Harpold

My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. This is Paul’s deep longing for Israel’s salvation. What would happen if we had the mind of Paul? There would be many more converts to Christ if all who profess Jesus would show as much concern for others. Paul was concerned about the political and economic conditions under Roman rule, but the chief concern was status of their souls.

Paul tells us now why Israel herself was responsible for being set aside. The Jews were ignorant of God’s method of righteousness, and were seeking to establish their own method. God’s method of bringing men into a right relationship with Himself is through faith in Jesus. The Jews method was by observing the works of the Law.

No one can accuse the Jews of being only lukewarm. Orthodox Jews even to this day will not switch on a light on the Sabbath.

The Jews had a zeal for the Law – it is something we admire – but their zeal was misguided. The false cults are zealous about distributing their literature, but their zeal only multiplies their harm. God has explained that salvation is not by human effort, but by faith in Jesus. Paul quotes Psalms 32 (Romans 4): “David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works.” Paul also described God’s righteousness; “The righteousness of God is by faith (in) Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Romans 3:22).

One of the characteristics of human nature is the attempt to gain a right standing with God through works. God’s Word reveals man is restored into divine favor by the doings and the sufferings of Another.

Romans 10:4 reminds us the grand object of the entire sacrificial system of the Mosaic Law, was Jesus Christ. The Law was not designed to bring us into a right-standing with God. The Law was given to bring us to self-despair, to show how sinful we are. The Law was given to prove we cannot save ourselves, thus pointing us to Jesus. It is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

The Bible tells us if a person breaks just one law, he incurs the same guilt as if he had broken it all. To obtain righteousness by observing the Law would demand human perfection. Since perfect obedience to the Law is impossible, salvation must come from some other source. That other source is Jesus. The Jews failed to acknowledge that source. They are responsible to God.

Jesus said, "For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you and close you in on every side, and level you and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another; because you did not know the time of your visitation" (Luke 19:43-44). That is the condition today. They are surrounded by nations that want to push them into the sea. Why? You can blame the Arab, you can blame Russia, you can blame everybody. You can blame God if you want to, because He says the reason they are in such a state - unable to have peace - is that they did not recognize their time of visitation. So Paul says, "My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”

In contrast to salvation by the works of law salvation by faith in Jesus Christ is available to everyone (vs. 6-8).

Christ has already come. He has already been raised from the dead. Everything necessary for salvation for anyone has been completed. God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus is not distant and difficult, but it does require submission (handing ourselves over to the authority of another).

The essence of the gospel message of the apostles included mouth confession, heart belief, and divine assurance (vs. 9-11) [on screen]. For many the time of water baptism was the beginning of mouth confession. We confessed, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He brought from heaven a saving Gospel.” We chose Jesus Christ and take our stand for Him before men. The Gospel includes believing in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus is basic to the other doctrines of the Christian faith. If the resurrection is true, it is true that Jesus ascended into heaven and He is going to return to judge the living and the dead. On the other hand, if Jesus is still in a grave, we might as well ignore the other doctrines of the Bible. How could Jesus come back if He is still in a grave?

Mouth confession and heart belief bring divine assurance. Whoever believes in Him shall not be ashamed. Ashamed is better translated disappointed (will not be disappointed). There is always a blessing in submitting to Jesus. Without Him there is increasing sorrow, and at the end of the road, eternal death. With Him there is increasing joy, and at the end of the road, eternal life.

Paul is saying that man needs to bring into agreement his confession and his life. The mouth and the heart should be in harmony, saying the same thing. It is with the heart that you believe. Your "heart" means your total personality, your entire being. You see, there are some folk who say something with their mouths - they give lip service to God - but their hearts are far from Him. When you make a public confession, you be absolutely sure that your heart is right along with you.

We are reminded there is no difference between men in God’s mercy. God has provided for everyone. Like the old lady who saw the ocean for the first time and exclaimed, “Why all these years I feared we’d run out of water, but there’s plenty for everyone.” That is true of God’s salvation.

Suppose the Jew hasn’t heard this message? Paul says one can’t believe without having heard and one can’t hear without a preacher.

We have a lot of “new forms of ministry.” But the Bible tells us “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Paul reinforces what Isaiah had proclaimed long before, “How beautiful are the feet….” (Isaiah 52:7).

The final reason Israel is at least partly responsible for being set aside is while Israel heard, but she didn’t listen to the glad tidings (vs. 16). While the message of salvation through Jesus is available to everyone, it is of no value to those who reject it. Israel couldn’t use the excuse they hadn’t heard. The Gospel had been preached in Paul’s day throughout the Roman Empire. Certainly the Jew had heard.

Maybe Israel didn’t understand the Gospel? Paul says they were not turning away because they didn’t understand; Israel turned from the Gospel because of willful, stubborn disobedience. Paul reminds us that the Gentiles responded to the message. If the Gentile nations who were ignorant of the Scriptures heard and understood, then certainly Israel should have been able to understand.

Paul quotes Isaiah to show God’s love has been exhaustless. Israel is a sinful nation laden with iniquity. Over and over God was seeking to bring them back. He stood with outstretched arms waiting for their return. At last he sent His Son. The Bible says, “If Israel is still unsaved, it’s not God’s fault; it can only be Israel’s fault.”

There is divine election and there is human responsibility. Each of us is personally responsible before God. Each will determine his own destiny. We can either decide for Jesus or against Him. We can either live forever with Him, or forever without Him.

Israel, with all they possessed (see Rom. 9:4-5) of religion, was not saved. Many who are church members are not saved. They are members of a religious club. They are in rebellion against God in that they will not accept the righteousness God offers in Christ. You can be religious and lost. Israel had a God-given religion, but they needed to be saved. Paul's desire was that Israel might be saved.

Jews are on the same plane before God today as Gentiles and should be evangelized as anyone without Christ. The ground at the foot of the cross is all level. Whoever you are, your social position, your church membership, your good works, or the color of your skin will not help you. Without Christ you are a hell-doomed sinner.

Do you have Christ? Have you accepted the righteousness God offers in Jesus? You can be saved on no other basis. You have to be perfect to go to heaven, and I have news for you: you are not perfect. Neither am I perfect. But I am going to heaven because Jesus died for me, was buried, and rose again from the dead. He was delivered for my offenses and was raised for my justification. He is my righteousness, I will go to heaven one day because He took my place. Is Jesus Christ your Savior? Forget your church membership. I do not mean to minimize your membership, but do not trust it for salvation. The only thing that counts toward entrance into heaven is your faith in Jesus.