Year One, April 3

Whoever Believes and Is Baptized Will Be Saved1

We have selected for our present reading a portion that illustrates the difference between the law and the gospel.

  

Romans 10:1-21

1Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.

The true spirit of Christianity is that of love and sympathy. It leads to prayer even for persecutors and to hope for the most stubborn of people. Paul prayed for the Jews.

2I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Do not deny the good points in others, even if they are not all we could wish them to be.

3For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Christ fulfills the law’s purpose for us. When we have HIM we have all the law requires.

5For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Precious gospel. Not doing, but believing, saves us. We do not have to do or feel great things but simply to trust.)

10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”2  (Think about this verse. It should comfort even the most depressed seeker. Real prayer will be heard sooner or later.)

14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”3 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”4 17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Be determined to continue attending the gospel ministry and be committed to listen carefully, because it is the way that faith comes.)

18But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”5

Sadly, not all hearers become believers. Most hear with deaf ears and do not obey the truth.

19But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;

with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”6

20Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

“I have been found by those who did not seek me;

I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”7

Sovereign grace sometimes saves the most unlikely people. At the same time those who sit under a gospel ministry may harden their hearts and perish. Beware of thinking outward advantages are enough. You must have real faith in Jesus.

21But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”8 (They were sincerely warned and lovingly invited. Yet it was all for nothing. Will this be the case with any of this household? May it never be!)

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¹ Mark 16:16

² Joel 2:32

³ Isaiah 52:7

⁴ Isaiah 53:1

⁵ Psalm 19:4

⁶ Deuteronomy 32:21

⁷ Isaiah 65:1

⁸ Isaiah 65:2