THE CONDITIONS FOR SALVATION

Romans 10:1-13

By David Woodbury

In the deepest recesses of his heart, Paul yearns for his fellow Jews to come to the place of understanding that salvation and being put right with God is a matter purely of faith. He acknowledges that they have a zeal for God which is misdirected by trying to gain righteousness before God by their own merit and achievement. They felt that they could get right with God by their own efforts; that they could earn a right standing and accumulate enough credits with God, and because of that God owed them salvation.

1Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. (Romans 10:1-4 - NLT)

For the Jews, it was predominantly outward actions that were crucial along their religious path. They had developed a whole series of regulations that were to be physically observed to demonstrate their righteousness before God. We only need to read the encounter between Jesus and religious leaders and Jesus in Matthew 12 to understand the emphasis they placed on physical activity. However, Jesus cuts through their pretence to the very heart of humanities relationship with God, which is based on the inner being. 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:26-28 – NLT) There is a sense of ignorance and intentional blindness as they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. (Romans 10:3 - NLT)

In spite of his frustration with the blindness and ignorance of the Jews, we need to note the courtesy with which Paul addresses his fellow countrymen. In it we find a pattern for courteous debate over religious issues. When there is a difference of opinion humanity generally retreats to one of two scenarios; either they become superior, contemptuous and belittling of the other side, or they or they withdraw a position of burning resentment and may well refuse to engage. In Paul’s dealing with the Jews in Rome, we see an engagement that is without contempt or resentment.

The reality is that Paul knows that Jesus has already fulfilled every aspect of the law through his sacrificial death and resurrection, and at the very heart of his yearning is the desire for them to experience the freedom he himself has found through faith in Jesus Christ. From his intense and heartfelt desire comes a prayer to God for the salvation of his fellow Jews. Here is the heart of the true man of God.

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:5-13 - NLT)

The writings of Moses clearly places emphasis on keeping the law if humanity had any hope of being righteous before God. 5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. (Lev 18:5 - NKJV) Paul now contrasts the difference between the way of the law and the way of faith. The way of the law had clearly failed and it was never intended that people should gain hope by the law, rather, because of this failure, they should despair and be driven to throw themselves upon the mercy of God. A clear example of how this should have operated is found in David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. (Vs 16-17)

Paul then paraphrases scripture from Deuteronomy 30:11-13. He is acutely aware that the human heart has not changed and he utilises Moses’s words about the Law and applies them to faith in Christ. The hopelessness of Jewish legalism is replaced by faith in Jesus Christ. Such a faith is not a mere abstract event but rather a realistic declaration of belief from the lips and the heart in the redeeming death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The conditions for salvation are simply a genuine declaration from a heart of belief which will result in salvation. If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (v9 NLT) He concludes this section with the certainty of salvation by faith, both for the Jew and the Gentile.