For their very salvation (Revised)
Righteousness of God revealed - Book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsAim: To look at Paul's words about willingness to give up his very salvation
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Paul expresses his heart
Paul expresses his heart
Have you expressed your heart to someone, if so, how did you do it?
Has anyone expressed their heart to you or for you? How did they do it”?
Have you had/have a zeal for something/someone and how does that show?
Paul continues with his words directed toward his brethren, the Jews who have not responded to the gospel message.
We did not finish last week, surprise, surprise. So, here is where we left off before we get to today’s teaching.
Human perspective
Human perspective
Our human perspective does not always line up with God’s perspective. Paul is helping them understand.
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
Who is the we (v.30)?
The Jews
Who is the who that Paul is discussing (v.30)?
The Gentiles
How did they attain righteousness (v.30)?
By faith
Who did not get righteousness and why (v.31)?
The Jews by the law
Gentiles found it without looking, working for it. They found it by faith.
The Jews were working for it but did not find it because it was by works not faith.
God seems to have cast off, given over the Jews for they did not come by faith. Is there a way for them to come?
Yes, the same way we do, by faith, not works.
That is what Paul is trying to help them to understand. His countrymen, the ones he is willing to be considered accursed if they would come to Christ.
Paul’s emphasis
Paul’s emphasis
Emphasis (N) special importance, value, or prominence given to something. stress laid on a word or words to indicate special meaning or particular importance. Or lastly: vigor or intensity of expression.
Have you ever emphasized anything? Why did you do it?
Do you think there are places in there is emphasis placed? Can you name one?
Now the final scripture for today
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
What is the why (v.32)?
What was the results (v.32)?
Zion is a word for Jerusalem and the Jews, what/who is the stone of stumbling and rock of offence (v.33)?
What is the promise to those who believe (v.33)?
Paul does not bring the emphasis on God’s perspective but on man’s (Israel’s) responsibility.
Paul has already emphasized that faith is the only way to be saved, not by works of the law (which that is what the Jews believed). Salvation only comes through the blood of the risen Savior.
This is a stumbling block to Israel; consider this, and it’s not on your outline (So please turn to 1Cor1:22-25, please)
22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
After turning to (1Cor22-25) what do you notice in this passage, what sticks out to you?
What did the Jews ask for? Do we as Christians ask for the same thing? If not, why?
Stumbling block, foolishness (vv.23-24); but both called how (v.24)?
Why does this overcome, overpower a stumbling block and foolishness (v.25)?
OK, now back to our last two verses. Paul is emphasizing to Israel, his brethren that he would give up his very salvation for, that their very present condition is on them. Human responsibility not on the sovereignty of God and His will/choice. His desire is for all men to come to repentance and be saved (ref: 2Pt3:9).
We, just like the Jews have a personal responsibility to respond to a Sovereign God who gives us everything we need for life and godliness (ref: 2Pt1:3); it is our choice what we are going to do with it.
See, God’s word does not fail, man does when he refuses the free gift.
Take a look back (Rom9:1-3)
1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,
Look again at (Rom9:3) what does Paul wish, and why?
(Transition) as we now head into chapter-10, Paul continues to address his brethren, you can feel his heart for their very salvation.
Glean, learn from the passage
Israels heart (vv.1-3)
Man’s responsibility (vv.4-8)
God’s righteousness received by faith (vv.9-13)
Necessity of the preaching of gospel (vv.14-15)
Gleaning/learning from passage
Gleaning/learning from passage
Simply Christians that is what we are. Study God’s word is what we do.
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.
6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
QUESTIONS SLIDE HERE
Questions, questions when we study we always have questions.
What do you see as the theme of this passage, the main point?
What is Paul’s desire and why? (vv.1-2)?
What is the problem that Paul addresses (vv.3-4)?
What is Moses righteousness based on (v.5)?
What does the righteousness by faith have to say (vv.6-7)?
What is being preached and by who (v.8)?
What does faith require (v.9)?
How is righteousness obtained (v.10)?
Who shall not be put to shame and why (vv.11-12)?
Who is saved and how (v.13-14)?
What is beautiful (v.15)?
I know some of these things maybe leaving more questions than answers, but hold on we will get into them and see if we can tie it all together for why this important for their very salvation, and to the believer who is unbeliever (out of rebellion and not obeying the gospel) who still claims the name of Jesus.
Israels heart
Israels heart
Does accepting or rejecting something oftentimes display what is in your heart?
You can see Paul’s heart, Paul’s desire, where do you, personally line up with his?
Do you think that is important, and why?
Just a comment to think about: God is an equal opportunity Savior through the blood of Jesus Christ. He brought salvation to the Gentiles and the Jews alike, the same opportunity the same way.
Heart of the matter picture here
After in chapter-9 Paul addressed the sovereignty of God and Israel’s past. Now is coming to speak of God’s equity in the present dealing with Israel through chapter-10.
It was not just Paul’s heart for them, it was his prayer for them too.
Paul knew they had a zeal for God
Zeal (n): great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.
Can we have a zeal for something and it not be right or be good for you?
Jews today still have a zeal for God in keeping the law, but have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
Courson says: You can be sincere in your crusading or your critiquing, your sin-sniffing or your fault-finding—but you’ll be sincerely wrong.
Remember the Jews were judging other Jews by how they lived and the Gentiles as unable to be saved. But they were sincerely and entirely wrong.
Paul knew he had a zeal but was sincerely wrong before (Php3:6)
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
Man’s responsibility
Man’s responsibility
Does man have any responsibility when it comes to the gospel?
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.
Christ fulfilled the law, every jot or tittle (ref. Mt5:18)
5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
If someone chooses to live by the law, then they must keep it all.
Ponder this:
One day the law came down (Exo32:28); 3,000 died
One day the Spirit descended; 3,000 were born again and saved (Act2:41)
Legalism does not work, you cannot live up to it. Christ said on the cross “it is finished” and He meant it. He finished the work so that we may be saved!
God’s righteousness received through faith.
God’s righteousness received through faith.
Jesus is not known through theology or even philosophy, but through simplicity of the gospel message.
The simplicity of hearing the gospel (10:14)
The simplicity of believing the gospel (10:9)
The simplicity of confessing Jesus as Lord. (10:9)
The simplicity of doing it with your heart (10:9)
Righteousness comes from ones heart that believes (10:10)
Confession is made unto salvation
Now, hold on, you maybe thinking James has lost his mind. Its not that simple. But it is. It requires your participation, your agreement with Jesus and his way, His instructions. This is only a part of it, but this is what is before us right now.
Not everywhere in the scripture does it give you everything. This part of scripture has no mention of repentance, baptism, being born again, walking in faithfulness does it?
See the word is near you in your mouth, in your heart and in your obedience of faith with your mouth and with your heart.
If God has your heart, he will have all of you (Mk12:30)
30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
If you have something in your heart, truly in your heart you will not be swayed from it. You will not change your mind on this.
By belief you will not be put to shame (10:11; re:Isa28:16)
16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.
Jesus is a non-distinctive Savior (10:12)
Jew Greek, He is the Lord of all, and accepts all those who call on Him by obedient faith.
All who believe are qualified for the kingdom (Col1:12-14)
Let me just summarize this one:
COl1:12-14 “12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
What does it mean to call on the name of the Lord (10:13)?
May you consider (Act22:16)?
16 ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’
So, again what does it mean to call on the name of the Lord?
Human responsibility is that we have to accept God’s way through Jesus Christ and His commands. We have a part to play, not works but acceptance of Jesus Christ and His way.
Necessity of preaching the gospel
Necessity of preaching the gospel
How does faith come?
Now look at the rest of our passage since we now agree on where faith comes from.
14 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 unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Preach the gospel picture here
If you don’t know you can’t believe (v.14)
How can you believe if you have not heard (v.14)
Hearing something specific the word of God not the opinion of man (Rom10:17)
A preacher is to be sent, by God and Christian community (v.15)
God could have done anything
Saved man just by the word of His mouth
Saved man by their works
But he chose to save man by the gospel message the Good News that comes after you understand the bad news.
If you look at your feet do you think they are beautiful?
How about if this has nothing to do with physically but everything to do with spiritually?
Happy feet, beautiful feet bring the gospel, the Good News of peace, peace with God (Rom5:1) and the peace of God (Php4:7)
Do you think you can have beautiful feet?
You can be actively sharing the Good News with others, in all the world (see Mt28:19) as commanded, first to the apostles and given to us for application too.
Preachers proclaim the word to help to bring salvation that is available to all who believe, confess, repent, are baptized and then learn to walk faithfully. - we are talking about the very souls of man.
That is what Paul is addressing in this passage, the very souls of his brethren the Jews who had not accepted the Good News, the gospel of reconciliation and peace.
Let’s go together and have beautiful feet!
(prayer)