Romans 10: The Old Testament Prophecy Points to Jesus
Key Verses:
“Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”
“As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
“But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.”
Daily Message:
In Chapter 10, Paul repeatedly quotes the prophet Isaiah, who pointed to Christ as the Messiah and the one came to teach, to preach, to be heard and to be present in the flesh. Unfortunately, many did not recognize Him and believe in Him.
Many Jews of the period clung fast to the law, not realizing and acknowledging that Christ came down from heaven, died and was risen again. The righteousness of God came not from abiding by the law but rather simply by believing and confessing that Jesus is Lord.
The law served its purpose by defining sin for us, by making us feel condemned and by forcing us to look to God to become transformed and new. As we become new, the transformation can take time. God doesn’t expect immediate perfection but rather a life of progress toward the goal of being more Christ-like.
The extraordinarily good news was, and is, that every individual — Jew or Gentile — can be saved simply by his or her faith in Jesus Christ.
As in Chapter 9, here again in Chapter 10 the point Paul continues to make is that “Israel” never referred to every natural descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The prophets and subsequent history spoke to the fact that some Israelites would be saved, as would some Gentiles, but the test was faith — not adherence to the law.
A Moment to Reflect:
Do you feel that by your faith in Christ you are being transformed by God’s grace and becoming more Christ-like? Can you articulate ways in which your sinful nature has been harnessed, controlled or moderated in recent years compared to the way you thought and behaved many years ago? Are there specific areas in your life for which you feel you have not made the progress you should? If so, focus on them and pray about them daily. Remember, God is expecting progress, not perfection.