RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD

Romans 10:1-13 / Keywords 10:9

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”[a] 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[b] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[d] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]

Footnotes

a. Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5

b. Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12

c. Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13

d. Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14

e. Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16 (see Septuagint)

f. Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32

1. Jesus is the righteousness that comes from God. We cannot save ourselves by our own zeal or righteousness. God does not look at our zeal; he looks at Jesus. Self-righteousness is the enemy of the gospel. We must come to Jesus and submit to God's righteousness.

 

2. The law of Moses was impossible for people with a sinful nature to obey. Moses taught the people that they did not have to climb the highest mountain or go to the depths of the sea to find God (Dt 30:12-14). We find God in his word. God gave us the word of the gospel—the good news of God’s forgiveness— through Jesus. The word is very near; “it is in your mouth and in your heart.” If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. God saves all who trust him and call on his name (13; Ge 4:26).

 

Prayer Lord, you are my righteousness. Use me to share your word of life with someone today.

One Word Confess and believe