“Will I Really Go To Heaven?” (Romans 10:1-13)

¹Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. ²For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. ³For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Observation #1: Saving faith relies on Jesus’ perfect behavior alone, not our own

–What will happen to the Jewish people who believe in God but not in Christ? Since they believe in the same God, won’t they be saved? If that were true, Paul would not have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to teach them about Christ. Because Jesus is the most complete revelation of God, we cannot fully know God apart from Christ; and because God appointed Jesus to bring God and people together, we cannot come to God by another path. The Jews, like everyone else, can find salvation only through Jesus Christ (cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Like Paul, we should pray that all Jews might be saved and lovingly share the gospel with them.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Romans 10:1}

–Rather than living by faith in God, the Jews established customs and traditions (in addition to God’s law) to try to make themselves acceptable in God’s sight. But human effort, no matter how sincere, can never substitute for the righteousness God offers us by faith. The only way to earn salvation is to be perfect–and that is impossible. We can only hold out our empty hands and receive salvation as a gift.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Romans 10:3-5}

–Christ accomplished the purpose for which the law was given in two ways: He fulfills the purpose and goal of the law (cf. Matthew 5:17) in that he perfectly exemplified God’s desires on earth. But he is also the termination of the law because in comparison to Christ, the law is powerless to save.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Romans 10:4}

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

–When someone gives you a gift, do you say, “That’s very nice–now how much do I owe you?” No, the appropriate response to a gift is, “Thank you.” Yet how often Christians, even after they have been given the gift of salvation and even our faith are gifts, we should respond with gratitude, praise, and joy.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Ephesians 2:8-9}

–We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, (Titus 3:5-6)

–Paul summarizes what Christ does for us when he saves us. We move from a life full of sin to one where we are led by God’s Holy Spirit. All our sins, not merely some, are washed away. Washing refers to the water of baptism, which is a sign of salvation. In becoming a Christian, the believer acknowledges Christ as Lord and recognizes Christ’s saving work. We gain life with all its treasures. We have renewal by the Holy Spirit, and he continually renews our heart. Non of this occurs because we earned or deserved it; it is all God’s gift.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Titus 3:4-8}

⁵For Moses writes of the righteousness that is based on the Law, that the person who performs them will live by them. ⁶But the righteousness based on faith as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up 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 nar you, in your mouth and in your heart”–that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, ⁹that 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; ¹⁰for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, “Whoever 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, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; ¹³for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Observation #2: Saving faith agrees Jesus is God-in-Charge who died and rose again to gift His righteousness.

–In order to be saved by the law, a person would have to live a perfect life, not sinning once. Then why did God give the law since he knew people couldn’t keep it? According to Paul, one reason the law was given was to show how guilty they are (cf. Galatians 3:19). The law was a shadow of Christ–that is, the sacrificial system educated the people so that when the true sacrifice came, they would be able to understand his work (Hebrews 10:1-4). The system of ceremonial laws was to last until the coming of Christ. The law points to our need for a Savior.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Romans 10:5}

–Paul adapts Moses’ farewell challenge from Deuteronomy 30:11-14 to apply to Christ. Christ has provided our salvation through his incarnation (God in human form) and resurrection. God’s salvation is right in front of us. He will come to us wherever we are. All we need to do is respond and accept his gift of salvation. The “abyss” as used here refers to the grave or Hades, the place of the dead.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Romans 10:6-8}

–Have you ever been asked, “How do I become a Christian?” These verses give you the beautiful answer: Salvation is as close as your own lips and heart. People think it must be a complicated process, but it is not. If we believe in our heart and say with our mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, Romans 10:8-12}

whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is all, God blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 9:5)

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:13-19)

–The bodily resurrection of Christ is the center of the Christian faith. Because Christ rose from the dead, as he promised, we know that what he said is true and that he is God. The resurrection affirms the truthfulness of Jesus’ life and words. The resurrection confirms Jesus’ unique authority to say, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Because he rose, we have certainty that our sins are forgiven. Because he rose, he lives and represents us before God. Because he rose and defeated death, we know we also will be raised. Christ’s resurrection guaranteed both his promise to us and his authority to make that promise. We must take him at his word and believe.^{Life Application Study Bible notes, 1 Corinthians 15:13-18}

–Why does Paul say believers “are of all men most to be pitied” if this life is all there is? In Paul’s day, faith in Christ often brought a person persecution, ostracism from family, and, in many cases, poverty. There were few tangible benefits from being a Christian in that society. It was certainly not a step up the social or career ladder. More important, however, is the fact that if Christ had not been resurrected from the dead, Christians would not be forgiven for their sins or have any hope of eternal life. If what Christians believe is a lie, we would be pitiful because we would be going through such suffering for no purpose. Fortunately, that is not the case!^{Life Application Study Bible notes, 1 Corinthians 15:19}

Application: Jesus is God-in-Charge who died and rose to gift His righteousness–saying so out loud!