Romans 10

Romans 10:1-4

The apostle again (1.) reports his beauty with for the salvation of his brethren. (2.) Shows the difference between the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of the law, by which they ought to be justified, ver. 5—11. (3.) Declares that Jesus and Genuine are as a soul, with respect to justification before God, ver. 12—18. (4.) He proves this from their own scriptures, ver. 19—21.

1. • BRETHREN, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2. For I bear them record, * that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3. For they being ignorant of * God’s righteousness, and * going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4. For * Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The apostle here,

1. Expresses his fervent desire for the salvation of his countrymen. Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Notwithstanding what he was, in the discharge of his office, compelled to say concerning the general perfection of the Jews, he was yet affectionately desirous of their salvation, and ceaseless in supplications at a throne of grace that they might yet be convinced and conversed, and thereby plucked as brands from the burning. Note, (1.) Those we preach to, we must fervently pray for, that God may give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. (2.) They who know the value of immortal souls, will feel their eternal interests, warm upon their hearts.

2. He speaks most respectfully of them. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God, a fixed aversion to idolatry, a strong attachment to his law and divinely instituted ordinances, and in their perquisitions of Christianity really think they do God service; but they are misguided, and do not act according to knowledge; they understand not the nature and design of the law, and have imbibed the strongest prejudices against the true Messiah and the way of salvation, which he hath brought to light by the gospel. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, ignorant of the perfection of obedience which he requires, as the only title to life by the law; ignorant of the strictness of his justice, which can overlook no flaw, and will accept nothing but what is absolutely complete; and ignorant of that righteousness, which he hath provided in the incarnate Redeemer whom they rejected, and going about to establish their own righteousness, reeling their acceptance before God on the footing of their own moral and ceremonial services, have notintended to the righteousness of God, even that divine righteousness which he hath provided and accepted in his dear Son, and which, embraced by faith, is, and can be, the only ground of the sinner’s justification before God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. He alone perfectly fulfilled the moral law, and in his life and death fully satisfied the demands of divine justice. He hath abolished the ceremonial law, being humbly the substance of which that was the shadow; and the righteousness complete and perfect which he hath wrought not, at the only one, which, being embraced by faith, can justify the sinner before God: to which all, both Jew and Gentile, must flee or perish. Note, Nothing is more fatally dangerous to the soul, than ignorance of the spirituality of God’s law, and of our own inability to answer its demands. The more zealously we strive to commend ourselves to God, on the footing of our own duties, the more fearfully do we seal up our souls under wrath.

3. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That * the man which doth those things, shall live by them. 6. But the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wife, * Say not in thine heart, Who shall defend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above). 7. Or, Who shall defend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead). 8. But what faith is? * The word is high thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith which we preach, 9. That * if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and * shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, Vo x. II.

and * with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11. For the Scripture faith, * Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:5-11

There are two methods of righteousness.

1. By the law; and that righteousness is thus described by Moses, The man that doth these things, all that is written in the book of the law perfectly, universally, abidingly, without failure, flaw, or infirmity, shall live by them, and be entitled to life eternal. But no fallen creature ever did, or ever can do this; therefore justification and salvation are not this way attainable.

2. By the Redeemer’s substitution and obedience in our stead. The law, in our present condition, only preaches despair; but the righteousness which is of faith, which God hath provided and accepted, and hath embraces, speaketh on this only, to the conscience burdened with sin and guilt, Say not in thine heart, as if despairing of justification before God, Who shall defend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above to make atonement for sin: it is needless, fearing by one oblation, once offered, he hath perfected for ever his redeemed; or who shall defend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. This is already done, and God, by the reinnescence of Jesus, hath certified the full satisfaction which hath been made to his law and justice; so that the bar to our acceptance before God is now removed. Instead therefore of the unpublishedness, which guilty fear and unbelief would fuggell, the gospel opens a door of hope to the miserable and the desperate. But what faith is? Why, all that we can wish and desire, to silence our terrors and revive our drooping hearts. The word is high thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, brought near in the gospel revelation, acknowledged, and made effectual by the spirit to the heart; that is the word of faith which we preach, holding up Christ as the glorious object, whom faith embraces for righteousness and salvation: the tenor of our declarations, as authorized of God to speak, is this, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, as the true Messiah, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Ten words of the law, not other title whatever, is needful to eternal life but this; and all who, renouncing themselves, repels them whole confidence upon Jesus, as delivered for their offences, and raised for their justification, are built on that foundation which never can be moved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, faith is not a mere notion entertained in the head, but the cordial submission of the heart to the Redeemer’s righteousness, as a matter in which it is deeply interested; and with the mouth confession is made of our faith before God and men unto salvation, there being an inseparable connection between true faith and eternal beliefness; for the scripture faith, whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed; whatever his condition hath been, he will never be ashamed of Christ; and however great his guilt, no condemnation shall lie against him, either in time or eternity, but he shall have boldness in the day of judgment. Lord, in this faith may I be found, living and dying! making mention of thy righteousness only!

3. For * there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all, * is rich unto all that call upon him. 13. For * whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. 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, except they be sent? as it is written, * How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? 16. But * they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Eisaas faith, * Lord, who hath believed our report? 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, * their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses faith, * I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20. But Eisaas is very bold, and faith, * I was found of them that sought me not! I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21. But to Israel he faith, * All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainfaring people.

Romans 10:12-21

Under the gospel dispensation mankind are on a level, without respect to any people or nation. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; both have finned, and come short of the glory of God; both must be found freely by grace, through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ, or perish everlastingly: for the same Redeemer, who is Lord over all, is rich in grace, and boundless in mercy unto all that call upon him, as perishing and helpless without him. For, so it was foretold,

8 G Affix. 55.