Salvation By The Law? – Romans 10.1-13 Pt 2

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.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (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,” 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. 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10.1-13).[1]
 
Memory Verses: 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. 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. (Romans 10.9-10) & Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10.13).

      Salvation is made possible by Jesus Christ, to all who will confess Him as Lord and Savior of their lives, and who will believe in their hearts God has raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It is very important we do not miss these two elements, many people believe it is ok to confess Jesus Christ, to ask Him into their life. But they are missing an important element ‘Lord,’ this term ‘Lord’ means “One who exercises supernatural authority over mankind.”
      We do not like to ask Jesus Christ to be Lord of our lives because it means He will be in-control and we want to be in-control. But to really be a follower of Christ we need to allow Christ to have full access to our lives, to be able to open every door in our hearts, minds, and soul. If we are closing off rooms to Him what are we trying to hide? Remember God knows everything anyway, so what are we thinking by keeping Him out?
      Our thoughts are our own, and if we can keep Christ separated from them then we will be able to have our life and a life with Christ. Problem, this is not what God ever intended for us. Not from the very beginning and not now.
      In the beginning God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden. He would come in the cool of the evening and talk with them. But when sin entered into their lives all that changed, they were forever separated from their Creator. It did not mean He did not still love them and watched out for them but their relationship had changed.
      In the same way when Christ came and died on the cross, He provided a way for us to get that kind of relationship back. “Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the throne room of Almighty God, by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10.18, ESV, emphasis added),[2] we can come before our Heavenly Father in a way which was never possible before. Because of Christ’s blood, we are “washed white as snow” (Isaiah 1.18), and all God sees in our perfectness, created through Jesus Christ.
      This was why God could walk with Adam and Eve, they were perfect before sin, and because of Christ’s sacrifice we too, in God’s eye, are perfect, without sin. This is God’s righteousness put upon us through Jesus Christ, and why we need to allow Christ to be more than just the Savior of our lives, but the Lord of our lives. Will we let Him rule complete within us today?
      There is one final reason why we must allow Jesus Christ to be Lord of our lives. Because if we do not, we are not much different than the demons. The apostle James writes, “You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder” (James 2.19, HCSB).[3] Moses told the Israelites, “The Lord our God, the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6.4).
      In Mark 1.25, 5.1-21 and Luke 4.34 we have examples of demons knowing who Jesus Christ was even when His very disciples did not. In Mark’s gospel right at the beginning Jesus is confronted by a demon in church. He “cried out, “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1.25, CSB).[4] Later in chapter five Jesus comes to the shore of Gerasenes where two unique things happen with these demons. When they see Jesus from a distance, they run toward Him and kneel down before Him; second, they cried out, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, don’t torment me!”[5]
      If the demons will give Jesus Christ honor and respect knowing Who He is, what His power is, and what He can do, why will we not do the same and more knowing all that Christ has done for us. Jesus did not die for the demons, He did not die for the angels, He did not die for anyone else but the human race. It is up to us to accept His free gift of Salvation, to ask Him into our lives and allow Him to be Lord over all, not part, not most of it, but Lord over all.
 
Application

1. Why do you need the blood of Jesus Christ to cover you? Please explain.
2. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10.32, “If you declare Me before men, I will declare you before My Father in Heaven.” Why is it important for you to declare Jesus is Lord with your mouth? Please explain.
3. Deeper Thinking: We have spent two lessons talking about “Jesus as Lord.” Why is it important for you to allow Jesus Christ to be Lord of your life for now and forever? Please explain and share some scriptures.
4. If you have not already done so, make a commitment today to share the gospel with at least one person and continue to memorize the Romans Road 3.23, 5.8, 6.23 10.9-10, and 13.

 
 Prayer
 
          Almighty Father, Lord of the Heavens, “SAVIOUR divine, we know Thy name, And in that name we trust; Thou art the Lord our righteousness, Thou art Thine Israel’s boast. Guilty we plead before Thy throne, And low in dust we lie, Till Jesus stretched His gracious arm To bring the guilty nigh.”[6] Lord I need You to be the Lord of my life, You need to have full access to every corner of my life, my heart, my mind and my soul. Lord please take control and reign supreme in me. There is no way I can do anything without You at the helm of my being, so I am giving my all to You today. I ask You to provide me the ability to see the opportunities to share Your gospel today, to seize upon them and share Your truth without fear or shame. All this I pray in Your Son Jesus Christ’s Name, Amen.

[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Ro 10:1–13). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Heb 10:19). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jas 2:19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Mk 1:23–24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Mk 5:7). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Spurgeon, C. H. (1883). Our Own Hymn Book: A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Public, Social and Private Worship. London: Passmore & Alabaster.

You Can Download This Blog Here – November 10 – Romans 10.1-13 Pt 4