Romans for Youth
Commentary by Pastor Ron Beckham

Romans Chapter 10

Verse 1.  “Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for (their) salvation.”

Paul, a Jew, loved the Jewish people.  Paul prayed a lot, and his chief prayer was that his people, the Jews, would TRUST in Jesus Christ and be SAVED.

Verse 2.  “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.”

Paul knew that the Jews WANTED God, but they did not try to “get” Him in the right way.

Verse 3.  “For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”

God is pure and holy.  The Jews of Paul’s time tried to be pure and holy without trusting in God!  What they should have done is have faith in the Lord  –  we need HIS “righteousness” (purity and holiness), not our own.

Verse 4.  “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Faith in Christ makes you right with God.  When you BELIEVE in Jesus, you are not under God’s Law.  You are FREE when you TRUST in the Lord.

Verse 5.  “For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.”

Moses said that if you keep God’s Law, you will live (Leviticus 18:5).  The problem is that nobody can keep God’s Law.

Verse 6.  “But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: ‘Do not say in your heart, 'who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down),”

These verses are from Deuteronomy 30:12-14.  Paul quotes Moses: Can we go up to heaven (by our “good works”) to be saved?”  It would be like trying to bring Jesus Christ down to us by something WE have done!  It can’t happen!

Verse 7.  “or 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”

To try and be saved by something YOU do, would be like trying to go to the bottom of the ocean to find your savior (Christ).

Verse 8.  “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ – that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,”

The “Word” of God, Jesus Christ, is right here, next to you.  You don’t have to try hard to find Him  –  you have to have “faith” (believe) in the Lord, just as Paul (who wrote the Book of Romans) has been saying.

Verse 9.  “that 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;”

What do you have to do to be “saved” (made right with God)?  You only have to “believe” in Jesus as your Lord.  He loves you and died for you, and God RAISED Him from the dead.  BELIEVE in Him and be willing to tell others about Him!

Verse 10.  “for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus with all your heart and you’ll be RIGHT with God.  Then be willing to tell others about Him.  You WILL be saved!

Verse 11.  “For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’”

Paul quotes Isaiah 28:16.  If you try to be made right with God by your “good works,” you will be disappointed.  Just BELIEVE in the Lord and you will never be sorry.

Verse 12.  “For 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;”

We are all just  –  people!  And ALL of us can be saved by just BELIEVING in the Lord.  He gives EVERYTHING to all who just “call” out to Him.  Just say, “Help me, Lord,” and He will.

Verse 13.  “for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

This verse quotes Joel 2:32, which (in 2:31) talks about “blood and fire and… smoke,” referring to the “great and terrible day of the Lord.”  It’s about the wonder of Jesus  –  Whoever is willing to “call on” (trust in) the Lord “WILL be saved.”

Verse 14.  “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”

It’s important to have: 1) a “preacher” (pastor) sent by God, who, 2) tells you the message of Jesus. You are to 3) hear “what” he said, and 4) “believe” in the Lord.

Verse 15.  “How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’”

This verse quotes Isaiah 52:7.  It’s WONDERFUL to hear good news, and we often like the people who tell us good news.  Those who tell us about Jesus are giving us the best news of all.

Verse 16.  “However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’”

Isaiah Chapter 53 is a “picture” of the Cross of Jesus.  Paul quotes verse 1 of Isaiah 53, where the Lord through the prophet asks: Who believed it when we told others about Jesus Christ?  (Many, including many Jewish people, did not believe).

Verse 17.  “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

The Bible is all about Jesus Christ.  When we hear the words of the Bible we are hearing about the Lord, and when we really LISTEN to those words, we are given the faith to believe in Him.

Verse 18.  “But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; ‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.’”

The Holy Spirit has taken God’s Word to everyone In the world.  God doesn’t need our help, but it is certainly a blessing when He sends us to tell others about Jesus.  In this verse, Paul quotes Psalm 19:4, where David said that God’s creation shows Him to us.

Verse 19.  “But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, ‘I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation, by a nation without understanding will I anger you.’”

Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:21, where Israel was warned through Moses that God would make them “jealous” by His love for the Gentiles (those who are not Jews).

Verse 20.  “And Isaiah is very bold and says, ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.’”

God is often found by those who are not looking for Him (a quote of Isaiah 65:1).  Most Jews of Paul’s time lacked FAITH in the Lord, and it was a surprise to everyone that many Gentiles (non-Jews) were saying “yes” to the call of God.

Verse 21.  “But as for Israel He says, ‘all the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’”

Paul quotes the words of Isaiah 65:2 - Israel had been disobedient to God by trying to be “good” instead of trusting in the Lord.  You and I are to have FAITH in the Lord.  Our “works” are just not good enough.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org