Romans 10:5-15

The New Way of Righteousness.

Romans 10:5. The legal plan was Do, and thou shalt live (Leviticus 18:5).

Romans 10:6. But there is a deeper secret: behind the deed the heart, voiced by the mouth; and with the heart man believes, with the mouth confesses (Romans 10:10). To believe unto righteousness is to believe so as to gain righteousness (Romans 4:4 f.). In the oracle of Deuteronomy 30:12 f., the righteousness that comes of faith spoke from the inmost of man (Romans 10:6; Romans 10:8). The heaven it pointed to is that from which Christ came down; the abyss, the region of the dead whence He was brought up (Romans 10:7). The word then so nigh has become the word of faith which we proclaim, running to this effect: If thou confessest with thy mouth that Jesus is Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 12:3, etc.), and believest in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou wilt be saved (Romans 10:8 f.). The mouth-confession, regularly made in baptism, declared and sealed the heart-faith (Romans 6:3 *). His resurrection established Christ's Lordship (Romans 1:4; Acts 2:36, etc.). Paul quotes Dt. as disclosing heart-religion beneath the legal economy, in language appropriate to Christian faith.

Romans 10:11. Once more it appears, as the prophets teach us, that there is no distinction of Jew and Greek in point of salvation as of transgression (see Romans 3:22, etc.); that the same Lord is Lord of all (cf. Romans 3:29 f.), since He is rich in bounty to all that call upon Him the all is borne out by Joel's oracle, which Peter cited at Pentecost inviting all the world to call on the name of the Lord (Acts 2:21).

Romans 10:14 f. Such invocation presumes faith; faith, hearing; hearing, preaching; and preaching, a Divine commission. Through the apostolate Christ linked the nations to Himself (Acts 18, etc.). How welcome the bearers of such a message! (Romans 10:15 b).