I. God’s Method Of Salvation
A. Not By The Law Vs. 4, 5
1. V. 4– The Jews (anyone) wrongly tried to be righteous by obeying the Law.
a. Guzik– The law ends for the believer in the sense that our obedience to the law is no longer the basis for our relationship with God. The law has not come to an end in the sense of no longer reflecting God’s standard or no longer showing us our need for a Savior.
b. Morris- “Once we grasp the decisive nature of Christ’s saving work we see the irrelevance of all legalism”.
c. Conversely, righteousness is available to everyone by faith.
2. V. 5- Paul demonstrates that justification by faith is not a new idea. Lev. 18:5
a. Alternate translation: “The man who does those things by them shall live.”
b. “If you do these things, you will live”. (If you do all of them)
c. James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
d. The Law is an “all or nothing” approach. EX- Law enforcement testing
B. God’s Salvation Is Obtainable And Near Vs. 6-8
1. Vs. 6 & 7- Paul shows the contrast of (supposed) justification by works vs. faith
2. Salvation isn’t something we need to make happen
a. Paul paraphrases Old Testament passages that were proverbial in the Talmud (2nd most holy Jewish Book after Torah (first five books of Bible)
b. Huffington Post 6/3/2012– Annually, 100,00,000 people make pilgrimages to special spiritual places, hoping to gain wisdom, a spiritual experience, transformation, or eternal salvation.
i. Ganges River– Hinduism believes that they can have their sins washed away by plunging into the Ganges River. If a person dies near the River they die on hallowed ground, and are guaranteed salvation. If one dies and is cremated, and their ashes are spread in the River, they too can be saved. One certain Hindu Festival happens every 12 years, and it is then that certain Hindu hermits from the Himalayas come to the Ganges to bathe. Up to 1.1 million
ii. The Jews interpreted the Torah has giving them 613 laws to obey, 365, negatives, and 248 positives. They sought salvation this way.
c. In contrast- John 1:14 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
d. The righteousness that comes by faith does not demand that we accomplish these types of things, but it does demand that we believe what Jesus has accomplished for us.
3. V. 8- Salvation is so close, only a breath and a heartfelt prayer away.
a. The Holy Spirit is with (para) us, and in an instant can be in us.
b. A person only needs to believe in and receive Jesus.
C. God’s Salvation Is All Of Faith Vs. 9, 10
1. V. 9- Confess- to agree with, to agree about
a. William Barclay-We can never forget all that it meant to say that Jesus Christ is Lord; “If a man called Jesus kurios he was ranking him with the Emperor and with God; he was giving him the supreme place in his life; he was pledging him implicit obedience and reverent worship.”
b. Robertson- “No Jew would do this who had not really trusted Christ, for Kurios in the LXX is used of God. No Gentile would do it who had not ceased worshipping the emperor as Kurios. The word Kurios was and is the touchstone of faith.”
c. The “mouth” reflects the intellectual assent to this truth.
d. The “heart” speaks of faith that springs forth from the soul.
e. It is expected that saving faith will be both believed and observable.
f. The confession of faith includes believing that Jesus was raised and lives.
2. NOTE- Chapter 9 spoke of God’s sovereign election, chapter 10 of man’s free will.
3. V. 10- Not a separate thought from verse 9, but a continuation and restatement.
a. Righteousness and salvation are two aspects of believing the Gospel.
D. Available To All People Vs. 11-13
1. V. 11- Paul quotes Isaiah 28:16, once again proving that the message is not new.
a. The offer of righteousness and salvation by faith is for all people.
b. None are excluded for any reason.
c. There is the promise of not being ashamed if we believe.
d. We may be ridiculed in this life, but in eternity, there will be great relief.
2. V. 12- Once again, Paul states that the Gospel is offered to all peoples.
a. No distinction- All people can and must be saved the same way, by faith.
b. Rich- rich in mercy, grace, assistance, power, wisdom, patience
c. Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
d. Ephesians 1:7, 8a 7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8which He made to abound toward us…
e. The only condition is that one call upon Him in true faith.
3. V. 13– Paul quotes Joel 2:32
a. Whoever means whoever. Anyone, regardless of who or what they are.
Regardless of what you have or haven’t done.
b. Calls- not works, not improves, not keeps promises
c. The Lord-Not upon another person, place, or thing, not self, or experience
d. Saved- Not improved (though that’s true), not bettered (that’s true), not enlightened (though insight and wisdom is gained).
i. Salvation is primary. Life change follows.
e. Saved- to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction (from injury or peril), to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health, to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue, to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment.