Bible Study: Salvation- Pastor Tommy O’Dell

A SPECIAL STUDY ABOUT SALVATION:

Most Christians have heard of the “Roman Road” which is by far the most well-known and well-used “plan of salvation”. Generally, it presents the following verses: Rom. 3:23, then to Rom 6:23 onto Rom 5:8 and then finally to Rom 10:9.10 and 13. In this lesson we are using the 10th chapter of Romans offering an exegesis what Paul had to say regarding “The apparent failure of the promises to Israel explained by their unbelief.” Romans 9,10,11 are said to be “Parenthetic” chapters which often occur in Scripture. In Chapter 9, Paul discuses the nation of Israel as a whole having rejected the Gospel and having God reject them because of that rejection. We must be careful however to remember that the nation’s rejection of Christ and the Gospel DOES NOT in any way negate the covenants God made with His people, Israel.

Then in chapter10, the first word opens the door for what Paul is about to discuss. That word is “Brethren.” Notice in chapter 9:3 he uses the word “kinsman” indicating here that he speaks of the Jewish people. However in 10:1, when he uses the word “Brethren” he is addressing those to whom the book was written- “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.”- Rom 1:7. This then would seem to set forth the purpose of Chapter 10 as being like this- “OK if God has set aside the nation of Israel, is there any hope for the Jews individually?” Remember He had concluded both Jew and Gentile “all under sin”-Rom 3:9.

1. Salvation is DESIRED- Rom 10:1,2 Paul expresses his desire for the Jews to be saved. That is a natural (actually, supernatural) inclination in the heart of every true Christian-to see people saved. This desire in his heart went to his knees as he prayed for their salvation. Then, in verse 2-Paul bears record that they (the Jews) had a zeal for God.What is zeal if it isn’t a desire? While no man seeks God for salvation, yet there is a built-in need in the heart of man for some sort of connection with someone, something that can satisfy the emptiness of man’s soul. This is the  reason we have religion with is Man-Made. In Romans 9:32, we see that they “sought it (righteousness) not by faith”. He further states that their zeal for God was “not according to Knowledge.”  What Knowledge is he speaking about?  That would be of the “knowledge of the Gospel” which was the “power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”-Rom 1:16.  I Pet. 1:2 gives an interesting statement regarding the mater of DESIRE for the things of God- specifically salvation.  Notice, “…the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.”
2. Salvation DISTORTED- In Rom 10:3-7, we have a great treatise of how the Jews got the “simple plan of salvation” so messed up. Let’s examine these verses so to see how they distorted God’s salvation plan.
3. 3- Their ignorance was a “willful” ignorance. One writer said, “Ignorance in the midst of light is criminal.” These Jews had been given the oracles of God (3:2) which provided them the advantage over the Gentiles. They were ignorant of God’s righteousness (though it had been revealed in the OT) and as a result they began the distortion of “God’s way” and began to establish their “own way”. Isaiah had likened this to “a bed that is too short and a covering that is too narrow”- Is. 28:20.  Thus came pride which has been called “the parent of unbelief.”
4. 4. –Simply put, this verse states that Christ is God’s appointed way for making man righteous. The offer of this righteousness is “to  everyone that believeth.”
5. 5-Paul cites Moses from Lev. 18:5, where we see that if a man desire righteousness via the law, it would require “perfect obedience” to every facet of the law.
6. 6,7- Here Paul points to the contrast in “righteousness which is by faith” which as he says “speaketh on this wise”. Paul first asserts what it DOES NOT say. He begins by informing us that it is a “heart matter” which will become clearer later Here Paul quotes from Deut.30:11-14, Paul compares what Moses had said regarding the “bringing the law down from heaven” and the need for “searching for the law over the sea” to both the “Incarnation and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Paul is stating here that man had nothing to do with either the incarnation or resurrection- God did it all!

Like all men who attempt to find their way to God, they invent various and sundry ways to do so, but miserably failing to achieve their goal. More often, they use isolated verses or verses out of context to try to develop a plan to appease God.  Hence, we see the baptismal regeneration crowd, the good works crowd and the 10 Commandments crowd all destined to fail.