Bible Study Romans 10
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Romans 10 · WEB

Confessing Jesus as Lord

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Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.
2For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them."
6But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down);
7or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)"
8But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
9that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."
12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.
13For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."
14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?
15And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"
16But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"
17So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
18But I say, didn't they hear? Yes, most certainly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
19But I ask, didn't Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."
20Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who didn't seek me. I was revealed to those who didn't ask for me."
21But as to Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people."
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Summary

Paul's heart's prayer is that Israel be saved — they have zeal for God but not according to knowledge, and in trying to establish their own righteousness they have missed the righteousness God offers in Christ, who is the goal and fulfillment of the law. The righteousness of faith is not hidden or far — it's near, in your mouth and heart: confess Jesus as Lord, believe in the heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved. There is no distinction between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all, rich to all who call on him. But how can people call on one they haven't heard about? That is why preachers are sent and feet that bring good news are beautiful. Faith comes by hearing the message of Christ. Israel heard, but did not all obey; Moses and Isaiah long ago foretold that God would be found by those who weren't seeking — while his hands remained stretched out all day toward a disobedient people.

Themes

  • Zeal without knowledge is no substitute for the gospel
  • Christ as the goal of the law
  • The simple, near accessibility of saving faith
  • Universal scope: no Jew/Gentile distinction in salvation
  • The necessity of preaching for faith to come

Key verses

  • Romans 10:13 — “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
  • Romans 10:17 — “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
  • Romans 10:4 — “Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
  • Romans 10:9 — “If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Context & background

Written c. AD 56-57 from Corinth. The "zeal for God but not according to knowledge" (v. 2) is precisely how Paul described his own pre-conversion life (Philippians 3:6). Paul's startling reading of Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (vv. 6-8) — originally about Moses' commandment being near, not hidden in heaven or across the sea — is repurposed to describe how the word of faith in Christ is just as near. The confession "Jesus is Lord" (v. 9) was a foundational baptismal confession in the early church and a defiance of the imperial cult that demanded "Caesar is Lord." The quotation in v. 13 is Joel 2:32 — the same verse Peter quoted at Pentecost (Acts 2:21), applied to anyone who calls on the name of Jesus. Verse 15 quotes Isaiah 52:7; v. 16 quotes Isaiah 53:1; v. 18 quotes Psalm 19:4; v. 19 quotes Deuteronomy 32:21; vv. 20-21 quote Isaiah 65:1-2 — a sustained scriptural argument that everything happening now was already written. The "beautiful feet" passage has become a classic call to missions.

Cross-references

  • Acts 2:21 — Peter applies the same Joel verse at Pentecost.
  • Deuteronomy 30:11-14 — Paul's transformation of the "near" word in vv. 6-8.
  • Isaiah 52:7 — "How beautiful are the feet of him who brings good news" — quoted in v. 15.
  • Isaiah 53:1 — "Who has believed our report?" — quoted in v. 16.
  • Joel 2:32 — "Whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be saved" — quoted in v. 13.

Check your reading

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  1. Observe

    According to Romans 10:9, what two things are required for salvation?

  2. Observe

    What does Romans 10:17 say about the origin of faith?

  3. Interpret

    Romans 10:4 says "Christ is the fulfillment (telos) of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Is "fulfillment" best understood as the law's termination, its goal, or both?

  4. Interpret

    Romans 10:14-15 presents a chain: people call on what they believe, believe what they hear, hear through a preacher, and preachers must be sent. What does this chain reveal about how God has chosen to bring people to faith?

  5. Apply

    Romans 10:2 says Israel had "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." Where might a sincere Christian today have high religious zeal that is similarly missing the gospel?

  6. Apply

    Romans 10:15 calls the feet of those who bring good news "beautiful." How should this verse shape a believer's view of their own involvement in sharing the gospel?

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