Romans 10:5-13
Introduction
Most of us, at some point in our lives, know we need to be rescued. Life is hard, and as a result, we look for something or someone to save us from ourselves. We all have a hole in our souls and look for a way to fill it. Some look for it in religion, drugs or alcohol, and even love. Some look for it in power, wealth, and esteem. We all look for a way to fill it, but nothing can make us whole until we fill it with God. Deep down, we know that we need to be rescued.
In today’s passage, Paul tells us how we can be rescued through salvation, and it’s rather simple. It is so simple that a child can understand. He says, “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 (vs. 9).” nothing is confusing about that statement. He is telling us that God has already done the work. He has provided everything we need; all we have to do is confess and believe to be saved, yet the human heart still wrestles with this. Being saved is simple, but getting the human heart to take those steps is not. Confessing Jesus as Lord takes humility. Believing requires we acknowledge our desperate need and believe in the greatest miracle of all times. So, taking the steps is simple, but preparing the heart to take them is difficult. God sent His Son on a rescue mission to save us, but we must place our faith in Him and call on His name to be pulled from the rubble.
Out of the Rubble (Ro. 10:5-8)
• Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:11-14, emphasizing that just as Moses described the Law (Torah) as understandable, accessible, and achievable, this is even more so for the gospel.
• Let’s review the Old Testament passages Paul refers to and what Moses told Israel:
1. Vs. 6: They do not have to go to heaven to find the Torah; God had already taken the initiative and came down to them at Mt. Sinai.
2. Vs. 7: They didn’t need to explore other cultures or religions. God brought the Torah to them in their own language with simple clarity for everyone to understand.
3. Vs. 8: They needed to recite the Torah to memorize it and retain His commandments and to reflect on them to understand how to apply them in their lives (Jos. 1:8)
4. Vs. 5: Through Moses, God assured that those who love Him, follow His ways, and keep His commandments will be granted both spiritual fulfillment and prosperity.
• This promise is valid but challenging because we all inherited Adam’s rebellious spirit, and our powerful passions and appetites make it impossible to attain this high standard despite our efforts. But there is hope. God provided a way out of our rubble.
• Anyone who has confessed and believed has a “rubble story.” That moment, we were pulled from the miry clay as the bible says it. (Ps. 40:2).
• This vivid imagery reminds us that we were once in despair, trapped in the rubble of our sins and failures. Just as a person trapped in physical rubble desperately needs a rescuer, so too do our souls require divine intervention.
• Romans 10:5-8 elaborates on this rescue mission. Paul describes the righteousness that comes from the law and contrasts it with the righteousness that comes from faith in Jesus. He emphasizes that the Word is near us, in our mouths and our hearts.
• This means that salvation is not a distant, unattainable goal but rather something accessible and within our reach.
• When we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, we are lifted out of the rubble. It is as if God’s hand reaches down to pull us up, setting us on solid ground.
• The transformation is profound and life changing. No longer are we lost in the debris of our past; we stand firm, our footsteps guided by His grace.
• This passage encourages us to reflect on our own “rubble stories” and recognize the miraculous deliverance that God has provided.
• It also serves as a testament to His unwavering love and power to restore even the most broken of lives.
Confess and Believe (Ro. 10:9-10)
• Let’s review how Paul shares that what was true regarding the Torah is true for the gospel as well:
1. Vs. 6: We do not need to go to heaven and ask God to send a Savior. He already took the initiative to send His Son as a man.
2. Vs. 7: We do not have to wait for the promised Messiah. According to Acts 2:24-32 and Psalm 16:8-11, the Messiah has already been raised from the dead on the third day and has appeared to hundreds of people, including Paul.
3. Vs. 8-9: All we need to do is confess Jesus as our Lord and believe that God resurrected Him from the dead.
4. Vs. 10: To believe Jesus rose from the dead is to have faith like Abraham (Ro. 4:16-21; He 11:17-19) and, as a result, be given the gift of righteousness as he was (Ro 4:3; Gen. 15:16). Believing requires us to have genuine faith and confessing Him as Lord requires us to submit to Him and have courage.
• We confess Jesus as our Lord and live out the implications of that confession. We cling to Him as our risen Savior, trusting He forgives us and is our righteousness no matter what condemnation or shame comes our way. It’s so simple yet so challenging.
• What’s said with the mouth must accurately reflect what’s true in the heart. Words alone mean nothing. To confess Jesus as Lord means living out a true submission to Him in every area of our lives, refusing to deny Him when faced with persecution, and faithfully declaring allegiance to Him for a lifetime.
• In addition to confessing, a person must have genuine faith in their heart, and that faith must include other essential truths about Jesus. Nothing is more important than believing that He literally and physically rose from the dead. Paul selects the resurrection as the capstone for our Christian faith because it is the miracle that showcases God’s acceptance of His Son’s sacrifice for our sins on the cross.
• Believing in Jesus is being thoroughly convinced He is alive because you have met the risen Lord.
• Believing in Jesus is putting our complete trust in and committing my hope for eternal life to the fact that Jesus died on the cross so that when God raised Him from the dead, it meant our sins were forgiven entirely, and death and judgment passed away from us forever. Death has been conquered, and we will live for eternity with God.
• We are no longer bound by the condemnation of our past but are embraced by His grace and mercy.
Solid Rock (Ro. 10:11-13)
• The Good news is that God doesn’t play favorites. He has chosen to come and rescue us all as long as we confess and believe. Paul goes so far as to say, “We will not be disappointed (vs. 11).”
• In this passage, we see that when we are stuck in a broken world, we can’t see life outside of that brokenness unless we are rescued and our feet placed on a solid rock where our perspective will be completely and utterly transformed.
• In Romans 10:11-13, Paul emphasizes that “everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” This passage reveals God’s impartiality and universal offer of salvation. No matter our background or past, if we confess and believe in Jesus, we are assured of His saving grace. God doesn’t play favorites; His call is to all humanity, beckoning us to step into the light of His salvation.
• As we trust in Jesus and accept His offer of salvation, God pulls us out of the rubble of our sins and failures. He puts our feet on a solid rock, transforming our perspective and giving us a new foundation.
• This is why Jesus is called the cornerstone in (Eph 2:20-22) “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
• This solid rock symbolizes stability, security, and hope—a firm place where we can build our lives anew, free from the condemnation of our past.
• The gospel is not merely just communication of information. The Spirit comes and opens our understanding. He comes and convicts and makes us aware of God’s presence. Most of what happens is unspoken. At this moment, we decide to yield, delay, or refuse Him.
• He reaches toward us with open arms, patiently waiting to pull us from the rubble. Then, we are free to confess and believe.
Conclusion
Much like a rescue, the victim must confess and believe they are in need. As hikers who have fallen and are stuck on the mountain’s edge, we are also stuck in a fading and decaying world.
God sent His Son on a rescue mission to save us, but we must place our faith in Him and call on His name to be pulled from the rubble. Jesus is reaching His hand down to grasp ours. Will we acknowledge Him as the one God sent to rescue us from this fading, broken world? Will we confess and believe and allow him to take our hand and pull us from the rubble of this world?
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean to you personally to ‘confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead__’?
- Reflect on a time when you felt like you were standing on ‘solid rock’ in your faith. What circumstances or experiences led to that feeling__?
- How can we cultivate a heart that is more receptive to God’s rescue mission in our lives and the lives of others__?