Romans 10:01-21 God’s unchanging love for Israel
This is the chapter of Faith like Hebrews 11. It talks about the value of faith in Christ. A simple formula for Salvation is to confess that Jesus is the Lord and you shall be saved. Christ is the end of the Law and the beginning of the new grace. In this chapter, Paul mentions the zeal of the Jews, the Zeal of Paul for the missions, and the zeal of God.
1. Zealous Jews
Paul commends the credentials of the Jews as the people who are zealous for God. They are ignorant of the knowledge of God and rejected the righteousness of God, who is Christ. They thought they could live by the Law but the problem is no one could live up to the demands of the Law. Christ has become the end of the Law, those who believe in Christ shall live by the faith. The faith he talks about is the faith in Christ’s redemptive power which the Jews couldn’t understand and underestimated. Paul affirms that everyone who calls the name of the Lord will be saved. Paul unfolds the easiest way for their salvation is to openly confess that Jesus is the Christ, whom they were waiting for years together.
2. Zealous of Paul
Paul desired the salvation of his people, the Jews. He wanted them to accept Christ. So that they would be useful instruments in the hands of God. So, Paul raises an important question of the salvation experience of the people who never heard the Gospel. He moves on to raise questions about preaching, teaching, counseling and going to people. Then he wants to praise the people who do the work of the Lord, he praises the people who took the preaching or ministry as an important responsibility. Paul was an apostle for Gentiles. He was very happy to suffer for the Gospel but he had an inner desire for his people.
3. Zealous of God
Paul also mentions the zeal of God for all of his creation. God has concerns for the salvation of the Jews and the Gentiles. He quotes from Isaiah 28:16 to say that everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. God desires all to be saved whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Because he is the God of the whole universe, God of all races, nationalities, tribes, and peoples’ groups. Those who accept Christ are sharing same identity and grace. Nothing to boast about and nothing to feel ashamed of in Christ. Paul quotes Psalm 19:4 to prove that God reaches the world through his creations. But the rebel always does wicked things and continues to blame the system and others rather than accepting the self. Paul says that God sent his prophets to Israel but they never obeyed his voice. They are rebellious and indulged in opposing the righteousness of God.
Discussion:
1. What are the areas of Zeal Christians identifying with the Jews?
2. Why Paul was so concerned about Jews? What lesson to arrive at?
3. Comment on the Zealous of God.
(further studies on Romans by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan, please refer in this cite)
