Have you ever considered something to be too hard to do so that you do not even try to do it? There have been things that I have looked at, maybe did a little research on it, and then decided that it was too hard for me to do. This has been particularly true when it comes to working on my car. I have watched videos, saw the degree of difficulty, and thought that there was no way that I could do what I am watching. What I want us to think about as we begin is that there are many things in life that we do not attempt because we think it will be too hard to do. Sometimes this thinking bleeds into how we look at serving the Lord. Moses addressed this in one of his final sermons to the people of Israel.
In Deuteronomy 27-30 Moses is proclaiming his final sermon to the people before the people enter into the promised land. In his final sermon he reminds them about their parents’ failures in the wilderness. Their failure was to be a motivation for them to obey where their parents had failed. In this renewed covenant, Moses proclaims the blessings and the curses of the covenant. If the people would faithfully obey the Lord, then overwhelming blessings would be with the people. The Lord would protect and provide for his people. However, if they did not faithfully obey the voice of the Lord, then there would be consequences for their decisions. Rather than protection and provision, they would have no rest or security. They would lose everything that the Lord had promised that they could enjoy. This is the righteousness of the Law. You will live if you do all that God has spoken to do.
But Moses’ sermon does not end on that note. He does not wrap up by telling them that they need to choose to obey the Lord to live and to disobey the Lord will be punishment. In Deuteronomy 30 Moses tells the people what is going to happen. He tells them in Deuteronomy 30:1 that both the blessings and the curses are going to come upon them. In other words, they are not going to succeed in obeying the Lord and they will experience judgment for their sins. But then Moses continued to preach a message of hope. If, after they are removed from the land because of their sins, they turn their hearts back to the Lord and obey his voice with all their heart and soul, then the Lord would restore their fortunes and have mercy on them again (cf. Deuteronomy 30:2-3). The Lord would change their hearts so that they would love the Lord will all their heart and soul so that they would live (cf. Deuteronomy 30:6). This new heart would bring out their obedience. Now they will listen to the voice of the Lord and keep his commands (cf. Deuteronomy 30:8-10).
Moses concludes by removing any excuses the people may want to offer up to Moses or to the Lord. Moses tells the people that what the Lord is telling them to do is not too hard and is not beyond their reach (cf. Deuteronomy 30:11). Do not say that it is in heaven or beyond the sea. The imagery here is that God’s commands are so high and so far off that we cannot come near them to hear them or do them (cf. Deuteronomy 30:12-13). Rather, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it (cf. Deuteronomy 30:15). It is not too far away. It is not too hard. It is near you. You can do it. Good and evil have been set before you. Choose to obey the Lord. Love the Lord. Hold fast to the Lord for he is your life (cf. Deuteronomy 30:16-20). With this, Moses ends his sermon of hope. Seek the Lord. God will change your hearts. You will love him and obey him. This is the scripture Paul is referring to in Romans 10 that we must know so we can understand two key questions that Paul is answering and explaining. How were the people supposed to succeed? Why did Israel fail? Paul’s answer will teach us how we will be able to succeed and avoid Israel’s failure to enjoy the eternal blessings of God. Open your copies of God’s word to Romans 10 and we are going to begin our study in Romans 10:5.
The Righteousness of Faith (10:5-9)
In Romans 10 we see that Paul gives his explanation of what we just looked at in Deuteronomy 30. In Romans 10:5 we see Paul remind us of the righteousness based on law. The person who does the commandments will live by them. But, as Paul has declared in Romans 3, there is no one who is righteous. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one has kept God’s law. But there is also the righteousness of faith (cf. Romans 10:6). With this, you see Paul quoting what we just looked at in Deuteronomy 30 in Romans 10:6-8. Do not say that it is too hard or out of reach to do what God requires. But carefully notice why we can love and obey the Lord. Paul adds his explanation in Romans 10:6-8. We do not have to ascend into heaven to bring Christ down to us. He came down for us, lived as the perfect Lamb of God, and died for us sins. We do not have to descend into the abyss to raise Christ from the dead to have victory over sin and death. Christ did raise from the dead for redemption. The word that saves you if you will love the Lord and listen to his word is near you. It is in your heart and it is in your mouth. Paul is saying that the gospel message he and his companions are proclaiming is the word of faith, the message of salvation (cf. Romans 10:8).
Now look at Romans 10:9-10. Is Paul now saying that all a person needs to do is to just say the words that Jesus is Lord? Is that the message we have been looking at and is that the meaning of what Moses proclaimed? The message Moses proclaimed that Paul is exploring is that God was going to change (circumcise) the people’s hearts so that now they would love the Lord and keep his commands. Paul is not quoting this scripture to say that you do not need to keep the Lord’s commands. Rather, Paul is saying that Christ coming down for our sins and raising from the dead for our justification is the word of faith that will change our hearts so that we will desire to obey him. Romans 10:9-10 is not teaching us to just say some words or utter a prayer and you will be saved. Rather, the gospel message is what creates the changed heart so that we believe with all our heart and confess Jesus is Lord to be saved.
The Inclusion of Faith (10:10-13)
Now I want you to notice the point Paul wants us to hear. In Romans 10:10-13 the point is not about the changed heart that leads to faith. Romans has already covered this idea. Rather, the point in these verses is to show that everyone who hears this message can be saved. In verse 11 Paul emphasizes that it is “everyone” who believes will not be put to shame. In verse 12 Paul emphasizes that there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles for this salvation word of faith. The Lord is the same Lord to all people, regardless of ethnicity or culture, and bestows his riches on any person who calls on him. In verse 13 Paul again emphasizes that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The emphasis is on the words “everyone” and “all.” No one is left out of this gospel message call. As Moses said in Deuteronomy 30, Israel was going to have another chance to turn their hearts to the Lord, so as to love him and obey him with all their heart and soul.
Faith Comes By Hearing (10:14-17)
Now Paul sets up a series of questions to show the importance of the word of faith, this gospel message that Paul and his companions are proclaiming. In verse 14 Paul asks how are people going to call on the name of the Lord to be saved if they have not believed. This radical change of heart so that we will love and obey the Lord can only occur if we believe the gospel message. But no one can believe the gospel message if they have not heard it proclaimed. But no one can hear to the gospel message if no one is preaching it. But no one is going to preach the gospel message if they are not sent. But the greater point Paul is making as that this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled. They are the ones who have been sent to preach this good news message so that all who believe will experience this change of heart and be saved.
Now listen to verse 16 because this sets the direction for the rest of this chapter. “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.” God’s mercy is being extended. God’s message of salvation is being proclaimed. The word is going to everyone. The ability to have a changed heart that leads to a changed life is now here. So why is Paul upset about his own kinsmen, the Israelites? Because not all of them have obeyed the gospel. But this is what the prophets said would happen, which is quoted at the end of Romans 10:16. This quotation comes from Isaiah 53:1 which is the beginning section of the suffering servant prophecy. Now this leads us to a question that Paul keeps bringing up and answering. Why did they not obey? Why did they not respond to the good news? Moses said that this was going to be the way. Why didn’t they listen?
This leads Paul to state a critical truth in verse 17. Faith comes by hearing the word. Hearing the word of salvation is through the word of Christ. This is a really important point that we must focus on. Faith comes through the hearing of God’s word. You will notice that Paul does not give a bunch of options here on how to have faith. If you are struggling with your faith, I want you to look right here. Am I spending time in the word of God? Am I listening to the word of God? Am I following the word of God? If you are wanting your faith to grow and strengthen, I want you to look right here. Am I spending time in the word of God? Am I listening to the word of God? Am I following the word of God? There is no other way. There is no other way to circumvent this process. Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.
Faith Rejected (10:18-21)
So is the problem that Israel did not hear the word of faith? Paul says in Romans 10:18 that they have heard the message. Is it that Israel did not understand? Paul says in Romans 10:19 that they should have understood because Moses said it and Isaiah said it (cf. Romans 10:20). God made it clear that Gentiles would do what Israel failed to do. Paul notes that both Moses and Isaiah said it. So what is the issue? Why did Israel fail? Why are they not listening to the message? Look at Romans 10:21.
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” (Romans 10:21 ESV)
Paul goes straight to the point. There is no excuse. It is not that they have not heard. It is not that they could not understand. It is not that it had not been revealed in the scriptures. The problem is simply being a disobedient and contrary people. There is no other place to put the blame. To remind us of what Paul said in Romans 10:1-4, they did not want to submit to God’s righteousness.
The Hearing of the Gospel
Now I want to proclaim the good news to you that Paul proclaimed. What the Lord has asked from us is not too hard. Do not say in your heart that God’s commands are beyond our reach. God’s requirements are not burdensome (cf. 1 John 5:3). Jesus declared that his yoke is easy and his burden is light (cf. Matthew 11:30). God is not asking you to go up to heaven. The Father sent Christ down. God is not asking you to descend into the abyss. The Father raised Christ from the dead. The word of salvation is not far from you. It is near you. God is being honest with us and exposing our hearts. If we hear God’s commands and we say in our hearts that this is too hard or it is beyond us, God says it is not beyond us. Rather we are being like Israel. God is holding his hands out to a contrary people. It is not too hard. It is not beyond you. The message of Christ is able to change your heart to change your life so that you will believe with your all your heart and soul and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord. You see that true belief obeys. True love obeys the word of Christ.
But if you come to God and you are ready to listen, then the path of righteousness is before you. The word is near you. If you are ready to listen and are letting God’s words be in your mouth and transform your heart, you can be saved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But understand what Paul was teaching. Paul was teaching that those who will be saved are the ones who hear God’s word, believe with all their heart, and now live their lives obeying what God has told them to do. Did Paul teach something different than Peter in Acts 2:38? Not at all. Peter said to repent and be baptized to be saved. Paul said to believe with all your heart so that your mouth and life confesses Jesus as Lord so as to obey him, no longer being a contrary and disobedient people. It is the same heart that seeks to do God’s will. It is not too hard. God has made it possible through Christ Jesus. Hear the gospel and respond and you will be saved.