Romans 10 (Listen)

10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for

  “Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
    and their words to the ends of the world.”

19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

  “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
    with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

  “I have been found by those who did not seek me;
    I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”




Devotional:

One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:10 CSB)

By this point in Romans, we have heard the good news of the gospel. But have we just heard it, or have we believed it? Hearing is not the same as believing. When we believe in our hearts that Christ died to save us, we are made right with God through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. But that belief should rise like a lump in our throats to proclaim that Jesus is Lord. How else will anyone hear the good news? From head to heart to hands and mouth. Hear it, believe it, share it. Fall in love with the God who first loved you and then pass it on. God can use your heart-filled words to bring others to the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Pray it: Father, I believe in my heart and now confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, the risen Son of God who has come to save me from my sins. Thank you for saving me and everyone who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus. Help me to call upon you, not just to save me, but to guide me each and every day. Amen!

Share it: Who is someone you can share a verse or thought from this passage with?