Romans 10.5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I think this is a great verse, and for years I've tried to grasp what is being said. Some of it is very plain and clear: we are saved simply by confessing Jesus to be our Lord. When we confess him, somehow he enters into our heart, and with our heart we can believe in him, confess him, and do what he wishes.
Jesus is able to enter into our hearts because he gives his Spirit to those who choose to follow him. But part of understanding this passage requires a little more effort.
Paul is actually talking about the righteousness of the Law and the exclusivity of Israel's relationship with God under the Law that God gave only to them. We know that the Law kept Israel, by covenant, in good relations with God, and saved the nation, politically, from hostile forces when they were obedient, as a nation, to God.
Nevertheless, Paul's Gospel insists that the Law was never intended to bring eternal life to Israel, but only to certify that inasmuch as they had a real relationship with God, they had definite hope that it was coming. Paul's Gospel was that eternal life came only by the new covenant that Christ established by his death and resurrection.
Believers in Christ, Jewish or not, could believe in Jesus' atonement, and receive what the Law and its atonements could not deliver. By entering into Christ spiritually, simply by believing in his gift of the Spirit, we could align ourselves both with his death and with his atonement, so that not only would our sins be forgiven but we would also obtain eternal life.
Paul's argument here is that under the Law Israel could not go directly up to heaven, as if they were not condemned as sinners. They were. And neither could they go down into the earth to die, and rise from the dead, as if they were not condemned to death. They were.
Rather, Paul is saying that Christ did for Israel what they could not, under the Law, do for themselves. He went up to heaven, not being disqualified by any sin. And he went down into death and was able to rise from the dead for the same reason--he wasn't a sinner.
We must enter into the covenant of Christ, and Israel cannot rely on the Law, for the atonement we need to be able to do these things. If we want to rise to heaven, and to overcome death, it must be by believing in Jesus, resulting in his Spirit coming into our life. When we choose him as our Lord, obeying him in everything, we qualify as God's children, through the atonement Christ won for us.
Does this interpretation of this passage come close for you?
I think this is a great verse, and for years I've tried to grasp what is being said. Some of it is very plain and clear: we are saved simply by confessing Jesus to be our Lord. When we confess him, somehow he enters into our heart, and with our heart we can believe in him, confess him, and do what he wishes.
Jesus is able to enter into our hearts because he gives his Spirit to those who choose to follow him. But part of understanding this passage requires a little more effort.
Paul is actually talking about the righteousness of the Law and the exclusivity of Israel's relationship with God under the Law that God gave only to them. We know that the Law kept Israel, by covenant, in good relations with God, and saved the nation, politically, from hostile forces when they were obedient, as a nation, to God.
Nevertheless, Paul's Gospel insists that the Law was never intended to bring eternal life to Israel, but only to certify that inasmuch as they had a real relationship with God, they had definite hope that it was coming. Paul's Gospel was that eternal life came only by the new covenant that Christ established by his death and resurrection.
Believers in Christ, Jewish or not, could believe in Jesus' atonement, and receive what the Law and its atonements could not deliver. By entering into Christ spiritually, simply by believing in his gift of the Spirit, we could align ourselves both with his death and with his atonement, so that not only would our sins be forgiven but we would also obtain eternal life.
Paul's argument here is that under the Law Israel could not go directly up to heaven, as if they were not condemned as sinners. They were. And neither could they go down into the earth to die, and rise from the dead, as if they were not condemned to death. They were.
Rather, Paul is saying that Christ did for Israel what they could not, under the Law, do for themselves. He went up to heaven, not being disqualified by any sin. And he went down into death and was able to rise from the dead for the same reason--he wasn't a sinner.
We must enter into the covenant of Christ, and Israel cannot rely on the Law, for the atonement we need to be able to do these things. If we want to rise to heaven, and to overcome death, it must be by believing in Jesus, resulting in his Spirit coming into our life. When we choose him as our Lord, obeying him in everything, we qualify as God's children, through the atonement Christ won for us.
Does this interpretation of this passage come close for you?