Rom.10–CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW ON RIGHTEOUSNESS’ BEHALF–VS.4

It’s true. Christ brought an end to the law to make the righteousness that is of faith without works the focal point no one can miss. So it was on behalf of the righteousness that is by faith that Jesus died.

In this 10th ch of Romans Paul begins by again letting us know who he is writing this letter to. Saying to his believing Israelite brethren, 10 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." Just as he told them at the beginning of ch.9. This is his pattern throughout this letter.

And in vs.2 he says he sees their zeal for God saying, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God." But, there is a problem. Because Paul says their zeal for God is "not according to knowledge." Why? Because" they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

So the knowledge Paul is referring to here is the knowledge that the just or the righteous shall live by faith. Which is righteousness. And not by the works of the law. As he plainly wrote to them at the beginning of this letter in Rom.1:17. Saying that because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation he is not ashamed of it. But, boldly preaches it because he knows and wants for them to know and receive the life of the just that comes only by faith.

And being ignorant of God's righteousness, caused by their ignorance of God's way of salvation even though they have a zeal for God.

So they attempt to establish a self righteousness through the works of law keeping. And by doing so they have not submitted themselves to the kind of righteousness that in God's plan would only be made available to those who will receive it by faith without works.

Why? Because in God's plan His sovereignty that we recently read about in Rom.9, salvation that is righteousness would only be attainable through faith without works. And that this was true from before He made the world as Peter says in 1Peter1:20. This is the sovereignty of God in which He chose that salvation would be attained only by faith, and not by works or by the flesh.

So that righteousness unto eternal life can only be had by faith apart from works. Especially the works of the law that in Rom.7 Paul taught about to show why so many of them had great difficulty letting it go.

Which is why in vs.4, just as he taught throughout ch7, he tells them that the law ended with Christ so that righteousness is by faith in Jesus. And not by works of the law. Rather, righteousness is through the faith of Christ. A faith that means we believe in Jesus as He showed us He believed the Father while living as a man on earth. In this as Rom.1:16 says Jesus shows Israel first, and then through Paul He shows both Israel and the rest of the nations, the righteousness that is of faith without works.

In these 4 verses Paul establishes the context for what he writes in this chapter. A context that shows 1. he is writing to Israelite believers, and 2. that even though they are already saved he wants them to know the means by which they have attained righteousness. So that as they preach to other Israelites they can convey this gospel of the grace of God to them just as Paul has to them here.

So when Paul says in vs.5 "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them." Paul describes the righteousness that comes through law keeping to be a righteousness of works. And that the man who does them for righteousness must attain eternal life by those works. Which Paul knows is impossible because as he teaches in Gal.3:21, "... if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."

This is why in vs.6 Paul explains the righteousness of faith by showing that salvation by works means that this is how they must get to heaven. Which he says is to bring Christ down. Because in their unbelieving mind He did not attain it by works because He was to them a blasphemer. So in their view Jesus did not get to heaven.

Paul also says it is to bring Christ up again because by their belief in righteousness by works, and that Jesus was a law breaker, they believe that Jesus did not do the works that are necessary for righteousness. And being a blasphemer He could not have died for their sins. Making His death inconsequential regarding their way to life.

But, Paul argues that because the righteousness of God is not something that makes them say in their hearts that their works determine who goes to heaven or who goes to hell. But contrariwise the righteousness of God causes a man to say in his heart that Jesus is Lord and has raised from the dead. This righteousness that is of God is rather determined by in whom they have believed.

Paul says this word of faith is in your mouth and in your heart. Because this word of faith confesses Jesus is Lord. A confession that can only be made because they believe that He conquered death by raising from His grave. The only man to ever do so. Which is why Jesus is the only way, truth, and life that joins us to God and His eternal home in heaven.

Paul says this word of faith believes and is righteous by confessing that Jesus is Lord unto salvation. As opposed to the works righteousness that was sought by those Israelites who are without knowledge because they will not hear and believe the word of righteousness that is by faith that Paul preached.

We encounter these kinds of people today from every nation. Because they are those who, like these Israelites Paul is speaking about, will not believe Paul's gospel. But, instead cling to a righteousness that is attained by works. Just as these unbelieving Israelites do that Paul refers to here as "having a zeal for God without knowledge".

This is why in vs.12 Paul says "there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek". Because since Jesus came they now both attain righteousness only by faith in Jesus.

And has nothing to do with what works they do or do not do. Which  is why Paul taught in Gal.3:22, "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."

In their zeal for God they have not known the righteousness that is by faith without works. They will only believe that the righteousness they need to be made acceptable to God comes through the works of the law. And can not be had without them.

And since many gentiles have believed the sin nature doctrine and believe they can not keep the law because all men have inherited a sin nature from Adam, they believe that Jesus came to keep the law in our place. So that the righteousness He attained through it's keeping would be "imputed" to those who believe in Him. Making them righteous by faith in Jesus' works.

This is why you hear people who believe the original sin and sin nature doctrine saying things like, "we are saved by the work of Christ". And other such nonsense like it. This is also why they pervert what Paul meant when he wrote in Rom.3:23 that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". Perverting the scriptures to mean that when Christ came this put all men all men under the law. And since they believe no man can keep the law because they all have a sin nature they inherited from Adam. They believe this is why "all have sinned..."

But, it is their definition of sin under this strong delusion that makes them fall into satan's trap of salvation by works.

For the Bible says in places like Luke1:5,6, Phil.3:6, and Job1, that even though some people kept the law blamelessly, which is a direct hit that destroys any belief in a sin nature, they still could only be righteous by the faith of Christ. And now as the same Lord over all men, and the answer to how men are righteous and are saved, it is believing in Jesus that makes it possible for men to receive His being  "rich unto all that call upon Him". That through faith without anyone's works of the law we are righteous and are saved.

This is the Biblical prosperity gospel. Righteousness and salvation are that prosperity. That Jesus has made the way of salvation known and available to all people who will call upon His name for righteousness. So that they no longer think in terms of works, but of faith for righteousness. So that whosoever calls upon His name shall be saved.

And to show that it is by means of Israel hearing the gospel preached that they can make a choice to believe in Jesus for righteousness, Paul now asks a line of questions. Asking how this can be done unless they believe? And how can they believe unless they first hear about Jesus? And how can they hear about Jesus unless someone preach the truth about who He is? Saying with another question that they must be sent by God for them to hear them preach.

Paul says this is what fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy that said, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Having shown us in this chapter and previous ones that this "gospel of peace and glad tidings of good things" is one that makes faith without works the only means for righteousness. And those who teach any other gospel are anathema as Paul says in Gal.1:6-9.

A righteousness that Paul said in 1Cor.1:23 was "unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness". Why? Because Paul says "the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom". Signs many Jews needed because to them righteousness is attained by works. And wisdom Greeks thought to be of utmost importance because reason was to them the way to attain to the highest good.

In vs.16 Paul speaking of the Jews says they have not all believed his gospel. Which is why he said he was writing to them in the first few verses of this chapter. And that this was a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy about them not believing. Because rather than by works of the law, the righteousness for eternal life comes by hearing and believing God's word. And their ability to hear increases by hearing more of the word of God.

This means that their ability to hear God's word is commensurate to how much time they spend hearing it. This happens because as they hear the word of God a frame of reference about who God is and what the atonement is for is built in them. So that their ability to hear more and more increases accordingly. This is why studying the Bible, and believing what it plainly says, is so very important.

But, in vs.18 and following Paul contends that even though many Israelites do not believe, all Israel has indeed heard the word of God. Saying that Israel knew because Moses prophesied to them saying, "I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."  Paul adds that Isaiah told them too saying even more boldly than Moses, "I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me." Saying also to Israel, "All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people."

In this we see Paul setting up what we read in ch.11 concerning Israel in contrast to the rest of the nations. Because in ch.11 Paul will expound upon the fact that God has used the rest of the nations to bring Israel to jealousy by showing them the salvation that comes by grace through faith not of works. In the hope that they will also come to believe the righteousness that is of faith without works. Just as the rest of the nations, referred to by using the word gentiles, have.

But, we have seen here in ch.10 how God has preached the message first to the Jews. So that they would be the people who would carry His message of salvation by grace through faith to all the world. And that not all of them have believed Paul's gospel. But, that for those who do, it is righteousness that is by faith that determines who will and who will not live with God in His kingdom.

This does not happen because God sends them to hell. It happens because in God's sovereignty He gave man free will so that when all is said and done men will live eternally with the gods or God they choose.

But, it's God's will that none should perish. And that all men would come to repentance. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever would believe in Him should not perish. But would have eternal life.

From this we glean the truth that is for all men. That when we believe that Jesus has raised from the dead we will confess Him as Lord. And that this means for righteousness is for both Jew and gentile alike. Because being Lord in this context means He rules over death by the power of His endless life. The power of His resurrection.

A resurrection that is our resurrection only when we believe in Jesus apart from works. An eternal life that will be our eternal life when we are born again by the power of God birthing a spirit in us that never existed before. A spirit that makes us children of God who are now able to worship Him in spirit and in truth as Jesus said we must in John4:24.

So if you will confess Jesus is Lord. And believe He has raised from the dead. You too will be saved. If you will do this then you will be born again. If you will do this you will be made a child of God and heir to His kingdom. If you will do this then immortality and eternal life will be yours. If you will do this... then I will see you there or in the air!

This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v2ywga6-rom.10-christ-is-the-end-of-the-law-on-righteousness-behalf-vs.4.html