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Romans 10:1
I believe the hardest part of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is for God’s chosen people Israel as they were given the Law by God through Moses teaching them the way to righteousness in which they have been trying to obtain ever since. I believe that Satan uses this zealous desire of self-accomplishment to blind many people from seeing and experiencing the gift of God in the salvation that only Jesus can give.
The Law given to Moses was given to show Israel not only what they need to do to obtain righteousness on their own, but also to show them by their continual failing to meet all the requirements of the Law that they are incapable, because of sin, to obtain/fulfill it – it was to show them the need for something greater than they – it was meant to lead them to an understanding that they need to put their faith in God. The Prophets speak of the coming of their Savior – the gift from God that would change their hearts to believe in Him so they would be saved from sin and eternal condemnation. The One who would be sent by God, as God in human form to live sinless and fulfill the requirements of the Law for all humanity. The Law was intended to lead Israel (God’s chosen people) to an understanding of their need for Him; their Creator and Almighty God who would use them as an example to the world that through them the whole world would be led to Him by the example that they set. And through their faith in Him, until He would send their Savior Jesus to fulfill the Law for them, their faith would be rewarded through eternal salvation.
The Apostle Paul shows his concern and interest in Israel’s salvation in Romans 10:1 (NKJV) as he declares, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Paul uses himself as an example for this in Philippians 3 and declares all things that he has gained on his own to be loss for gaining Christ Jesus in his life. In Philippians 3:8c-10b Paul proclaims, “that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,”.
This is an example of a sincere heart in one’s faith in God for the salvation of others.
The Israelites of the Old Testament had not yet received the gift of God in Christ Jesus; it was at that time a promise that still yet needed to be fulfilled. But God has given them the commandments to put Him first in their lives as the Bible declares in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (HCSB), “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of our house and on your gates.” In Isaiah 63:9 (NKJV) we learn,
“In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the Angel of His Presence saved
them;
In His love and in His pity He
redeemed them;
And He bore them and carried them
All the days of old.”
Isaiah 63:14c-d states,
“So You lead Your people,
To make Yourself a glorious name.”
Even in the Old Testament God was the Savior of His chosen people Israel – if they would put their faith in Him and believe in Him as their Savior; but they continued to turn from Him to putting their faith in the gods of the other nations in which they were to be leading to Him.
God sent Himself in the form of a man to redeem, in His glorious redeeming power and love for all His creation, all peoples from the depths of sin that He would be glorified as the One and only true God; that all nations would put their faith in Him and the salvation that only He provides – in Christ. During the time of the Apostle Paul’s ministry the remnant of Israel was having a great deal of trouble in putting their faith in Jesus as the prophesied Savior. In this passage of Romans 10:1 the Apostle Paul is declaring that God has not forgotten His people Israel, but that in the right time God came to save them from sin after He had given enough time to show them that they were incapable of earning righteousness on their own. The need for a Savior had been shown, and the Savior that came was not capable to save only Israel from sin, but in His great, Almighty power is able to save the whole world from sin – in Christ.
Dear LORD,
You are Almighty God and You have shown us through Your word that You are the only true God who can save from sin; that Your great love for all humanity is to lead us all to You through the Savior of the world that we may receive the righteousness of Christ and be redeemed as we put and keep our faith in You. Thank You LORD! In Jesus name I pray, amen.