Category: Romans 10

Romans 10:21 – Patient and Merciful God

Posted on by Will

But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and argumentative people."

Truth to Learn

God continues to reach out to even the most stubborn and rebellious sinner.

 

Behind the Words

The words “stretched out” are translated from ekpetannumi, which is made up of ek, meaning “from” or “out” and petomai, meaning “to fly.” So literally it means “to fly out from.” By analogy it means “to stretch out” or “to stretch forth.”

“Disobedient” is from the Greek word apeithēs, which is made up of a, a negative particle and a form of peithō, meaning “to persuade, to convince, or to make someone believe.” Thus we see that apeithēs means “unwilling to be persuaded, unbelieving, or disobedient.”

The word “argumentative” is translated from antilegō, which is composed of anti, meaning “against” and legō, meaning “to speak.” Hence, antilegō means “to speak against” or “to be argumentative.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul quoted Isaiah 65:1 to establish the doctrine that God would, in fact, call the Gentiles to salvation. In the current verse Paul now quotes from Isaiah 65:2 in order to establish clearly that not only is God going to call the Gentiles, He is also going to reject the Jews, but only after extreme patience with them.

The most important things that we can learn from this verse, however, are not just that He rejected the Jews and received the Gentiles. There are a couple of things for us to learn about our God in this verse. In Paul’s quotation Isaiah is speaking for God when he says, “I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:2)

The first thing we can learn about God from this is that He is long suffering. In this verse he says “all day long” which implies that not just for a single day but for an extended length of time God was, and is, willing to put up with our sinfulness and lack of interest in Him. The second thing we can learn about God is that He has an attitude of entreaty and a willingness and desire to receive rebellious sinners into His favor. This is indicated by the notion of His stretching out His hands.

This does not mean that God doesn’t care about our attitude toward Him. Clearly, He wants us to submit ourselves to His authority and rule, and He wants us to commit to a way of life that pleases Him. But it does mean that when we fail in our attempts to be who and what He wants us to be, He is patient and understanding of us, waiting for us to confess our sinfulness so as to restore our fellowship with Him. This is all the more reason why we should be grateful to Him for his grace and His mercy.

 

Application

Just remember what our ultimate destination would be if He wasn’t patient and merciful and He gave us what we truly deserve! Thank you, God, for Your patience, Your mercy, and Your grace!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:20 – Bold Proclamation

Posted on by Will

But Isaiah is very bold and says: "I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was revealed to those who did not ask for Me."

Truth to Learn

Be bold in proclaiming the truth!

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “very bold” is apotolmaō, which is a compound word made up of apo, used as an intensifier and tolmao, which means “to be bold, or confident, or daring.”

“Found” is translated from heuriskō, which means “to find or discover, whether by searching or not.”

The word “seek” is from dzēteō, which means “to look for, to seek, or search for something.”

“Revealed” is from emphanēs, which is made up of en, meaning “in” or “into” and phainō, meaning “to shine” or “to make apparent.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul quoted Moses in the book of Deuteronomy as evidence that the Jews should have well known that the Gentiles would come to know God even though they weren’t seeking after God in Moses’ time. Therefore, it should have been obvious to the Christian Jews in Rome that God had indeed turned to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected the Messiah.

Paul now quotes Isaiah to show that he, too, had proclaimed the same message hundreds of years after Moses did. This quotation is from the opening portion of Isaiah chapter 65:

I have been sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that was not called by My name, I said, “Behold me, Behold me,”. I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts; a people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on the bricks; who sit among the graves, and spend the night in the towers; who eat swine's flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you!” These are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. (Isaiah 65:1-5)

Clearly, this is a scathing rebuke upon the Israelites who would not pay attention to Moses and to those who did not listen to Isaiah. In fact, when Paul introduced this quotation he stated that Isaiah is very bold in saying this. Why was it so daring for him to deliver this message? Remember what he said in Isaiah 53:1? “Lord, who has believed our report?” It was bold of Isaiah to proclaim this because he knew that his fellow Jews would not believe him and would, in fact, attack him for being so negative to them.

 

Application

Doesn’t that sound like many Christians today? If you confront them about their liberal, watered-down theology, their blatant sinfulness, or their legalism, they deny what you say and attack you for not being more forgiving and loving or for not being more “inclusive” in your theology.

I would rather be thought a “fundamental fanatic” when confronting ungodliness than to be well liked because of being willing to compromise on what the Bible says. How about you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:19 – Action, not Anger

Posted on by Will

But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will anger you by a foolish nation."

Truth to Learn

God’s gentle prodding is to provoke us to action. If we continually resist Him, it may provoke us to anger.

 

Behind the Words

In the phrase “did Israel not know?” Paul uses the same double negative, mē ouk, that he employed in the previous verse. We could paraphrase it as, “did Israel really not know?”

“Provoke” is from paradzēloō, which is made up of para, meaning “beside” or “alongside” and dzēloō, meaning “to be zealous.” It refers to coming alongside and exciting or provoking someone, like one would prod an animal to make it move.

The words “anger you” are from a similar word. It is parorgidzō, which means “to come alongside and anger someone” (perhaps by continually prodding them).

 

Meaning Explained

Paul starts off this verse with, “Did Israel not know?” The implication is that Israel should have known, but they didn’t. The question that we have to ask ourselves is, “Know what?” Clearly, Paul has been talking about all people having evidence of God’s supremacy and man’s inability to be as righteous as God. But I don’t think that’s what Paul is referring to in this verse. Based on what he says in the following verses, I think Paul is referring to the fact that Israel clearly should have known that God was going to turn from the Jews and the message was going to go out to the Gentiles.

In order to make this point, Paul now quotes Moses from the fifth book of the Bible. In Deuteronomy 32:21 he says:

They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not a God; they have angered me by their vanities. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will make them angry by a foolish nation.

Here’s a summary of what Moses is talking about in Deuteronomy 32: The greatness of God (verse four), God’s care for Israel, (verses nine and ten), the way Israel turned from God (verses sixteen through eighteen), and how God will respond by provoking Israel (verse twenty-one). Israel continually turned away from God and resisted Him so that in the end He provoked them to anger.

Paul’s point is clear. If the Israelites had studied their scriptures then they would have known that God would turn to the Gentiles because of the unfaithfulness of Israel. The problem was that too many of the Israelites did not know what was written in their scriptures.

 

Application

Let us all take a word of caution from this. Do you know what God wants and expects from you? Do you know what He instructs us to be and to do? Do you read and study your Bible so you will understand God’s plan for you? Do you know what God has in store for you and the future of mankind?

If you do, that’s great! If you don’t, why not? Do you want God to provoke you to anger like He did to Israel? Or will you listen to Him and be stirred to action?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:18 – Worldwide Music

Posted on by Will

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

Truth to Learn

The Gospel message continues to be proclaimed worldwide.

 

Behind the Words

“Have they not heard” is from the Greek mē ouk akousan. Both mē and ouk are negative particles.  The negative particle mē indicates that a negative answer is expected, whereas the negative particle ouk blends with the verb. Akousan is a form of akouō, which Paul has been emphasizing throughout these last few verses. We could translate this as, “Did they fail to hear?”

The words “Yes indeed” are translated from menounge, an unusual word which we looked at back in Romans 9:20. We could paraphrase this as “Now wait just a minute” or “Of course they have!”

“Sound” is from phthongos, which refers to “a musical sound, whether from a musical instrument or the voice.”

The word “ends” is translated from peras, which refers to “the extreme end or the farthest parts.”

Finally, “world” is translated from oikoumenē, which refers to “the place where people live.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has just declared that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, that is, the good news (Gospel) of the Messiah. He now anticipates the objection from the Jewish Christians in Rome that not everyone has heard God’s message. He responds to this theoretical objection by asking one of his rhetorical questions, “Have they really not heard?” And his response is even more emphatic, “Of course they have!”

Remember how beautiful God considers those who proclaim the gospel message? Paul refers to the sound of that message being like a musical sound and he declares that it has gone out to the very ends of civilization.

Paul’s quotation here is from Psalms 19:4 in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. Here’s what the first part of that Psalm says:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day to day they utter speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor are there words where their voice is not heard. (Psalms 19:1-3)

The Gospel message continues to be carried to all inhabited parts of the earth. That is our responsibility as Christians. We are to boldly proclaim it to everyone. And even though there may be some who have not heard the gospel message of Jesus’ death and resurrection, they are not innocent because there is sufficient evidence in God’s creation that proclaims God’s magnificence and man’s sinfulness.

 

Application

Today when you walk outside, take a good look at God’s handiwork and think about how foolish and ashamed those people who want to believe in evolution rather than creation are going to feel when they appear before their Creator and their Judge! They may ridicule us and call us fools, but we are to love them with God’s love and tell them the glorious gospel message. Life is neither meaningless nor hopeless for those who believe God’s truth, and it is undeniable.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:17 – Hear to Eternity

Posted on by Will

Then faith is from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Truth to Learn

Faith comes as a result of hearing the Gospel message which originated from the utterance of God.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “Then” is the Greek word ara, which is used here as an inferential particle meaning “therefore” or “consequently.” It directly ties this verse to what immediately preceded it.

“Hearing” is translated from the Greek word akoē, which we looked at in the previous verse and we noted that Paul is making a kind of play on this word. This is a noun form of the verb akouō, meaning “to hear” and from which we get our English word “acoustics.” The noun form of this word can have several nuances of meaning. It can refer to the sense of hearing, the instrument of hearing (the ear), or that which is or may be heard (the message or report). If we assume that Paul is referring to the report, or message, in both of these verses, we see that they could be translated as:

For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our message?” Therefore, faith comes from the message and the message through the word of God.

The other word we want to look at is the Greek word rhēma, which is translated “Word” in this verse. It means, “that which is spoken, particularly that which is uttered by a living voice.”

 

Meaning Explained

On the surface this verse seems disjointed from the previous one, but that is not the case at all. Though the word ara technically ties these two verses together, it still doesn’t feel like they are very well connected does it? That is, until you recognize how skillfully Paul has used various forms of the word akouō. Though many people throughout history have not listened attentively to the message of salvation, it is from this message that faith is acquired, the message that originated from Almighty God. We have been given this precious, powerful message to carry throughout the world. Also remember, that when we carry and proclaim this message, God sees us as particularly beautiful, like a flower in full bloom.

Faith cannot exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard and believed. It cannot come any other way than by such a proclamation. This demonstrates the importance of the message, and the fact that people are converted by listening to and believing the truth of this gospel message. And ultimately, the source of this message is the very utterance of God Himself.

 

Application

The next time you are witnessing to someone and declaring the message of salvation through faith in the blood of Christ, remember that you are sharing gloriously good news that originated from God Himself. You may feel awkward and others may call you a fool, but you are particularly beautiful in God’s sight when you proclaim it, whether you are proclaiming it to a prospective child of God or to a fool.

So, how awesome is that? Be a blooming flower and spread the Word!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:16 – Who’s the Fool?

Posted on by Will

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"

Truth to Learn

Many people will not listen to or believe the Gospel message.

 

Behind the Words

“Obeyed” is from the Greek word hupakouō, which is make up of hupo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and akouō, meaning “to hear.” This word has two basic meanings, “to listen attentively” or “to yield to a superior command or force” that is, to obey (whether voluntarily or not).

The word “report” is translated from akoē (from akouō, “to hear”) which refers to “something which is, or may be, heard.” Notice Paul’s play on words between “obeyed” and “report.” He will continue to emphasize forms of the Greek word akouō in the next couple of verses.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has just been talking about how simple it is to be saved (Romans 10:9 – that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.). He has also just said that anyone, Jew or Gentile, can get saved (Romans 10:13 – For "Everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved.")

The current verse is in response to an anticipated objection by the Jewish Christians in Rome which might sound something like this, “If all that you say is true, then how come there are so many who don’t believe?” Or, as Paul has stated it in the first part of this verse, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.”

In response to this objection, Paul now quotes from Isaiah at the very beginning of chapter 53,

Isaiah 53:1 – Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

The first part of this verse is a Hebraism (a Hebrew expression) which means, “But nobody has believed our message.” This is an interesting statement by Isaiah because it applies both to the response of the people of Isaiah’s day who wouldn’t listen to his messages, as well as to people in the days of the coming of the Messiah. If you read through the entire 53rd chapter of Isaiah (it’s a fairly short chapter), you will see that it is a clear depiction of the final days of Christ’s earthly ministry, that is, His sacrificial death on the cross. It speaks of the Messiah as one who is rejected even as He is offering Himself up for the sins of those who reject Him.

Paul’s point is that Isaiah predicted many years ago that most of the Jews (as well as the Gentiles) would reject the message about the Messiah even in the face of overwhelming evidence. And this is still true today. In spite of the evidence of prophecy and historical verification of the death of Jesus Christ, many today would rather believe that we have evolved from single cell amoeba than to believe that God created us. God wants to have a personal relationship with us, and sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins so that He can have that personal relationship with us.

 

Application

When you witness to the unsaved, don’t be surprised if they reject your message and think of you as a fool. Keep in mind, the real fool is the one who rejects God’s free gift of salvation!

The fool has said in his heart,"There is no God!" (Psalms 14:1a and Psalms 53:1a)

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:15 – Evangelists in Full Bloom

Posted on by Will

And how might they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the good news!"

Truth to Learn

Those who proclaim the gospel are seen as particularly beautiful.

 

Behind the Words

The word “sent” is from apostellō, meaning “to send away.” The Greek word pempō also means “to send,” but its emphasis is primarily on the destination, whereas apostellō emphasizes the purpose or mission. Our English word “apostle” is derived from this word.

“Beautiful” is normally the translation of the Greek word kalos. In this verse, however, it is the word hōrios, which literally refers to “the right hour or season.” Figuratively, it is used in reference to a flower in full bloom or to a woman who is beautifully adorned and ready for marriage. Hence, it is a reference to something that is in its most beautiful state.

The word that is translated as “proclaim the good news” is euangelidzō, from which we get our English word “evangelize.” This word is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of angellō, which means “to deliver a message.” Our English word “angel” comes from this word, referring to a messenger of God. Therefore, we see that euangelidzō means “to deliver a good message” or “to announce the good news.”

 

Meaning Explained

Before Jesus was taken up into heaven he gave His disciples specific instructions regarding what He wanted them to do. He said: "Going into all the world preach the gospel to all of creation. (Mark 16:15) Matthew recorded the message a little differently. Here’s how he recorded it: "Having gone, then, disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you; (Matthew 28:19, 20a)

Even though this message was specifically given to His eleven disciples (and later to the Apostle Paul), it is implied that we too are given the command to preach the gospel and to make disciples. Because the eleven were given this command, they are referred to as Apostles (ones who have been sent with a message).

Today’s verse now gives us some insight as to how God views those who openly proclaim the message of salvation. He does so by quoting a passage from Isaiah:

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him proclaiming good news, making peace heard, bringing tidings of good things, proclaiming salvation, saying to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7)

The reason for referring to the feet is because it is the part of the body that transports us to where there are people who need to hear the message. Our Father sees exquisite beauty in the preaching of the Good News of salvation.

 

Application

For many of us, sharing the gospel message is difficult and we feel awkward doing so. But just because it isn’t easy doesn’t relieve us from the responsibility of doing it. Let’s each one of us commit to sharing the gospel message with someone new this week. You may feel awkward doing it, but you may be awkwardly opening the door to eternal life for someone else! And, keep in mind that as you preach the Gospel to the lost of this world, you will be perceived by our Father as being as beautiful as a rose in all its glorious blooming splendor.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:14 – You’re the Preacher

Posted on by Will

How then can they call on the one in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching?

Truth to Learn

The responsibility of sharing the Gospel message falls upon everyone who has believed it.

 

Behind the Words

“Believe” is from the Greek verb pisteuō. This word is based on the noun pistis, which means “firm persuasion, conviction, or belief in the truth.” Hence, pisteuō means “to have a firm conviction or belief in some truth.” It does not mean to simply accept a statement as fact, but to firmly grasp it as reality.

The word translated “heard” is akouō, which can refer to “the physiological process of hearing a sound” or to “the process of understanding spoken ideas.”

“Without someone preaching” is translated from chōris kērussontos. Chōris means “at a space from” or “separate from” and kērussontos is a form of kērussō, which we saw back in verse eight means, “to proclaim or herald as a public crier would do.” It is expressed in this verse as a present participle, literally meaning “preaching.” Thus, we see that Paul says, “How shall they hear apart from preaching?”

 

Meaning Explained

Previously we pointed out that Paul was seen as a traitor by many Jews who believed that he deserted the Jews and the adherence to the Law as the way to righteousness, and that he had turned to the way of the Gentiles. Paul, himself, will say in the next chapter of this letter that he was called to be the Apostle (one sent with a message) to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). But he has been demonstrating in this chapter that salvation and righteousness are through faith, which belongs both to the Jews and the Gentiles. And in the previous verse he proclaimed, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”

Since that “Everyone” includes the Gentiles, he now makes the point that the Gentiles need to hear the gospel message. He says, in order to call on Him they have to believe first, and in order to believe they have to hear the good news, and the only way they will hear the good news is through the preaching. This is the very crux of Paul’s ministry, preaching the gospel message to the Gentiles so they can believe.

The Jews have had the Law and the Prophets proclaiming the gospel message to them for centuries (as Paul has just demonstrated), but the Gentiles have been denied these sources so they need someone to proclaim the message of salvation to them. However, Paul is not the only one who is supposed to proclaim the blessed news of salvation by grace through faith. All of us who possess the gift of eternal life have an obligation to proclaim the news to those around us. It is the gospel (the good news) that is offered to all of mankind!

 

Application

If you have recognized your sinful condition, humbling yourself before the mighty hand of God, and have appealed to Him for the salvation that you don’t deserve, then you now have an obligation to share this truth with others. Have you shared this message with someone else recently? Don’t think it is someone else’s responsibility to share the Gospel message. It’s yours. You are called to be a preacher!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:13 – Admission, Submission, and Appeal

Posted on by Will

For "Everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved."

Truth to Learn

Admission, submission, and appeal are all important aspects of our salvation.

 

Behind the Words

The words “calls upon” are translated from the Greek word epikaleō, which we looked at in the previous verse. In both these verses the word is expressed in the middle voice. In Greek grammar, the middle voice expresses an action that is done by a person to, or about, himself or herself.

This same word was used by the Apostle Paul when he stood before Festus accused of a crime worthy of death. Knowing that he was innocent, Paul called upon Caesar to judge him. In Acts 25:11 it is translated this way: “I appeal to Caesar.” Thus, we see that this word expresses more than simply naming a name or acknowledging a higher authority. It implies an appeal that a person makes by himself for himself to a higher authority who is able to pass judgment on the person making the appeal.

“Name” is translated from onoma, which is “the word or words by which a person is known or called.” It is often used as a reference to a person’s position or authority. Referring to the name of a person is a reference to that person himself. For example, Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower.” That is, God Himself is a strong tower.

 

Meaning Explained

One of the most amazing things about the gospel message is its simplicity. Paul states that “Everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.” It does not require obeying a lot of rules, it does not require an animal sacrifice, and it does not require payment of a large sum of money. It simply requires the penitent sinner to realize his or her helpless condition and to appeal to God to save him or her.

There are two things we want to mention about this simple act, however. First, the expression “call on the name” means to call upon God Himself. The second thing is the implication made by this calling on the Lord. This implication is that the person calling realizes that he or she needs saving. In other words, before one can be saved, he or she must realize that he or she needs to be saved. This realization along with the act of appealing to God indicates a submission on the part of the sinner. Speaking to God or invoking the name of Jesus and demanding salvation will produce nothing. But for a person who realizes that he or she is a sinner deserving of Hell who cannot save him or herself, appealing to God for salvation is an act of submission that produces the guarantee of salvation.

Therefore, calling on the name of the Lord means:

(1)  Admission – we know we have sinned against God and that we deserve the judgment of Hell.

(2)  Submission – to call upon him is to acknowledge him as our God, our Lord, and our Master; therefore, it is an indication that we submit ourselves to Him.

(2)  Appeal – Since He alone can pardon us, it is natural that if we are to obtain pardon, we should appeal to God.

 

Application

Do you know that you are a sinner destined for Hell because of your sins? Do you recognize God as the supreme authority over you and your life? Have you appealed to Him for salvation?

In God's service, for His glory,

 

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 10:12 – Everyone’s the Same

Posted on by Will

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord of all is rich to all those calling upon Him.

Truth to Learn

God doesn’t care who your ancestors are. He will respond to your call for salvation.

 

Behind the Words

“Distinction” is translated from the Greek word diastolē, which is the noun form of the verb diastellō, made up of dia, indicating a transition and stellō, meaning “to send.” Hence it means “to send (or cause) a change,” that is, “to make things different. The noun form, diastolē, refers to this change, difference, or distinction.

The words “is rich” are from the Greek verb plouteō, which is based on the noun ploutos, referring to “riches or wealth, either in money or possessions.”

“Calling upon” is translated from epikaleō, which is made up of epi, meaning “over or upon” and kaleō, meaning “to call.” Therefore,  epikaleō means “to call upon or request aid from someone else.”

 

Meaning Explained

Before we get into this verse let me point out that when Paul refers to Greeks in these verses, he is using the name as a metonym, which is using a name of one object or concept for that of another. He doesn’t really mean the Greek people; he means all non-Jews or all Gentiles. Since the common language of the entire Roman Empire was Greek, it became a common expression among the Jews to refer to all Gentiles as Greeks.

In the previous verse Paul said that everyone believing on Jesus will not be put to shame. Clearly he was implying that this applies to both the Jews and the Gentiles. Throughout the first four chapters of this letter, Paul set out to show that there is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles in God’s eyes. Notice particularly what he said in Romans 3:28-30:

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since it is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

In the current verse Paul makes it abundantly clear that God treats all mankind the same whether they are Jewish or not. As you read through the book of Acts, you will see the difficulty that even the Apostles had in believing that God accepts the Gentiles without having to satisfy the Law. In fact, it comes to a head in Acts chapter 15 where Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem from Antioch to get this matter settled. If the Apostles had such a difficulty with this concept, it is understandable that Paul would make such a big deal of it for the Jewish Christians in Rome.

In the current verse Paul states that the same Lord who is over us all is rich in his giving to all of us who call on Him, whether we are Jew or Gentile. God will freely bestow His riches of grace and mercy upon all who submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ and call upon Him for salvation.
 

Application

It doesn’t matter what your ethnic background is, what family you’re part or, or who your ancestors are. If you confess Christ as your Lord and Savior, God will grant you the riches of His righteousness. That’s His promise!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved