Our Response To God’s Righteousness
Romans 10:1-13
Paul now in chapter 10 moves from the unchanging, immutable character of God to the response of man. God never changes and when we think He has, it is because our eyes have been lured away from Him and we are not living the Spirit lead life. In addition, because God never changes, what choice do we have? Our resolve should be obedience.
Paul’s desire for Israel was their salvation. They had the living Word of God and still refused the free gift of grace. They could not see the fact that they needed to be saved, Luke 18:9-14. They placed their eternity security in the ability to live according to the law. This as we know is futile and frustrating. Our response to God is one of utter humility and dependence on Him for salvation. We need to see ourselves as the sinners we are and trust wholly on the completed work of Christ.
Our second response is a zeal for God, vs. 2. Paul was one that knew about wrongly focused zeal. He used his resources to persecute and imprison Christians. Paul thought he was working for God when in reality he was persecuting the very ones who had the proper zeal for God, Acts 26. God is an all-consuming fire, Duet 4:24, Heb 12:28, 28. When He is in our lives, we cannot help but burn for Him. Are you zealous for the things of God or do you long to fill earthly lusts?
Thirdly, when we grasp the truths of God’s character we have no selfish boasting but are helplessly driven to our knees in humility. Once again, Israel had a problem trying to obtain righteousness through their own goodness. This problem has always plagued man and will always apart from God, Phil. 3. The response of man to God’s character is repentance and humility.
Paul ends up reminding us about the real function of the Law. It cannot and never will save anyone. No good work or any amount of man’s righteousness will ever place one in the favor with an all just and all loving God. Paul tried this and failed miserably. He came face to face with the God who he thought he was serving and it pushed him to his knees and then obediently in to the outstretched arms of a loving Lord and Savior.
If you follow Paul’s life, you will see that Christ was his soul motivation for most of his endeavors. Paul had an unction that came from the Almighty. He continually preached Christ and Him crucified. When we live the Spirit filled life, we will have that same communion with Christ which produces an unquenchable fire to serve.