ROMANS
Chapter 10
C. H. Spurgeon
In commenting once more upon this familiar chapter, I cannot help repeating a remark which I have made to you before — that it is very significant that this tenth chapter should immediately follow the subject dealt with in the ninth chapter. In the ninth chapter, we have the doctrine of absolute predestination proclaimed in the sternest and boldest manner, — the doctrine that God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and will have compassion on whom he will have compassion. Now, it is commonly thought, by those who do not rightly understand Calvinism, that that doctrine has a tendency to burden the heart and dry up the springs of
compassion. That it was not so in Paul’s case, is very clear, for this chapter is a most affectionate one, and in it the apostle manifests a most loving spirit towards his fellow-countrymen, the Jews, and the chapter also contains the widest conceivable declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the fact being that the grand doctrine of divine predestination is by no means inconsistent with the fullest and freest preaching of the gospel of Christ.
Law
The moral law was but for the searching of the wound, the ceremonial law for the shadowing forth of the remedy; but Christ is the end of both.
Paul has shown righteousness has always been a gracious gift, sovereignty bestowed by God on those who have faith. Now he argues that God has not rejected His covenant people. They have rejected Him.
Paul cares passionately for his own race. He admits their religious zeal. But he knows their problem well: they “disregarded” God’s righteousness and tried to establish their own, even though the two are totally different in nature. Whether Jew or Gentile, one must be saved by faith.
But now we sense another objection. How can the Jewish race believe, not having heard this stunning message? But, Paul says, the Good News was preached. Israel simply did not believe. “Hearing,” which in biblical thought implies responding appropriately, requires first a message, but then requires understanding and acceptance by those to whom the message is given. Even in Old Testament times Israel did not understand and refused to accept what God cried out to them through Moses and the prophets. The message of salvation by faith has echoed throughout history and been ignored.
C. H. Spurgeon
This chapter is a gospel in itself; it very clearly points out the plan of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
10:1 What will happen to the Jewish people who believe in God but not in Christ? Since they believe in the same God, won’t they be saved? If that were true, Paul would not have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to teach them about Christ. Because Jesus is the most complete revelation of God, we cannot fully know God apart from Christ; and because God appointed Jesus to bring God and man together, we cannot come to God by another path. The Jews, like everyone else, can find salvation only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Like Paul, we should wish that all Jews might be saved. We should pray for them and lovingly share the Good News with them.
TODAY IN THE WORD
When the Spanish Conquistadors came to explore the Americas, they set out to convert the native people to Christianity. While the notion of winning people to Christ was a good idea, their method of evangelization was overzealous. They threatened to behead anyone who wouldn’t convert. This action “in the name of God” was actually a deplorable crime of injustice.
Religious convictions can get out of hand when they aren’t rooted in the Word of God. Paul described the problem as being “zealous for God” with a religious zeal that is, unfortunately, “not based on knowledge” (v. 2).
This was the condition of many Jews in Paul’s day, and even in the days of Moses according to today’s text. We’re in the portion of Romans in which Paul examines Israel’s place in God’s plan. The nation’s status needed to be clarified for two particular reasons: first, Israel’s rejection of Christ; and second, the first-century church was becoming increasingly Gentile.
Even though Paul had some harsh indictments for his fellow Israelites, no one could accuse him of indifference toward his race. He felt “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” over their unbelief (9:2), and he deeply desired their salvation (10:1).
But the fact remained that although the Israelites had the law of God right in front of them in Moses’ day, they missed the truth of God’s righteous requirements and set out to establish their own righteousness by trying to keep the law. This self-generated righteousness is trying to earn salvation by works. But salvation comes as a gift from God through faith in Christ (see Eph. 2:8-9).
C. H. Spurgeon
Desire is the mother and the soul of prayer My heart’s desire and prayer.”
These Israelites had hunted Paul about, and sought to kill him. They were his deadly enemies; but the only return he made them was to pray that they might be saved. I hope you will never have a worse wish for your worst foe.
They had hunted Paul from city to city, but the only feeling for them that he had was a wish that they might be saved. Such a wish as that should be in the heart of every Christian; his desire for his bitterest enemy should be that he may be saved.
The same thing over again — his deep concern for his countrymen.
Paul’s Way in Prayer:
· Powerful in effect
· Sympathetic in spirit
· Loving in fellowship
· Identifying in love
· Continuous in exercise
· Intense in purpose
· Definite in petition
· Pointed in application
· Personal in plea
C. H. Spurgeon
A fault — a pitiable and grievous fault — that men should be in earnest and very zealous, and yet nothing should come of it, because they spend that zeal in a wrong direction. Men would make themselves righteous.
They would come before God in the apparel of their own works, whereas God has made a righteousness already, which he freely gives, and for us to try and produce another is to enter into rivalry with God — to insult his Son, and do dishonor to his name. May God grant that any here who are very zealous in a wrong direction may receive light and knowledge, and henceforth turn their thoughts in the right way.
C. H. Spurgeon
Now these people had persecuted the Apostle. Wherever he went they had followed him up; they had hindered his work: they had sought his life: and et this was the only return that he made to them — to desire and pray that hey might lye saved. Let us never be turned aside from this loving desire or those among whom we dwell. We wish them nothing worse — we cannot wish them anything better than that they may be saved.
Let us not only desire it, but let us pray for it. Let us turn our desires into the more practical and holy form of intercession.
Our Daily Bread
On the east side of London, pipes for a large drain were being laid in a trench. Suddenly the dirt walls collapsed, and several workmen were buried. Amid the great excitement and confusion a crowd gathered. Many bystanders watched as several people tried to rescue the victims. A woman came over to one onlooker, put her hand gently on his shoulder, and said, Bill, did you know your brother is down there? The color drained from his cheeks, then he sprang into action. Throwing aside his coat and leaping into the trench, he grabbed a shovel and worked frantically until the trapped men were finally set free. What a lesson for all of us! Masses of humanity are trapped in sin and must be rescued. Although we may express with our words a deep concern over their lost condition, our actions may instead be saying, Am I my brother's keeper? God will never accept that attitude. We cannot escape the urgency to aid those who desperately need our help, for how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? Join the rescue effort. Your brother is down there!
To be your brother's keeper,
Means you'll be your brother's seeker.
C. H. Spurgeon
Paul had a tender heart towards all unconverted men and women, and he longed and pleaded with God that they might be saved. Have all of us this unselfish compassionate feeling? I am afraid that there are some Christians who are very deficient in it; yet, in the dread of an immortality to be spent in woe unutterable by all unbelievers, our hearts’ desire and perpetual prayer should be, as Paul’s prayer for Israel was, “that they might be saved.” And if there is one class among the ungodly which should touch our hearts more than all the rest, it is those who are earnestly seeking salvation, but who are seeking it where they will never find it, namely, by the works of the law.
Note: Here Paul is addressing his natural brothers, the Jews, not his brothers in Christ. While faith in Christ creates a unique family relationship between believers, you and I like Paul retain close ties with the yet unconverted. Let's follow Paul's example, and continue to identify with and care deeply for them.
C. H. Spurgeon
Let this be our “heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel.” Sorrows upon sorrows have come to the Lord’s ancient people even down to this day; and they have been scattered and peeled, and rent and torn in almost every land. Who does not pity their griefs and woes? Let it be our heart’s desire
and daily prayer for Israel that they may be saved through faith in the Messiah whom they have so long rejected.
C. H. Spurgeon
No curse falls from his lips, though they had persecuted him without mercy, hunted him from city to city, and gnashed their teeth at the very mention of his name. Yet he has no desire for them but their salvation; he utters no malediction against them, but the prayer goes up from his very heart, “that they might be saved.” Let that be your worst wish for any living man. Whatever he may do to you, let this be your heart’s desire and prayer for him, that he may be saved.
Illustration
At Noyon there were born in a family two brothers, John and Charles. John from his earliest days was studious, thoughtful, and reverent. At the early age of twenty-seven he wrote one of the world's greatest books, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. When he died at Geneva in 1564 he bequeathed to the world the great principles of democracy and religious freedom. The other brother, Charles pursued a course of profligacy and dissipation and lived a life as worthless and infamous as his brother's life was noble and glorious. How do you explain the difference between those men? Not in heredity, not in environment, the same home, the same early influences. The difference is to be explained in choice.
C. H. Spurgeon
Paul is writing concerning: the Jews — the very people who had driven him from city to city, and who had again and again sought to take his life.
Yet he could not forget that these men were his own countrymen; and, consequently, with a consecrated patriotism, he desired beyond everything else that they might be saved.
Our Daily Bread
A Jewish leader was invited to speak at a gathering of Christians in the USA who were celebrating Israel's 50th anniversary. The rabbi saw Christians as friends of the Jews. He declared, "We are safe in America not in spite of Christianity. We are safe . . . because of Christianity."
This statement is a welcome rebuttal to the accusation that the Christian faith is anti-Semitic and even responsible for the death of 6 million Jews during World War II. It's true that some Christian leaders in Germany were guilty of anti-Semitism and cowardice, but they were not the ones who influenced Hitler. He was deeply affected by the writings of the bitterly atheistic philosopher Nietzsche, who hated the Christian faith and advocated the slaughter of the Jews.
Bible-believing Christians are to reflect the attitude of the apostle Paul, who had a deep love for his fellow Jews (Rom. 10:1). He longed for them to discover, as he had, that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Savior of people of all nations. Paul even said that he would be willing to be cursed by God if it would result in blessing and salvation for Jews (9:3).
Does your heart ache for the descendants of Abraham? They have a rich Old Testament heritage, but they need Jesus Christ. Pray for them today.
Everyone needs to choose Jesus--even God's chosen people.
10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
C. H. Spurgeon
Always see all the good that is to be seen; and, when you have to reprove and rebuke begin by admitting what is good: “They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
It is not sufficient for a man to be sincere in his zeal for God; sincerity must be according to knowledge if it is to be of any value. If a man travels to the North, his sincere belief that he is on the right road will not bring him to his destination in the South. If a man, in all sincerity, drinks poison under the belief that it is a cheering cordial, it will kill him, notwithstanding his sincerity; and if a man sincerely believes a lie, it will turn out to be a lie notwithstanding his sincerity. So that it is not enough to be sincerely zealous for God, or sincerely anxious to be saved; but you must seek salvation in God’s revealed way if your search is to be a successful one.