Today's Bible Study Lesson
“Salvation for All Who Believe”
Aim: Explain
Paul’s
confidence in the salvation offered in Christ,
Feel
justified
through our faith in Christ,
and Embrace
with
joy the possibility for all.
Background: Romans
10:5-17
Bible Lesson:
Romans
10:5-17
Memory
Verse:
“For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans
10:13 KJV
Some
Highlights:
-
Paul
opens Romans Chapter 10, expressing his sincere desire that those to
whom he preaches be saved. He gives witness to their enthusiasm for
righteousness; however, they remain unenlightened regarding the
righteousness of God. They were
trying to
establish
their own path to righteousness and had
not
submitted
to the righteousness of God. God’s progressive plan for
righteousness had
moved
from the Law to a faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
-
Paul
points out to the saints in Rome that the Law was
given
by God to Moses for
the Jews. Righteousness
through the Law
could only be
obtained
by complete obedience to every aspect of it. The ability for anyone
to be totally obedient to the Law was difficult and actually
impossible. Looking back we know that Jesus Christ was the only one
who kept the Law completely. He
was 100% human and 100% divine. The Law was given by God as mirror
to show us where we have
come
short of God’s Will. The
Law like
a physical
mirror
can
show a smear of dirt on one’s
face,
but
does
nothing to cleanse the dirt.
-
Next,
Paul contrasts
faith in Christ with one
attempting
to obey
the Law as a
means of getting right with God. With faith the
work
is done by God in providing His Only
Begotten
Son to pay for our sins with His Death on the Cross. We only have to
believe in Jesus as God’s Son and in His death, burial, and
resurrection to be granted the privilege of being right with God.
There
were no human means available for us to reconcile
ourselves
with God. We
could not go up to heaven to bring Jesus down or descend into the
deep to bring Christ up for
our righteousness (Deuteronomy
30:13-14).
Our
reconciliation with God could only be achieved by God Himself!
-
Paul
explains that
the
opportunity to have faith in Jesus is
near
by
and
is even
often spoken of and was available to be placed in our hearts. In
fact, Paul said this faith is the essence of the message that he
preached.
He makes it plain by saying that one must openly declare that Jesus
is Lord and believe in one’s heart that God raised Him from the
dead and salvation is yours.
-
Salvation
and its availability is a heart matter. One must believe and trust
wholeheartedly in the saving work of God through Jesus Christ’s
Blood which
was shed
on Calvary’s Cross for our sins as a satisfactory sacrifice
to
God the Father.
-
This
salvation was not only available to the Jews, but also
to
the Gentiles. For God is no respecter of
persons. The Gospel was
first
offered
to
the Jews; however, God’s Plan always included the
availability of salvation to all
of humankind who would believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. To be saved, a Jew had
to
believe and likewise a
Gentile
had
to believe
to be saved. On the other hand, neither Jew nor Gentile can be saved
if neither
believes
and
accepts
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
-
Paul
goes on to make it clear that
all
must call upon the Name of Jesus to be saved. He asks “how can
they call on him to save them unless they
believe in him?” ; “And how can they believe in him if they have
never heard about him?”; “And how can they hear about him unless
someone tells them?”; “And how will anyone go and tell them
without being sent?” These question outline the need for the Good
News to be shared for the benefit of humankind. This Good News
should be received with joy for Paul says “How
beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news” (Isaiah
52:7+)
There should be rejoicing when the Good News is shared for it offers
salvation to all who believe.
-
Sadly,
Paul states that all will not welcome messengers who bring the Good
News. He quotes Isaiah 53:1a “Who hath believed our report? …”
-
Our
study concludes, with Paul stating
that faith in Jesus Christ comes by hearing and hearing comes by the
Word of God.
Take
Aways:
-
Our
salvation is not a result of what we have done or
will do,
but a
result of who
we trust
and what
we believe.
We
must believe and accept
Jesus Christ as
our
Lord and Savior.
-
Salvation
comes
through
faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It
is available to all whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated,
well connected or disconnected, etc.
-
Not
only
those
called to preach are
responsible
to
spread the Good News about Jesus Christ, but all Christians have
the
responsibility to
joyously share
what we have received.
Bible
Verses to Keep in Mind:
“For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:”
Ephesians
2:8 KJV
“But glory, honour, and peace, to
every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the
Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans
2:10-11 KJV
“For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.”
James
2:10 KJV
“Immediately his ears were
opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke
plainly. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but
the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed [it].”
Mark
7:35-36 NKJV
“Go therefore and make disciples
of all the 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 have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, [even] to
the end of the age. Amen.” Matthew
28:19-20 NKJV
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