10
The Word of Faith Brings Salvation
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation.
2 For I testify about them that they have a certain enthusiasm for God, but not in accordance with [correct and vital] knowledge [about Him and His purposes].
3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
4 For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].
5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it. [Lev 18:5]
6 But the righteousness based on faith [which produces a right relationship with Him] says the following: “Do ɴoᴛ sᴀʏ ɪɴ ʏoᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ‘Wʜo wɪʟʟ ᴀscᴇɴᴅ ɪɴᴛo Hᴇᴀvᴇɴ?’ that is, to bring Christ down;
7 or, ‘Wʜo wɪʟʟ ᴅᴇscᴇɴᴅ ɪɴᴛo ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙʏss?’ that is, to bring Christ up from the dead [as if we had to be saved by our own efforts, doing the impossible].” [Deut 30:12, 13]
8 But what does it say? “Tʜᴇ woʀᴅ ɪs ɴᴇᴀʀ ʏoᴜ, ɪɴ ʏoᴜʀ ᴍoᴜᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ʏoᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— [Deut 30:14]
9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “Wʜoᴇvᴇʀ ʙᴇʟɪᴇvᴇs ɪɴ Hɪᴍ [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] wɪʟʟ ɴoᴛ ʙᴇ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘoɪɴᴛᴇᴅ [in his expectations].” [Is 28:16]
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer].
13 For “wʜoᴇvᴇʀ cᴀʟʟs oɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ oꜰ ᴛʜᴇ Loʀᴅ [in prayer] wɪʟʟ ʙᴇ sᴀvᴇᴅ.” [Joel 2:32]
14 But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?
15 And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇᴛ oꜰ ᴛʜosᴇ wʜo ʙʀɪɴɢ ɢooᴅ ɴᴇws oꜰ ɢooᴅ ᴛʜɪɴɢs!” [Is 52:7]
16 But they did not all pay attention to the good news [of salvation]; for Isaiah says, “Loʀᴅ, wʜo ʜᴀs ʙᴇʟɪᴇvᴇᴅ oᴜʀ ʀᴇᴘoʀᴛ?” [Is 53:1]
17 So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.
18 But I say, did they not hear? Indeed they have;
“Tʜᴇɪʀ voɪcᴇ [that of creation bearing God’s message] ʜᴀs ɢoɴᴇ oᴜᴛ ᴛo ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ,
Aɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ woʀᴅs ᴛo ᴛʜᴇ [farthest] ᴇɴᴅs oꜰ ᴛʜᴇ woʀʟᴅ.” [Ps 19:4, 7-11]
19 But I say, did Israel fail to understand [that the gospel was to go also to the Gentiles]? First Moses says,
“I wɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏoᴜ ᴊᴇᴀʟoᴜs oꜰ ᴛʜosᴇ wʜo ᴀʀᴇ ɴoᴛ ᴀ ɴᴀᴛɪoɴ (Gentiles);
Wɪᴛʜ ᴀ ɴᴀᴛɪoɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴀcᴋs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ I wɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏoᴜ ᴀɴɢʀʏ.” [Deut 32:21]
20 Then Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I ʜᴀvᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ꜰoᴜɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜosᴇ wʜo ᴅɪᴅ ɴoᴛ sᴇᴇᴋ Mᴇ;
I ʜᴀvᴇ sʜowɴ Mʏsᴇʟꜰ ᴛo ᴛʜosᴇ wʜo ᴅɪᴅ ɴoᴛ [consciously] ᴀsᴋ ꜰoʀ Mᴇ.” [Is 65:1]
21 But of Israel he says, “Aʟʟ ᴅᴀʏ ʟoɴɢ I ʜᴀvᴇ sᴛʀᴇᴛcʜᴇᴅ oᴜᴛ Mʏ ʜᴀɴᴅs [in compassion] ᴛo ᴀ ᴅɪsoʙᴇᴅɪᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴅ oʙsᴛɪɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴘᴇoᴘʟᴇ.” [Is 65:2]