Romans 10:1-15 – Privilege and responsibility go hand in hand

One can have enough theology yet remain humanly irresponsible. The election of God and human responsibility go hand in hand perfectly. Look at it this way: No one is lost because he or she is not elected, but one is lost because of the refusal to accept the Gospel. There are two extreme fallacies people tend to adopt when it comes to God’s election and human responsibility. There are people who would abandon their duty because they had misapplied the doctrine of election. Then there are those who refused to believe because they felt that they could do nothing about it since they were not part of the elect.

In Romans 9, we see how the Jews had failed despite being the recipients of divine privilege. Now in Romans 10 we get to see where the Jews had gone wrong. Paul made known the great desire that he cherished – that is for Israel to turn from their unbelief and embrace the hope. His desire was for them to listen and believe in the Gospel. Explicitly, Romans 10 reveals that the Jews were responsible for their own plight. The fault lies squarely at their own feet. They cannot blame anyone.  

In verses 1-5, Paul expressed his love and concern for the salvation of Israel. Although Israel had plenty of zeal but it was misguided zeal because they lacked knowledge. While they were the privileged recipients of God’s revelation, they negated it with their stubborn mind. Rejecting God’s revealed truth, the Israelites attempted to pursue righteousness by trying to fulfill the Law of Moses through self-effort. Hence they were not able to see, believe or acknowledge Christ as the goal and summation of the Law. Hence they failed to see Christ as God’s means to righteousness for all who believe.

Paul then showed that God’s righteousness is obtained by faith in Christ and not by keeping the Law. Moses had prescribed the Law as a way to attain righteousness but yet no one had been justified that way. Why? Because none had been able to keep the Law fully. Salvation is only attainable by faith through confessing the Lordship of Jesus and trusting that God had raised Him from the dead. Paul insisted that there is nothing humanly needed to be done in search for Christ. For He had come, died and is risen. That’s why He is so near and readily accessible to all, by faith. In the Scriptures we are told of His availability that is offered to all, both the Jew as well as the Gentile. This offer is made through the preaching of the Gospel.

In verses 14-15, Paul rounds up with four rhetorical questions. He asked “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

What is the implication of the rhetorical questions? It simply means that we who have heard, received and accepted the good news of the Gospel, must also take this good news to the world. We have the privilege of experiencing the benefit of the good news. So now we must be responsible and take the Gospel to the people who are lost and languishing without hope. Let’s join hand with God’s occupational force on earth and do our part to enlarge the reign of Christ!