Oct 20

Righteousness by Faith

Tim Frost |Romans 10:5-13


This week we are taking a break from Genesis and looking at Romans 10:5-13. Immediately before this passage Paul discusses our position before God and how it is not based on doing right and intending right but trusting in the one who is right. We often fall in one of two camps: there are the rule followers and then there are rule-benders or rule breakers. We all land somewhere on that continuum. But neither one will ultimately lead to our salvation – neither one leads towards true righteousness before God. This righteousness is described as “covenant faithfulness.” It is perfect obedience to God’s will which is revealed through his law.

Both the one who tries to obey perfectly and the one who disregards the law will equally be condemned by the law because the standard is perfection. Anything short of that leaves us guilty and this is why the gospel is such good news. Here in Romans 9 and 10 Paul is drawing a heavy emphasis on the fact that no one can be good enough to earn God’s love and favor.

In the text we’re looking at today Paul quotes a lot from the Old Testament. In doing so, he reveals how the Israelites misunderstood the role of the law in their lives and how the law, rather than leading to a works righteousness, should lead us to a Christ righteousness. If we miss that, we have missed the whole point of the law. As we look at this text this morning we’re confronted with the question, “in whom or in what am I trusting to be made right with God?”