Romans 10

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”

But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down);

or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)”

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” that is, the word of faith which we preach:

that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.

For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?

And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.”

Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”

But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview. This chapter expresses Paul’s deep longing for the salvation of Israel and explains why, despite their zeal, many have not obtained it: they pursued righteousness through the law rather than through faith in Christ. Paul contrasts two kinds of righteousness—legal compliance and faith-acceptance—and shows that the gospel is accessible to all who believe, Jew or Gentile, because salvation comes through the near and proclaimed word of Christ. The chapter culminates in a reflection on Israel’s partial rejection and God’s ongoing invitation to a disobedient people.

Flow.

Paul opens with sorrow over Israel’s unbelief, acknowledging their zeal but identifying its root error: ignorance of God’s righteousness and a reliance on self-established righteousness.
He presents Christ as the fulfillment of the law for righteousness, then contrasts the law-based righteousness of with the faith-based righteousness described in , reinterpreted in light of Christ’s incarnation and resurrection.
Paul declares that salvation is attained by heartfelt belief and verbal confession, available equally to Jew and Greek, grounded in Scripture’s promise that all who call on the Lord will be saved.
He traces the necessity of preaching and divine sending, laments Israel’s widespread disbelief despite universal proclamation, and cites Scripture to show that God anticipated both Gentile inclusion and Israel’s disobedience.

Connections. Following chapter 9, which establishes God’s sovereign purpose in election and the future hope for Israel, chapter 10 shifts to the moral and spiritual responsibility of Israel in light of the gospel’s clear offer. It explains why many Jews have stumbled—because they rejected faith-righteousness in favor of law-righteousness—while showing that the door remains open to all who believe. This prepares the way for chapter 11, which resolves the tension by affirming that God has not abandoned Israel and that their partial hardening serves a redemptive purpose in bringing salvation to the Gentiles.

What it teaches. Righteousness before God is received by faith, not achieved by law-keeping, because Christ has fulfilled the law’s demands (WCF 7.2, 11.1). The gospel is a near and accessible word—Christ has come and been raised—so that salvation requires neither ascent to heaven nor descent to the abyss, but trusting and confessing (HC LD 7, WLC 73). Faith arises from hearing the preached word (WCF 1.8), and God saves all, without distinction, who call on Christ (HC LD 12), for He is the only Mediator (WCF 8.6). Yet Israel’s ignorance and disobedience do not nullify God’s promises, as divine patience endures toward a people continually called (WCF 3.7).

Apply. When the preached word declares Christ near, faith responds not by striving, but by receiving what God has already accomplished.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.