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Timothy: Romans 10:1-13
Justification by Faith

1 Brothers, truly my heart’s pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel is for it to be saved.

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

3 For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

4 For Christ is the end of Law for righteousness to everyone that believes.

5 For Moses writes of the righteousness which is of the Law: “The man doing these things shall live by them.” Lev. 18:5

6 But the righteousness of faith says this: “Do not say in your heart, Who will go up into Heaven?” (that is, to bring down Christ);

7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)

8 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 proclaim) Deuteronomy 30:12-14.

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

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame.” Isa. 28:16

12 For there is no difference both of Jew and of Greek, for the same Lord of all is rich toward all the ones calling on Him.

13 For everyone, “whoever may call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Joel 2:32

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I thank You for granting me another day to live in Your love and grace. I have Your Eternal Living Word to meditate on, and I ask that Christ renew my strength and the Holy Spirit guide me as I meditate on Your Word. I thank Christ and the Holy Spirit for their constant presence in my life.

Dear Father, I would like to present my understanding of righteousness by faith, as recorded in Romans 10:1-13.

Dear Father, from verses 1 to 3, I understand that the Apostle Paul sincerely loved the Israelites. He was distressed to see many of them perish because they did not accept the Gospel of Salvation, but instead tried to follow the law to be considered righteous. Therefore, he prayed for them to accept the Gospel and be saved. He knew that the Israelites were eager to obey the law to please God, but their zeal did not come from knowledge. True knowledge comes from the understanding that God’s righteousness for humanity was established through the sacrificial death of Christ, not through one’s own effort to keep the law.

Dear Father, In verse 4, I understand that Christ is the culmination of the law. God’s law was meant to punish sin once and for all on human flesh, and so Christ, as God from heaven, came down to earth and took on human form to bear the punishment for our sins. Therefore, anyone who genuinely repents of their sins and believes in Christ’s sacrificial death will be declared righteous by God. However, this does not mean that one can continue to sin and be considered righteous. If this were the case, Christ’s sacrifice would become a license to sin. The Bible teaches that those who deliberately return to a life of sin after accepting Christ’s redemption will not receive forgiveness.

Dear Father, I understand that Christ is the purpose of the law, which means that the law directs humanity towards Christ and everything He did. Everything Christ did completely fulfilled God’s nature of love, holiness, and righteousness. God loves humanity and gives them the opportunity to be forgiven, to be cleansed of sin, and to live in eternal happiness with Him. God does not accept sin and therefore severely condemns it. Christ’s death fulfilled God’s requirement.

Dear Father, I understand that from verses 5 to 7, righteousness by the law is obeying the law completely, but in reality, no one can obey the law completely. Therefore, no one can live by the law’s judgment. Righteousness by faith is being saved from the judgment of the law through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death, which was judged in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Christ need only believe that He is God incarnate, who took upon Himself the penalty of sin. He was crucified and buried, but also rose from the dead. Those who believe in Christ do not need to understand the theological intricacies of the incarnation or the resurrection, but simply need to repent of their sins and believe in Christ’s atoning death.

Dear Father, I understand verse 8 to mean that the term “Word” here refers to the Gospel message of Christ, which Christ Himself preached, was reaffirmed by the apostles, and has been recorded in the Bible. Today, this message has been spread throughout the world in various languages, ready for anyone to believe.

Dear Father, I understand verses 9 and 10 as follows: Faith must first be affirmed through words and then demonstrated through actions. Confessing the name of the Lord Jesus Christ means acknowledging that He is God who came down to earth, died on the cross to bear the punishment for the sins of humanity, and then rose from the dead to grant eternal life to those who believe in Him. Believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior instantly makes a person righteous in the eyes of God because their sins are forgiven. But confessing one’s faith is also about accepting everything that Jesus Christ has done for them, saving them from the penalty and power of sin. Father, I understand this to be like two people in love becoming husband and wife, but it is their declaration of marriage vows that truly makes them husband and wife.

Dear Father, I understand verse 11 to be a promise of salvation for those who genuinely repent of their sins and believe in the redeeming death of Christ.

Dear Father, I understand verse 12 to affirm that the gift of salvation is offered to all of humanity, not just to the Israelites, and that God always grants His grace generously to those who ask for it.

Dear Father, I understand verse 13 as follows: The name of the Lord is Jesus Christ. Under heaven, there is no other name given to humanity by which we can be saved, as recorded in Acts 4:12. When a person sincerely calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, they will receive the salvation of God. Firstly, they will be saved from eternal destruction, and then they will be saved from the trials and difficulties of life.

Dear Father, I am truly joyful and grateful to the Triune God for the gift of salvation given to humanity. I rejoice in being saved and being created anew in love, holiness, and righteousness by God.

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
03/31/2023