Now anyone who has come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, through faith in the all-sufficient sacrifice for sin that was made by Christ on the cross, will not be looking to the ten commandments as a means of salvation: Or of attaining unto righteousness; will they? For the righteousness of God has already been imputed unto them: and this is not what you are advocating either, are you? NO! If I am correct, what you are saying is that the ten commandments should be the measure by which we measure our life and witness
once saved. They should be incorporated into our manner of life, in order to live a life which is honouring to the Lord in loving our neighbour as ourselves, but NOT as a means of attaining unto righteousness, Is this so?
'For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness
to every one that believeth.'
(
Rom 10:4)
'For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
unto good works,
which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them.'
(
Eph 2:10)
First let me say, no one gets saved without Jesus. He is an absolute requirement. John 14:6; Acts 4:12; I can obey the commandments all day long and that won't get me into heaven without Jesus.
But not obeying the commandments, even after you become a believer will certainly keep you out of heaven.
What is the opposite of righteousness? Unrighteousness or lawlessness.
Matt 7:21;
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Matt 7:22; "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
Matt 7:23; "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
These people called Jesus "Lord" obviously they believed in Him. Why did He tell the people who "practice lawlessness" to depart from Him?
I believe there is a "before" and an "after" dividing line. A "before" you are saved, and an "after" you are saved. Only faith can get you saved.
But disobedience and sin can get you unsaved. I believe in grace and mercy, and you don't automatically get disqualified just because you committed a sin.
But if you commit enough premeditated sin over a period of time, and make it a lifestyle, you can get unsaved.
I don't believe Rom 10:4; is talking about the commandments, it is talking about ceremonial law. ( circumcision, priests, stoning, animal sacrifice, etc... )
A lot of Romans is about the ceremonial law.
Rom 2:25; For indeed
circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Rom 2:26; So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as
circumcision?
Rom 2:27; And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and
circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?
Rom 2:28; For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is
circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.
Rom 2:29; But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and
circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Rom 3:1; Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of
circumcision?
Rom 4:11; and he received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
Rom 4:12; and the father of
circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
Rom 15:8; For I say that Christ has become a servant to the
circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,
Rom 3:30; since indeed God who will justify the
circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
Rom 4:9; Is this blessing then on the
circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."
Rom 4:10; How then was it credited? While he was
circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
Rom 4:11; and he received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
( and those are just the circumcision verses )
Rom 10:1; Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
Rom 10:2; For I testify about them that
they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
Rom 10:3; For
not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
This verse could be taken a number of ways. But it says here, these people didn't know about God's righteousness. They made up their own laws ( not God's laws )
and they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. They did not submit to God's laws ( because they didn't know about them ).
Rom 10:4; For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Rom 10:5; For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.
Rom 10:6; But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that is, to bring Christ down),
Rom 10:7; or 'WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)."
Rom 10:8; 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 are preaching,
Rom 10:9;
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Rom 10:10; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Many take verse 9 here to say all I have to do is believe there was a guy named Jesus and He got raised from the dead, and I'm good to go.
But believing means believing in everything about Jesus, what He did and what He said. What He taught and obeying those things. If I believe in Jesus, I believe in everything He said and taught.
( including obeying the commandments )
Rom 10:11; For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
Rom 10:12; For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
Rom 10:13; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Rom 10:14; How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15; 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!"
Rom 10:16; However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?"
Rom 10:17; So faith comes from hearing, and
hearing by the word of Christ.
Faith isn't simply hearing about a man named Jesus, faith comes from "Hearing the word (teachings) of Christ.
Rom 10:18; But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; "THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD."
Rom 10:19; But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, "I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION, BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU."
Rom 10:20; And Isaiah is very bold and says, "I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME."
Rom 10:21; But as for Israel He says, "
ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE."
The Jews believed in God as a nation, but they didn't obey Him. God was reaching out to them, but they were "disobedient and obstinate".
Rom 11:19; You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Rom 11:20; Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith.
Do not be conceited, but fear;
Rom 11:21;
for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
Rom 11:22; Behold then the kindness and
severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness,
if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Matt 5:20;
"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Heb 10:26; For if
we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27; but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.
Matt 13:41;
"The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,
. Yet it does not have any application to myself, and the calling I have been called into, as a member of the Body of Christ.
