Thumbnail -Paul begins Romans 10 with a narrow lens of salvation: “the longing of my heart . . . is that the Jewish people might be saved” (NLT 10:1). But as the chapter unfolds, we peer through the wide-angle lens the gospel to include “anyone” and “all,” Jew and Gentile” (10:11, 12).

The Problem of Righteousness - As we’ve seen before, here Paul wants his readers to think about the kind of righteousness that results from obedience to the law of Moses vis-à-vis a righteousness that is imputed through trust or faith in Jesus Christ. There is no life-style that will catapult us high enough nor chisel us deep enough to make us right or accepted in God’s sight.

Quote from Origen:

The beauty of the preacher’s feet must be understood in a spiritual, not in a physical sense . . . Only those feet which walk in the way of life can make this claim. Given that Christ said that he is the way, you should understand that it is the feet of those evangelists who walk according to that way which deserve to be called beautiful. [1]

What are some of the ways that you’ve developed to improve a letter grade in school? What’s your strategy?

• List the written (and unwritten) laws in your family that you grew up with.
• How would the attitude of a person coming to God on the basis of his or her performance (v.5) be different from that of someone coming to God by faith in Christ (vs. 8-9)?

Two ideas for a homily on this passage:

1) Evangelism (vs. 5-10). “Evangelism, in many quarters of mainline Protestant churches has been the shunned stepchild of preaching. Yet every road running through postmodernity cries out for someone to speak good news.” [2]

2) Radical Inclusivity (based on vs. 11-15). Notice the inclusive emphasis: No one who believes in him will be put to shame . . . same Lord is Lord of all . . . riches upon all . . . everyone who calls . . . will be saved.

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[1] Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture VI (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1998) p. 280.
[2] The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2002 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001), page 285.