Scriptural text: Romans 10:5-17
The Source of God’s Righteousness (Rom. 10:5).
This is found in Leviticus 18:5, “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man do he shall live in them.” This appeal is made to Moses, both in regard to the righteousness of the Law and that of faith, in accordance with the usual manner of Paul to sustain all his positions by the Old Testament, and to show that he was introducing no new doctrine. He was only affirming that which had been long before taught in the writings of the Jews themselves. The righteousness which a perfect obedience to the Law of God would produce. That consisted in perfectly doing all that the Law required.
The Availability of God’s Righteousness (Rom. 10:6-8).
In this section, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 9:4a and 30: 12-14. In verse 6, faith is the speaker, a technique known as ” personification.” Righteousness speaks, saying, “Say not in thine heart,” a quote from Deuteronomy 12:4a. No one is in a position to make boastful claims about what they have done. Righteousness raises the question of who will act on our behalf to bring Christ down from heaven.
In verse 7, Paul again quoted from Deuteronomy 30:13, essentially asking who was going down into the deep. Paul interpreted this text to be a reference to bringing Christ up from the grave. No one can bring Christ down from heaven, any more than they could raise Him up from the dead. What the Jews were attempting to do by tediously keeping the Law, God had already done through the sending of His Son into the world. Paul encouraged the verbal confession of faith in Jesus Christ.
Verse 8 is a quote from Deuteronomy 30:14 and is not introduced with the words, what does Scripture say? Jews who knew the Law knew what Paul was referring to. Achieving a right relationship with God is near-in fact it is in your mouth and heart. What did Paul mean by “the word of faith, which we preach”? It is the message of the Gospel. It is the preaching of this message that elicits faith in what God has done in Jesus Christ. Preaching is still the means by which men and women are saved.
The Reception of God’s Righteousness (Rom. 10:9-10).
This passage of Scripture isolated from its context, gives us a simple formula for salvation. We confess that Jesus is Lord, we believe God raised Him from the dead, and we are saved.
Verse 10 states that righteousness begins in the heart and culminates with a personal confession, which points back to verse 9-the Lordship of Jesus. This is what leads to salvation. For Paul, righteousness is not the result of anything one does; it is always a matter of the heart and trust in Jesus.
References: Townsend Press Sunday School Commentary 2020-2921