In Romans 9:30-10:21, Paul writes about Israel’s unbelief of the gospel and what humanity must do to be saved.
Have you ever wondered if the people of today are like the people in this Scripture? By attempting to get right with God by just keeping His regulations? We might imagine that participating or working in the church, giving tithes and offerings, and being a pleasant individual will be sufficient.
We have followed the rules, after all, have we not? In any case, Paul’s words sting since this approach will not ever succeed.
How Is Unbelief Seen in the Bible?
Paul gives a reason that God’s plan is not for the people who attempt to acquire His approval by being or accomplishing something beneficial, it is for the individuals who understand that they can never be sufficient unless they rely upon Christ.
We can be saved by simply placing our faith in what Jesus Christ has done. In the event that we do that, we will not ever be disheartened (“ashamed”).
The Jews had a commendable objective, to respect God. Nevertheless, they attempted to accomplish it the incorrect way, by unbending and careful submission to the Law. Some of them turned out to be more devoted to the Law than to God.
That is what they believed; assuming they kept the Law, God would need to acknowledge them as His kin. In any case, God cannot be controlled.
The Jews did not see that their scriptures, the Old Testament, showed salvation with a supernatural conviction and not by human exertion (Genesis 15:6).
Jesus was the “stumbling stone.” The Jews did not believe in Jesus since He did not live up to their assumptions for the Messiah. Certain individuals are still stumbling over Christ since salvation with conviction does not sound sensible to them.
They would prefer to attempt to work their direction to God, or, in all likelihood, they anticipate that He should just neglect their transgressions. Others stumble over Christ since His values are contrary to the world.
Humility is what He requests, and many are reluctant to lower themselves before Him. He requires dutifulness, and many will not make their wills available to Him.
What will befall the Jewish nation who have faith in God but not in Christ? Since they trust in a similar God, could they be saved? On the off chance that that was valid, Paul could not have possibly buckled down and forfeited such a huge amount to contact them about Christ.
Since Jesus is the absolute, most complete disclosure of God, we cannot completely know God separated from Christ; and since God delegated Jesus to unite God and man, we cannot come to God in another way. The Jews, similar to every other person, can find salvation through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Like Paul, we should wish that all may be saved. We ought to petition God for ourselves and affectionately share the Good News with them as we would with anyone else.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
As opposed to walking with unshakable conviction in God, the Jews laid out customs and traditions (notwithstanding God’s Law) to attempt to make themselves adequate in His sight.
How Do We Overcome Our Unbelief?
The human exertion, regardless of how earnest, can never fill in for the grace God offers us by faith. We cannot procure salvation by being perfect — that is inconceivable. However, we can hold out our unfilled hands and obtain it as a gift.
“The end of the law” is Christ in two ways. He satisfies the reason and objective of the Law (Matthew 5:17) in that He impeccably exemplified God’s longings on the earth.
However, He is additionally the end of the Law in light of the fact that, in contrast with Christ, the Law is feeble and unable to save.
To be saved by the Law, an individual would need to live a life that was perfect, without sinning by any means. For what reason did God give the Law when He realized that the people could not keep it?
As per Paul, one explanation that the Law was given was to show the people how liable they were (Galatians 3:19). The Law was a foreshadowing of Christ, or at least, the system for sacrifices so that when the genuine sacrifice came, they would have the ability to comprehend His work.
The systematic, ritualistic laws were to go on until the time that Christ came to earth. The Law focuses on Christ, the justification behind the sacrifice of animals.
Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator (Galatians 3:19).
Paul adjusts Moses’ departure message from Deuteronomy 30:11-14 to apply to Christ. Christ has given our salvation through His manifestation (coming to earth) and resurrection (raising from the dead).
God’s salvation is directly before us. He will come to us wherever we may be. All we need to do is to answer and acknowledge His endowment of salvation.
Have you at any point been asked, “How would I become a Christian?” These verses offer us the lovely response, salvation is pretty much as close as our mouth and heart.
Some people imagine that it should be a convoluted cycle; however, it is not. Assuming we have faith in our hearts and say with our mouths that Christ is the risen Master, then we will be saved.
Paul is not saying that Christians will not ever be frustrated (“ashamed”). There will be times when some people will let us down and when conditions will have an unfortunate development.
What Does This Mean?
Paul is saying that Jesus Christ will never let us down: each and every individual who believes in Him will be saved (Romans 10:13).
We should carry God’s most noteworthy message of salvation to others so they can acknowledge the Good News. How might your friends, family, and neighbors hear it except if somebody tells them?
Is God calling you to participate in spreading the Word about His message locally? Take time to think about one individual who needs to hear the Good News and consider something that you can do to help the person in question to hear it. Then, at that point, make the following stride quickly.
Numerous Jews who searched for the Savior would not have faith in Him when He came to them. God offered the gift of salvation to the Gentiles; subsequently, numerous Gentiles who had barely any familiarity with a Savior found and had confidence in Him.
There are some “religious” individuals, who are, in a deep sense, spiritually blind, while the people who have never been in a church are, in some cases, the most receptive to God’s message.
Since appearances are deluding and we cannot see into individuals’ souls, we ought to be careful with judging ahead of time who will answer the gospel and who will not.
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
We may not all be called to preach, but we are all called to spread His Word. We are to be a witness of God’s saving grace.
For further reading:
How Can Jesus Help Us Overcome Our Unbelief?
Can a Christian Doubt God and Still Have Faith?
5 Changes to Make When You're Struggling with Unbelief
Is Doubt a Helpful Part of Faith?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Liudmila Chernetska
