Romans 10:6-17
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Why is preaching so essential to the Christian faith? The Apostle Paul captures for us the importance of the preaching of the gospel message in 1 Corinthians 1:21 writing, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” God could have chosen any means He wanted to reach a lost world with the good news of His Son Jesus Christ, but He has chosen to use people proclaiming that good news.
In Romans 10, the Apostle Paul is addressing the issue of the people of Israel and how they have rejected the gospel. If God had such a grand plan for them and revealed Himself to them through His law, the prophets, and His Son Jesus Christ, then why did Israel repeatedly break the law, reject the prophets, and crucify Jesus. Paul’s answer is to first point out in Romans 9 that God has not in anyway failed with His plan for Israel. Secondly, Paul gives the reason why Israel has failed to believe in the first five verses of chapter 10. Romans 10:3 tells us, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Israel chose to establish their own righteousness from their own works instead of receiving the righteousness of God in Christ by faith.
In verses 6-17, Paul addresses the means by which the gospel changes the lives of people, faith that comes from the Word of God that is being proclaimed. In these verses, there are three things that we can learn about the nature of the proclamation of the Word of God in preaching.
First, we learn that the aim, or point, of the preached Word is to point to Christ. In verses 6-8, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 30:9-14 and changes the commandments (or law) to Christ. The point of this passage is that God has not hidden His Word about Christ in hell nor kept it in heaven where we could not get to it. Instead, He has made the truth that saves us very plain and accessible. In fact, He has sent many people to go and proclaim it. Salvation does not require us completing an impossible task or accomplishing some great feat. Instead, it is available through humble, simple faith, acknowledging His Son as Lord, and believing that He died and rose again from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). The same faith that God credited to Abraham as righteousness (Genesis 15:6) is available to all through Christ. The goal of true preaching is not entertainment or exalting the eloquence of a man. Instead, true preaching exalts and points people to Christ.
We also learn that the preached Word is purposed for all people. Who is the message for? Who can receive it? The word, “whosoever” clears that up. The message of the gospel is meant for all people. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is for the church to go into the whole world and make disciples by teaching them. Paul quotes Isaiah 28:16 in verse 11 and Joel 2:32 in verse 13. Both passages highlight the promise that salvation comes to all who hear, believe, and call. The call is a response of faith to the preached Word. The gospel is for all people.
Lastly, we learn that the preached Word produces faith. God has ordained that faith would come to people through the Word. Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions in verses 14-16 that highlight that unless people hear, they cannot believe and unless they are preached to, they cannot hear. People must hear the gospel to be saved. They must hear the Word of God to have faith (Romans 10:17). God has therefore ordained that “by the foolishness of preaching” He will “save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).
The preaching of the Word is essential in the salvation of the lost and also the growth of the believer. Paul adds in Ephesians 4:11-16 that God has given certain teaching/preaching offices to the church so that the body of Christ might grow. There are two questions we must answer in light of Romans 10:6-17. First, have I believed the Word of God about Christ and called on the name of the Lord for salvation? Secondly, am I taking this same message to the people around me so that they can also be saved?