The New Testament Scripture we have for today addresses a controversy that people have had for the longest of times, and that is whether we get into heaven by keeping a set of laws, rules, and regulations, and by being “good people”, or whether instead we get into heaven by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. People back in the early days of the Church and people today in the 21st century have struggled with which belief is correct. Let’s look into what the Lord inspired St. Paul to write in his letter to the church in Rome.
In the first several decades of the early Church, many believers came from a Jewish background, and there was also a growing number of believers who came from a Gentile background, as well. Most of the Jewish believers came from a background of strict adherence to the Old Testament Law which is found in the Biblical Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, in addition to the myriad of additional laws and regulations that many rabbis later added in the Talmud. All of these rules and regulations, both divine and man-made, were zealously kept, as they believed they were necessary to maintain their righteous standing with God. In many of the early churches, the Jewish believers were compelling the Gentile believers to also keep all of the Jewish Law. Thus there was a dilemma, does our righteousness or salvation come through faith, or does it come through keeping the Law?
In this portion of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he makes it very clear what brings our salvation. Was it adherence to rules and regulations written out in the Law, or was it faith in the Lord Jesus? If one opted for the Law, then one needed to know that the Old Testament Law required perfect obedience. If one became righteous by the Law, they had to live by it perfectly (vs. 5). Paul quoted what Moses wrote in Leviticus 18:5, which Paul also reiterated in Galatians 3:12, as did James in James 2:10. What these verses say is that according to the Law, one must keep the whole Law or one was guilty. That is something that is not possible for anyone to do.
Paul then quotes from Deuteronomy 30:12-14, pointing out that our righteousness is based on faith, and does not require extraordinary feats, like ascending to heaven or descending into the abyss because the Lord Jesus has already accomplished the work of salvation (vs. 6-7). The message of salvation is close, and is readily available to all who believe (vs. 8).
Now we come to the most significant verses in our Scripture today, verses 9-11, which brings a concise explanation of what salvation really is, and what is necessary to be saved. As Paul is saying, it is not necessary to keep hundreds of laws, and being careful that one does not break or omit even the most obscure of those laws. All that one must do to obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with God is to confess that Jesus is Lord (the Son of God), and believe that God raised Him from the dead. Belief in the heart results in righteousness and confession with the mouth results in salvation.
Paul quotes from Isaiah and Jeremiah that anyone who believes in Jesus will not be put to shame (Isaiah 28:16; Jeremiah 17:7). Our faith will remain unshakable. Salvation is pledged to those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord. We are saved when we genuinely trust in the Savior. God will do exactly what He has promised. All who believe in Jesus Christ will not be disappointed. If you believe in Him, trusting in His sacrificial death to pay your sin debt, accepting Him as Savior, you will be saved.
Today there are not too many people who feel that they need to keep the Old Testament Law in order to be righteous and find salvation. However, there are many who feel that they have to keep all sorts of other “religious” regulations and practices. There are some who believe that one must be baptized in order to get to heaven, or that they must take part in the Lord’s Supper, or say certain prayers, or do all sorts of “good deeds” in order to get to heaven. It is true that one should be baptized, and also partake of the Lord’s Supper, as Jesus told us to, but they are not necessary for salvation. Doing good deeds is good, too. But what does the Bible say - “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” No mention of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or anything else. Those things should follow salvation in order to be obedient to Jesus, but are not necessary in order to be saved. Look at the dying thief on the cross. He couldn’t be baptized, as he was nailed to the cross. Yet his belief in Jesus granted him salvation and entrance into heaven.
In closing, we see through our Scripture that it is not by adherence to any sort of law, rules, or regulations that we find salvation. Some of them are good to follow after salvation, such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper. However, in order to be saved, as we read in verse 13, we need to call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus, and we will be saved.
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