Epistles of Paul 81

Good evening, brethren. In Paul's description of God's plan of salvation to the Romans, in chapters 9 through 11, he adds profound understanding of God's plan by explaining God's dealing with Israel and his concern for them. In chapter 9, as we saw, Paul shows how the Israelites were chosen to do a specific job. They had a specific purpose and how they failed and are failing to fulfill that purpose. We will also see that in chapter 10 as we cover a little bit more in chapter 10. But the emphasis in chapter 10 is Israel's current rejection, and we will cover that briefly in a moment. And then on chapter 11, Paul explains that God ultimately is going to have a future restoration of Israel. And that is a very exciting understanding in God's plan, because as God does not discriminate, it means that he will extend that same wonderful grace and mercy to all nations, to all people. But it will be first to the Jew and then to all Gentiles. So let's pick up, for continuity's sake, at the end of Romans 9. We're gonna pick up at the end of Romans 9, verse 31. It says, to Israel, but to Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness has not attained to the law of righteousness. So the Israelites pursued righteousness.

Yes, they pursued righteousness by trying to be righteous by works of the law, in other words, self-righteousness. But, and also they had the ceremonial law, which was added because of transgressions. We see that in Galatians 3.19. But the ceremonial law could never forgive sin. When we see that, in Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 10, first in verse 1, Hebrews chapter 10, verse 1. Let's just get to it. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 1. For the law, that's the ceremonial law, having a shadow of good things to come, you know, was the new covenant and what Christ would do, and not the very image of the things, that ceremonial law can never, with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, and they were offering at that time that Hebrews was written, make those who approach perfect. The ceremonial law could never make people perfect, could never forgive sin. And it's not possible, therefore, as we read a little bit further in verse 4 of Hebrews chapter 10, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. It's not possible that the blood of animals, obviously clean animals, bulls and goats, is not possible to take away the sins of human beings. Now we know, Romans 6 verse 23, the wages of sin is death. And so we also know that the life is in the blood. So the life of animals, the blood of animals, as we saw there in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 4, the blood of bulls and goats, the blood of animals, you know, it was the life of animals, does not pay for the life of humans, because animals are lower than humans. And so it requires the life of one human being to pay for another human being, blood for blood, life for life. But even it's more required, because to pay for all the human lives, it requires the life of the creator. And that's why Christ had to be the creator, so that he, once he would be dead, the father that remained alive, could resurrect Christ by God's power. Therefore that act of graciousness from God is a gift from God to mankind, and that is the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Now with that explained, let's briefly look at Romans 6 verse 23. Romans 6 verse 23, we read, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

So God gave us his son, and that act of graciousness from the father is a gift from the father to mankind, so that Christ, who was the God-being that the father delegated or gave the responsibility to create human beings through God's power, which is God's only spirit. So he, Christ, which is the creator, the God-being that created us, his life is far more valuable than all our lives, and therefore that gift of eternal life is possible in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And so continuing in Romans 9 verse 32, we can see that the Israelites sought righteousness by works, by their own works, and if anyone sinned, they had the ceremonial law to pay for it, which was added because of transgressions, as we read in Galatians 3.19, but they did not comprehend that the ceremonial law only pointed to the real sacrificial lamb, which is Jesus Christ, and to God's power to make that possible. And so they, even though they were pursuing righteousness, they did not pursue God's righteousness. They pursued their own righteousness, self-righteousness, and because of that, they ended up not believing, not trusting. In other words, they ended up rejecting what Christ did for mankind, and so that became a critical point of faith to the Israelites, and more specifically at that time to the Jews, and they stumbled at that point of faith. And so Jesus Christ became something in which the Jews did not believe. In other words, they rejected, and and that's why we read in verse 32 and 33 of Romans 9, because they did not seek it by faith, as it were, by works of, but as it were, by works of law, and for they stumbled at that stumbling stone, as it's written, Behold, a lame Zion, a stumbling stone, and a rock of offense, and whoever believes, trusts on him, on Christ, on what he's done, and what the Father's done through Christ will not be put to shame. So Paul's point here is the following. Israel's rejection of Christ does not deny the faithfulness of God, does not deny the plan and purpose of God. God will carry out his plan, and as we read in Romans chapter 3 verses 3 and 4, Romans chapter 3 verse 3 and 4, for what if some did not believe? That was the case of the Jews. Will they then believe, make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not, certainly not. Indeed, let God be true, but every man a liar. You and I can depend upon God's promises. And so with that, as a reminder of what we've covered previously, let us now continue now with chapter 10 verse 1 and on words. Now chapter 10 verse 1 through 3, in these first three verses of Romans 10, we find Paul's explanation of some of the reasons why the Jews reject the Messiah.

Now, it is important for us to understand if there was any people or any nation that should be ready for the Messiah, it clearly was the Jews. Why? Well, they had the spiritual eternal law, and obviously the ceremonial law, that actually pointed to the sacrificial lamb, which was Christ. They had the promises, they had the scriptures, and the prophecies about the coming Messiah. Instead, instead of they being ready and receiving Him, they rejected Him.

In Romans 9 verse 33 we read, that became a stumbling block for them. They fell, they stumbled in Christ. But to us, Jesus Christ is the rock that we build on. It's our foundation. It's our foundation. So, the Israelites had the law, and they felt they did not need any help to keep it. Why? Well, why did they not see any need for salvation through Christ?

Well, for one, they were righteous, or in other words, self-righteous.

We, on the other side, we realize that we cannot keep the law by ourselves.

We have to have the faith, the trust in what God has done for us through Christ, and we need the help of God's power, God's Holy Spirit, to keep the law. We can try, but we cannot keep it perfectly. The Jews were trying to earn their salvation by their own works, or good works. Whereas faith says that we have to depend on Christ living in us.

We have to trust in Christ living in us, and for Him to give us power, God's power, God's Holy Spirit, the power that comes from the Father, to help us keep it.

Now, in Romans chapter 10 verse 1, Paul makes quite a strong emphasis on salvation. He says, look, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.

So there is a strong emphasis on their need for salvation, but the Jews did not see that need. That is why he makes that strong emphasis. You see, they do not fully understand. Now, I know some Jews believed in a resurrection, and some didn't. You know, there were differences between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection, but they do not even believe in the first resurrection. Some of the Jews, they do not understand. And you and I know that the first resurrection is a bitter resurrection. Now, this is an important belief that we have, a very important belief. Now, how do we know that the first resurrection is a bitter resurrection? Well, we get that from the faith chapter in Hebrews chapter 11. So let's go to Hebrews chapter 11, and in verse 35, 11 verse 35, we read, women received their dead, raised to life again, others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a bitter resurrection. You see, so there is a bitter resurrection, and some of those it says, they would not be made perfect apart from us. You see, so that's, we read that in verse 40. So why is it bitter? Well, we see that has been a promises.

It also, you know, the new covenant has been a promise, and the first resurrection is a thousand years before the others. The first resurrection, we are to be the bride of Christ. We are to help bring others into the family of God. And so it is a bitter resurrection.

But even for those who believed and believe in the resurrection, do they believe in the fact that there are three resurrections? Most people believe that there is a resurrection to life, and a resurrection to damnation, in words, the lake of fire. But they don't realize that there is a resurrection to judgment. And they don't understand that judgment. People, there will be people, there will be a judgment of people to get resurrected, and that those people resurrect will then have an opportunity for salvation, opportunity they never had. And that's what we read in Revelation 20, verse 11 and 12. Let's turn to Revelation 20, verse 11 and 12, because they're talking about the great white throne judgment. And it says that I saw a great white throne, and he who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and right. So there's people that had died, important people and not so important people standing before God, and it was resurrected, standing before God. And books were opened. The Greek word for books is biblia. It was these books of the Bible that we have in front of us. And then another book was opened, which is the book of life. It was eternal life. And the dead, these that, the dead that now small and great that are standing before God, the dead, were judged according to their work. So their works in in their previous life, their first life before the resurrection, were taking into account. And they had to repent, and they had to change, and they had to prove by living a life of true repentance and reconciliation, according to the things which were written in the books, in words, according to what's written in the Bible.

Brethren, that is one of the main of the principle and differences between us and other people, other Christianity, other religions. We understand the significance of the second resurrection, how God in that second resurrection will offer salvation to all people, all people that never had an opportunity to repent and come to the knowledge of the truth. Why? Because why are we the only ones that amongst these vast, vast, vast, vast people of Christianity? And I don't mean we just in the United Church of God. I mean we in God's church, which is the spiritual body of God, why are we of Christ, shall I say, the spiritual body of Christ? Because we believe in a time of salvation for those people that have never had an opportunity. The rest of the people in the world believe that it's all based on this life. But a lot of people in this life, they never knew the truth. And so these people, and I'm not criticizing them, please, I'm just saying they have not had their minds open to understand. They believe that when one dies, you either go to heaven or to hell. And then they even have this thing which is difficult to understand, which they kind of say, well, the resurrection is simply to unite the body of the soul. But that is not what the Bible describes.

You see, so yeah, Paul is showing that the Jews, yeah, in Romans chapter 10, is showing that the Jews did not understand, did not see that need for salvation. As I mentioned before, the reason is well, they believe they were God's chosen people. They believe they had the law, they had the temple, they had the priesthood, and they knew God's way.

And they changed God's way to their own self-righteous way. So they changed.

And what they wanted as a Messiah is they wanted political salvation from Rome.

But they did not see the need for spiritual salvation. And so indeed, they were zealous. They were zealous in what they believed. And we read that in verse two of Romans chapter 10.

For they then witnessed that they have a zeal for God.

Yeah, they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Indeed, Paul could quite clearly say you wouldn't find anyone more zealous than those Pharisees. He himself was a very zealous Pharisee to the point that he would kill Christians.

Yes, they obeyed God according to their understanding.

And their understanding is that they were God's chosen people.

But the problem is they had to create their own variation of religion, their own religion, with their own human-made traditions, their own customs, their own do's and don'ts.

They thought they had improved on God's law. And therefore, we all need to learn that lesson that we cannot improve on God's law.

Paul was, as he himself said, he was very zealous. Look at in Galatians chapter one, Galatians chapter one verse 13. Galatians chapter one verse 13. He says, For I, you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. He was very zealous. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. You see, so we see he was a very zealous Pharisee today, looking at from the point of Christianity. There are some quote, Christians unquote. There are very zealous of their beliefs, but not according to knowledge. You see, God has to reveal to us how to worship him. A lot of people make religion a very emotional thing. A lot of emotion around it. But true religion, as we read in James, is putting into practice a way of life, of caring and concern for others, and living according to that outgoing concern towards others and towards God. And so, as we go back to Romans, one of the problems in Romans 10, it shows that one of the problems of the Jews is they were zealous, but they don't have the right knowledge. Another problem in verse three, it shows that it was self-righteous. Let's read verse three, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, God's righteousness. Remember the Beatitudes? First is we got a purring spirit, and it was humble. Then we got a mourn. In other words, we're going to repent, mourn from what we are. We're going to change. We're going to repent. And thirdly, we're going to be meek and teachable. And then we got it.

Hunger and thirst for God's righteousness. Not our righteousness, but God. If it's our righteousness, then we have it. We don't hunger and thirst because we have it. But it's God's righteousness that we got a hunger and thirst.

And so, it says, yeah, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, seeking to establish their own righteousness, self-righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

How do we submit to the righteousness of God?

We can only submit to the righteous of God when we come to repent. We come to ask for forgiveness of our sins. We commit. We are baptized. We receive God's only spirit. And thereby, we are made right with God. In other words, we justified.

And with God's only spirit, we have then Christ living in us.

And therefore, then it's not our righteousness, but it's God's righteousness in us. In other words, Christ living in us. And when we go about doing it in our own power, in our own strength, that is self-righteousness. Oh yeah, you can get people saying, well, the important is righteousness. We got to be righteous. Yes, righteous, but not self-righteousness. It's God's righteousness. And so the Jews became vain and haughty and arrogant. And they looked down at the Gentiles. And that was their problem. They were ignorant of God's righteousness.

We must submit to the righteousness of God through repentance and allowing God's spirit to lead us. God's spirit's going to lead us. We're going to allow God's spirit to lead us. Because remember, God's spirit never forces us. So we've got to allow to be led by God's only spirit. And then in Galzonia, in verse 4, it says, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Oh, you see what people say. What is the typical human reaction? Or interpretation? Christ did away with the law. You see, it says Christ is the end of the law. So Christ did away with the law. That's what people say. But really, does the verse mean that?

No, because the word end, Christ is the end. The word end is the Greek word telos, Greek five five zero five six. According to Strong's definition, it's the point aimed at as a limit.

That is by implication, the conclusion of an act or state, determination, literally or indefinitely. It's the result, immediate, ultimate or prophetic, the purpose. So what is it saying? It says Christ is the purpose of the law, the outcome of the law.

You see the aim, the purpose of the law is to lead us to have the character of Jesus Christ, God's righteousness, the righteousness of Christ. See, for Christ is the aim, is the outcome, is the end, end purpose, the final result for you and I to become like Christ, to have His image. As we read also in Ephesians, let's just go there to Ephesians.

Let's have a look. Ephesians chapter four, and we read, it says that starting in verse 11, and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. Verse 12, for the equipping of the saints, in the words of God's people in the church, for the work of ministry, work of ministry. The Greek word there is the aconea, of serving, for the edifying, in the words, for the building of the body of Christ, which is the church of God. So God has given leaders, godly leaders, ministers of Jesus Christ, to help the brethren to serve so that we can edify or build the church. Verse 13, to we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to we all come to that end, which is to become like Christ.

So do we all come to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, of the fullness of Christ? That is the purpose, that is the end of the law, that is the final aim of God's law. God's law is love and Christ's mercy and kindness and an outgoing concern and grace. That's how we've got to become. You see, so going back to Romans 10 verse 4, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.

So the law does not provide the power, the strength for us to do. Where does that power come from? For us to do and to become like Christ. That power comes from God, God's only Spirit, which proceeds from the Father. And how do we get that through repentance, baptism and laying on of hands and receiving God's only Spirit?

Look at Acts chapter 1 verse 8. Acts chapter 1 verse 8.

Read, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

We receive God's power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. In other words, the power from God is what energizes us. Look at in verse 4, still in Acts chapter 1 verse 4. It says, when being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. What is that promise? It's the power from God. It's God's only Spirit. It's God's power. It's God's nature that would help us, help us to become like Christ.

And now going back to Romans chapter 10 verse 4, that it says, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. In other words, for us to become righteous with God's righteousness to everyone who believes, to everyone who believes. Ah, so we just have to believe. No, we have to obey. We have to obey. You know, if you believe in somebody, you will obey. You will do what He says. So Christ is the end of the law.

Now, I've explained that word end from the Greek word telos. Let me just show you two other examples where the word end is also used with this context. One example is in James chapter 5 verse 11. James chapter 5 verse 11.

Now, I want you to pay attention because in this verse there are some, there is a word, or in fact two words that are in italics, which means they're not in original. So let's read it without the words in italic. Verse 11, James chapter 5 verse 11, indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, that his patience and perseverance when he had his trials, and seen the end the Lord. He's seen the end the Lord, or the end of the Lord.

So if you look at the King James Version, the old King James Version, it reads, you have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord.

So what do you mean the end of the Lord? That means the Lord is now ended? Of course not. The end, the purpose, the aim, the result of Jesus Christ is what? Is very, is being very pitiful and tender in mercy, as it says in King James Version, in the New King James says that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. The end, the aim, the result of Jesus Christ is for us to be like him, to be compassionate and merciful.

And so the end of the Lord is not saying the end of Christ, it's for us to become like Christ. So again, in this case the word end, it looks at towards the result, the aim, the end result. Look at 1 Peter, a second example, is 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 9. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 9.

He's talking about receiving the end of your faith. So is faith done away? So the end of your faith, faith is done away? No. But the end of your faith is what is the purpose of, what is the purpose of your faith? Is so that there may be salvation for us?

You see, so as we emphasize here in Romans 10 verse 4, Christ is the purpose, the aim, the end result of the law, what the law aims for us to be. All right, now let's read verse 5. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law. The man who does these things shall live by them. Oh yes, righteousness which is of the law, you better live by it. So he requires, righteous of the law requires perfect obedience, perfect never to fail because once you fail, once you've sinned, once the wages of sin is death.

So the righteous of the law means that you you live by them perfectly and no human being can do that. No human being can do that. So verse 6, but the righteousness of faith, righteousness means in a broad sense the state of him who is as he ought to be, righteous the condition acceptable to God. So what makes it acceptable to God? Well, we got to repent, we got to have our sins forgiven. We got to believe that that we are made right with God justified by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that everything between us and God has been removed and that means we are reconciled with God, we are made right with God.

So the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, do not say in your heart and now he goes into something which is very interesting because he's now quoting from Deuteronomy 30 verse 11 through 14. So let's now briefly read Deuteronomy 30 verse 11 through 14. It's very interesting and he has a very important principle about God's inspiration through the power of his Holy Spirit. It's a thing that sometimes people don't understand that with God's Holy Spirit you can draw some interesting parallels, spiritual parallels, and but let's therefore read Deuteronomy 30, Deuteronomy 30 verse 11 through 14.

For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you nor is it far off. It's not in heaven, in other words, this commandment, this instruction, this teaching is not in heaven that you should say pull a sand into heaven for us and bring it to us or that you may hear it and do it.

So he's talking about the commandment so nor is it beyond the sea that you should say who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it. But the word of this commandment is very near you in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it. And then it goes on to that very famous scripture that we often quote, see I've set before you today life and good death and evil and then it says choose life.

But it's talking about the commandment right. We can see Deuteronomy 30 is talking about the commandment is near us. It's something that is reachable. But look, let's look at how Paul now takes the section of Deuteronomy 30 verse 11 through 14 and let's look at that by reading Romans 10 verse 6 through 8. It says, but the righteousness of faith speaks in this way. Do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven.

And now look at what he puts in brackets here. That is to bring to bring Christ down from above. Interesting because when you read Deuteronomy 30 it's talking about the commandment. But now Paul says it's actually talking about bringing Christ down from above. It brings in other words an additional spiritual meaning to that commandment, to that law. So Christ in a sense is fulfilling this law of Deuteronomy 30 at a different spiritual level. And Paul under the inspiration of God's early spirit is now explaining to us a higher meaning or an additional meaning to this. Look at verse 7 or who will descend into the abyss? That is to bring Christ up from the dead.

But by reading Deuteronomy 30 verses 11 through 14 you would have never apply it this way, would you? Of course not, because you would see it's talking about a commandment. But now Paul says hey this has a spiritual meaning talking about Christ as well.

Let's then continue now and in verse 8. But what does it say? The war is near you in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith which we preach. Wow!

Can you see that? How could Paul apply these scriptures this way out of Deuteronomy 30?

Well the answer is God inspired him to do so. This was under the inspiration of God's early spirit. And God inspired Paul to write these things. God revealed to Paul that in many of these scriptures, and that is not the only time you know about the other one about muzzling the an ox and he says well this is for us so they are either scriptures, that there is a secondary application which God inspired to Paul to see this application. So now in Romans chapter 10 what is Paul saying? Well what Paul is saying is that the righteousness of faith does not require some impossible journey or expedition or odyssey to go through the universe to find Christ because Christ is near us. We don't have to go all over to the grave to resurrect or retrieve him or to heaven to pay no Christ is in us. You see God calls us and when we baptize we receive God's early spirit. Christ is in us through God's power. And so Paul summarizes this in verse 8 when he says, he Christ is near us in our mouth and in our heart.

You see so this word is near you and he says the word of faith which we preach which is Christ. This is the message that Paul, well he says, he says yeah that is what we preach. You know this is the message that Paul was preaching to us and to the Romans.

It was basically saying you don't have to do something that is impossible.

And then continue now in verse 9 that 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.

Oh does it mean then I just need to believe in God in Christ and I'm saved. Well that's what the Protestants say that it says.

That's why some people believe in what they call a deathbed repentance.

What does the deathbed repentance mean? It means that a person loves years and years and years. He lives a rich life. He's done throughout his life every type of evil. Then at the deathbed like the last moment somebody comes to him and says do you believe in Christ? Oh yes I do. Well now you're saved.

You see that's not what it's talking about. You see confession is no good unless we obey.

Confession is no good unless we obey. Now where do I base that from? Well from Matthew 7 verse 21 to 23. So let's look at Matthew 7 verse 21 to 23.

Matthew 7, 21 through 23. Not everyone who says to me, you know, confesses, Lord, Lord I shall enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God. Oh just because you confess, Lord, Lord you will go to the kingdom of God. You'll be entered the kingdom of God. But he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Confession is no good unless you obey.

And then he says, you know, oh many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in your name? Have we not cast demons in your name and done many wonders in your name? Have we done this and have done that and people have been healed and this and that we do this we cried in Christ's name and this happened and that happened.

You see confess under the teaching of Christ in the New Testament goes beyond just uttering words. It means if you believe in him, you will obey him.

And going back to then, yeah that's why then it says, sorry to complete the section verse 23 of Matthew 7. It says, I never knew Christ said, I never knew, depart from me, you who practice the alllessness. Yeah they confessed but they were not obeying and that's got no value. You see so confess means you have to obey. You have to prove that utterance through obedience over time. Prove that's why it says those amongst him are called, chosen and faithful. We've got to be faithful till the end. And now continue to read in Romans 10 verse 9. It says, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart, believe in your heart, believe in your heart means action. You and I know James 2 chapter 2 verse 19 and 20.

James 2 chapter 19, pardon James chapter 2 verse 19 and 20. You believe that there is one God, you do well. Oh so you believe in your heart, you do well. Even the demons believe and tremble.

You see are the demons going to be saved? Are they going to have, they're going to be saved? No. They know there is a God, but faith does not save unless there is action, unless it's living faith. And that's why it says then in verse 20 of James 2, do you not know or foolish man that faith without works is dead. And so going back to Romans chapter 10 verse 9, it says, you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. But it implies in both cases action, obedience. Verse 10, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. In other words, if you believe in your heart, you and I will be motivated to obey, to do what is right. And with the mouth confession is made. Now understand that confession does not necessarily mean that has to be public. You and I have to confess to God. We confess to God, our sins. Now there may be a situation where you may admit and confess to some people that you've done wrong, but the point is we have to confess to God. So in this case, it's not yet talking about the point that you have to make a public confession does not mean that you have to go around and try to convert people by some kind of public confession. No, it's not talking about that. In fact, the word confess as a matter of interest is a Greek word 3670 homologu. It's a Greek word that basically means to say the same thing or to be in agreement with someone. I am in agreement with you, quote unquote, means I have confessed. In other words, I agree with you. That's what the word means.

The person that confesses that Jesus is Lord, he agrees with the father's declaration or proclamation that Jesus is our Savior and our Lord our master. That is confession, is agree with God and also confess of our sins and say yes, I agree with you that I have sinned, we all have sinned. So let's continue now with verse 11. For the scripture says whoever believes on him will not be put to shame, but understand that belief means obedience, obedience. And now let's go on to verse 12. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all his reach to all who call upon him. We all must become spiritual Jews, spiritual Israelites.

The physical Jews have to become spiritual Jews and the Gentiles have to become spiritual Jews.

Verse 13, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Yes, ultimately. But what is that calling? Well, first we got to be called by God, John 644. God has to call first to open our mind. So we have years to year. You quite often read in Revelation chapter 2 and 3 at the end of the seven letters to the seven churches. Revelation 2 verses 7, 11, 17, 29 and the revelations 3 verse 6, 13 and 22 talks about to him that as a year to year letting year. How do you have a year to year? It's because God opens your mind, opens you year to understand, to comprehend. And if you have that gift from God, that calling to understand, then apply it, then do it. You see, so going back out to verse 13, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Well, because he's had that understanding, he's come to repent us and he's come to a change, and he then ultimately, ultimately at Christ's coming will be saved if he remains faithful till the end. Interesting, this is a quote, Yah is a quote from Joel chapter 2 verse 32. So let's quickly look at that because Yah is an interesting point in Joel chapter 2 verse 32. Joel, Joel, Daniel, Isaiah, Joel, Joel chapter 2 verse 32.

And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

A big part of it. In other words, delivered, shall be saved, shall be delivered. But understand that this is in the context after verse 31. And what is verse 31?

The sun shall be turned into darkness, the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And then it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the Lord. So it's actually talking about that last period at the end, towards the end of the great tribulation, through relations three and a half years. And then after two and a half years, we have the heavenly signs, which is described here in verse 31. And it says those heavenly signs are before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord, which is that last year of the three and a half years of the great tribulation. And at that time we know that when we read in Revelation seven, there are a number of people that are sealed, Jews, I mean Israelites, 144,000, and a great multitude of Gentiles that come out of the great tribulation, as we're reading in Revelation seven. And then in that context, those people at that time that have gone through the great tribulation, or at least two and a half years through the great tribulation, they will come to repentance, and they call on the name of the Lord, and they shall be delivered from, they'll be protected, they'll be sealed, protected through that day of the Lord, because they sealed. You read, for instance, in one of the trumpets, if I remember correctly, it's the fifth trumpet that it says that they will not be impacted, they'll not be affected by those locusts. So it's in that context. But understand that even that is after Joel chapter two verse 12 and 13, because it says, now therefore says the Lord, because now we have a call to repentance, very probably before, very probably before the great tribulation, there's a call to repentance says, now therefore says the Lord, turn to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and with mourning, rain your heart, and not your garments, return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and he relents from doing harm.

You see, and who knows if he will turn and relent. And that is very interesting in that context. So going back to Romans chapter 10 verse 13, we can see that that calling is a calling of people that are repentant, that have come to repent, and they call on the name of the Lord, and they'll be saved, they'll be delivered. Now verse 14 through 17, let's just read this together. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in him in whom they have not heard, and how shall they year without a preacher, and how shall they preach unless they are sent? Yeah, so true God's ministers need to be sent by God. And as it's written, our beautiful defeat of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? So then, faith comes by yearning and yearning by the word of God. So if you're going to have faith, living faith, you have to hear first. There has to be a minister, there has to be preaching, there has to be a preaching of the truth, of the gospel of the kingdom of God. Yes, Christ is the center, but there has to be a calling first, and then people have to repent, and then, as it says, faith comes by yearning and yearning by the word of God.

And then continue now, verse 18, but I say, have they not heard? Yes, indeed. Their sound has gone to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. God's way has been proclaimed.

There will become a time in Matthew, as it says in Matthew 24, 14, the gospel, this gospel of the kingdom will be preached at the whole world as a witness.

Key important point, as a witness, and then the end will come. Brethren, we're very close to that time. We're very close to that time. Who knows if we are kind of in the last push? We don't know. There's a lot of talk of, yeah, things are going to get sorted out, and this is going to be peace and safety. Brethren, it's not going to be clean sail. Things are going to get tough, and then there's going to be sudden destruction. We've got to be careful with that. But let's continue. But I say, did Israel not know, verse 19, first Moses says, I'll provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, and I'll move you to anger by a foolish nation. You see, God will use the Gentiles, and they will use spiritual Israel, people that have been called into the church. They're not a nation, but it says I'll provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation. They will be in the kingdom first before them. You see, so God will use many people that are Gentiles to make Jews jealous. Well, there'll be some Jews, I'm not saying they aren't, but there will be many Gentiles. And then in verse 20 says, but Isaiah is very bold and says, I was found by those who do not seek me. I was made manifest to those who do not ask of me. Gentiles were not seeking the true God. They were not seeking the right way. They had, and they have, they pay on God's, and they, but God had to call them. God had to call them. God had to open our minds to the truth, and then we start seeking God. See, but God had to call us first. And look at verse 21, but to Israel, to Israel, he says, all day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. All day long I have stretched out my hands. God sent prophets to tell Israel to repent, to obey. And what do they do? They stun the prophets. They kill the prophets. They sought some of them asunder. Finally Christ came, and what do they do? They crucified him. Doesn't that remind you of the parable of the wicked vine dresses in Matthew 21 verse 33 to 46? Of course it does. Of course it does. And then he says, I've stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. A nation of Israelites, of Jews, they do not want to be disobedient. They do not obey, and they were contrary. The word contrary, Greek for 183, antilego, literally means to contradict or to speak against. This time these Jews, they contradicted the true gospel. But the Gentiles responded to the preaching, and the Jews rejected it. That's why John in chapter 1 verse 11 says, he came to his own, and his own received him not. You see, so now the calling has shifted. Yes, there are a few Jews in the church, but not many. The Jews are still looking for the Messiah.

Now when Christ comes, oh yes, they'll accept him as the Messiah, but they will have to learn that he had already come the first time and they rejected. And so they'll have a lot to learn and to repent.