Romans 10:1-4

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

• Apostle Paul earnestly strove and prayed unceasingly for the salvation of the Israelites. Outwardly, they appeared to be faithful to God, but their faith did not lead to true salvation.

• True faith involves believing in God’s Word, obeying it, and repenting of one’s sins. However, the Israelites focused on religious rituals and formalities while failing to obey the Lord’s commands or repent of their sins.

• They prioritized human knowledge and tradition over God's commands, creating a false faith that cannot save. Paul endured great sacrifice and labor to awaken them from the path of destruction.

• Jesus Christ is the Creator God who came to this earth in human flesh. Believing this and obeying His Word is the true faith that saves us. We must serve no creature other than Jesus and abandon all idols.

• Just as Jesus loved and forgave us, we must forgive one another’s faults and love other souls. We must strive to discard selfish hearts and live in harmony. We should not follow the desires of the flesh but be led by the Holy Spirit. Since no human is perfect, we must always examine ourselves and repent. This is the living faith that leads to salvation.

• The Israelites, instead of believing Jesus' words, only zealously observed Old Testament sacrificial rituals. Thus, Paul labored to preach the Gospel to guide them to true salvation.

• A saving faith is a life that abandons evil hearts and deeds to love and help others, following Jesus’ teachings. Many today still prioritize human-made doctrines and rituals while bearing no fruit of love and refusing to repent. This is no different from the Israelites who walked the path of destruction. In any age, a false faith cannot save.

• Believing in Jesus, repenting, loving one another, and living in harmony constitute the new law of life in the New Testament era. The complex sacrificial laws of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Now, when we believe in the blood of Jesus and truly repent, our sins are forgiven. The old sacrifices of shedding animal blood have ended; a new path of life has opened through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:5-7

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

• Those who perfectly keep the law can be saved through it. However, no human in this world can perfectly keep the law. While the law itself is good and holy, because we cannot fulfill it, we are all destined for destruction under it.

• To save humans from this despair, Jesus Christ came to the world in human flesh. Jesus is God Himself who took on a physical body (Isaiah 9:6).

• God personally came to the world, carried all our sins, died on the cross, and after His resurrection, ascended to heaven. His blood forgives and saves all sinners who have broken the law. Consequently, anyone who believes in Jesus and repents is forgiven and receives eternal life.

• Therefore, do not doubt in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" Thinking so disregards Jesus Christ, who has already come to earth, finished His redemptive work, and ascended.

• Also, do not say, "Who will descend into the deep?" Doing so denies the great event where Jesus died for our sins, descended into the grave, and rose again to save us. The Lord has already accomplished the entire work of salvation.

Romans 10:8-10

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

• God’s word of salvation is not far away; it is already in our mouths. Whoever hears the Gospel, believes in their heart that Jesus Christ is their Savior, and confesses that faith with their lips will be saved. The faith of the heart must manifest in the confession of the lips.

• However, many confess "Lord, Lord" with their lips without truly believing in their hearts that Jesus is their Savior. This is not a saving faith.

• Sadly, there are many within the church today who believe with their lips only. They say they believe, but in their lives, they disobey Jesus' words and fail to repent after sinning. These are formalistic Christians.

• They do not trust the Word of God as it is; instead, they trust human-made doctrines and attend church out of habit. They are fake Christians, and a fake faith cannot lead to salvation.

• We must abandon human doctrines and thoughts. We must fully believe in Jesus’ words, forgive one another, and strive to do good in our lives.

• Because we are weak and flawed, we must always humbly kneel before God, repent of our sins, and obey.

• First, we must achieve a "change of heart" before God. Then, we must put that changed heart into practice in our daily lives. As we struggle in faith and live a life of obedience, the Holy Spirit walks with us. We must confess and prove our faith before the Lord through a life of obedience and repentance.

Romans 10:11-15

As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

• Both Jews and Gentiles are sinners before God. The result of sin is shame, curse, and destruction. However, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is forgiven and receives the grace of eternal life. God does not discriminate; He has opened the same path of salvation to everyone.

• "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." However, those who do not believe in their hearts cannot truly call Jesus "Lord." One may confess with the lips, but if the heart is not directed toward God, it is merely formalistic faith. Living faith is manifested through repentance and obedience.

• Therefore, when the Gospel is preached, people must listen and accept it sincerely. Without hearing, one cannot believe, and without believing, one cannot call upon the name of the Lord. This is why God raises and sends out those who preach the Gospel. This is why the steps of those who preach with a willing heart are beautiful.

• The Gospel is the most joyous news in the world. Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of humanity and rose again. Anyone who believes in Him and repents receives forgiveness and is saved from the curse of destruction. There is no greater news than this.

• Whether Jews who already knew God or Gentiles who did not, all are saved through the same Gospel. There is only one path of salvation; no other exists besides Jesus Christ.

• Only the God who created humanity can save them. The Creator God came to this earth as Jesus Christ, died on the cross, and rose again to save us. Therefore, only those who believe in Jesus receive forgiveness and eternal life.

• There is no forgiveness or salvation in other religions or human doctrines. Attending church does not guarantee salvation. One must believe in Jesus' words, repent of sins, and obey the Lord's will. Following human thoughts and doctrines while disobeying God's Word is not true faith. True faith centers on Jesus Christ and is expressed through a life of humbling oneself before the Word and repenting.

Romans 10:16-18

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

• Isaiah prophesied long ago, lamenting that even when the Gospel is preached, few will believe and obey. Indeed, among the Israelites, many rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

• The Kingdom of Heaven is entered through true faith. And that faith is not merely a verbal confession but a life of listening to Jesus Christ’s words, repenting of sins, and obeying those words.

• Formalistic faith calls on the name of Jesus with the lips but lacks repentance and obedience in life. This is disobedience and cannot be true faith before God.

• Isaiah’s lament was that while there would be many churches and believers in the end times, very few would be living by true faith. Therefore, we must not remain in human teachings or formalities but always examine ourselves before God’s Word and live a life of obedience.

Romans 10:19-21

Again I ask, Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

• The Israelites, who first believed in God, fell into suffering because of disobedience and lack of repentance; consequently, the Gospel spread to the Gentiles.

• However, God had a purpose in this. He intended for the Gentiles to receive blessings through belief and obedience, and for the Israelites to see this, realize their error, and return to the Lord’s Word.

• When the Israelites obeyed God, they lived under the Lord’s love and protection. Even when they were weak and lacking, the Lord waited with patience.

• However, as this grace continued, they gradually forgot the Lord’s grace and fell into an ungrateful state. Eventually, they prioritized human thoughts and greed over God’s Word, opposing and resisting the Lord.

• Nevertheless, the Lord desperately desires for them to repent and obey again. This is why God has held out His hands all day long, waiting for them.

• Today, human doctrines and worldly thoughts are occupying churches. This is contrary to the Scriptures. The Lord sometimes allows discipline and suffering to make us realize these errors.

• When suffering comes, we should not just complain; we must examine our faults and return to God’s Word. To those who repent and obey, the Lord grants grace and mercy again.

Romans 11:1-5

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

• The Israelites were God’s chosen people. However, most of them worshipped idols and disobeyed God’s Word. Disobedience is the path to destruction. Simply believing once and becoming one of God's people does not automatically guarantee entry into heaven. If one attends church but worships idols, remains in sin, and refuses to repent, one is ultimately leaving God and walking the path of destruction.

• Though the Israelites were traditionally God’s people, most failed to serve the Lord fully until the end. However, a small fraction kept the faith to the end. Everyone lives in sin, but those who realize their sin and repent remain under the Lord’s grace. They may stumble, but they admit their sin, repent, and return to God. The Lord shows mercy to those who acknowledge their sins and turn back, keeping them in His protection and grace.

• Even among the corrupted Israelites, there were seven thousand who did not bow the knee to Baal. Today, many churches and believers are lost in worldly temptations and do not repent. However, some among them abandon idols, repent, and live according to the Lord’s Word until the end. These are the ones under the Lord’s grace.

• If one treats God’s grace lightly and, even after believing in Jesus, leaves God to follow worldly greed, one moves toward the dangerous path of destruction. However, even those who have left the Lord, if they realize their sin and return, are cleansed by the blood of Jesus and led to live in grace again.

• The entire Israelite nation was chosen as God’s people, but few stood on the Lord's side and kept the faith to the end. It is the same today. Only by living a life of continuous repentance and obedience to the Lord’s Word is one keeping the faith. Those who remain in such faith until the end are those who become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, there are not many believers within the church who follow the Lord to the end with true faith.

Romans 11:6-10

And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

• Through a life of repentance, we receive forgiveness and reach salvation by the grace of Christ. Salvation is not achieved through formalistic religious acts alone. Performing rituals and worship while failing to obey the Lord’s words is not true faith, but a formalistic one.

• The descendants of Israel sought to reach salvation through false religious acts. Because they did not follow the path of true repentance and obedience, their hearts became hardened and they were forsaken by the Lord.

• When they did not follow the path of salvation ordained by God, their hearts became darker. They had ears but could not hear the news of life; they had eyes but could not see the way of life. The path of salvation is wide open to everyone through the grace of Jesus Christ. Yet, due to human greed and pride, many refuse to accept it. The Lord does not take the hardened into heaven as they are. Only those who realize their sins through suffering and discipline and return to the Lord’s will are saved by His grace.

• Through the mouth of David, God said that false sacrifices and worship would actually cause them more suffering. Repeated worship and religious life without obeying the Lord’s Word and repenting of sins become a trap and snare that leads to destruction.

• Human doctrines prevent true repentance and obedience, leading only to a hollow religious life.

• A heart that has been dirtied cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, one cannot correctly understand the truth of the Bible or reach true repentance. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that spiritual eyes and ears are opened and the path of life is revealed.

• Therefore, Christians must abandon false and formalistic religious acts and train themselves daily to forgive and love one another according to the words of Christ. There is no other path of salvation besides Jesus Christ. Examining oneself daily before Jesus’ words, repenting, and striving to obey is living faith. Living faith is what ultimately leads one's soul to heaven.