Romans 10:1-21
Belief from the Heart
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6 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) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).8 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:9 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. 10 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. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 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? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 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.”
19 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.”
20 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.”
21 But concerning Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
Paul tells us that Jesus is the culmination of the Mosaic Law, so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes in Him...Paul emphasizes that faith and why we believe is partly a decision that comes from one's heart...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)...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...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.”...
There is no other name, other than Jesus, in which we can be saved...
Paul emphasizing belief and faith pertaining to the heart makes me think of what Ravi Zacharias has said...Ravi Zacharias said, “A man rejects God neither because of intellectual demands, nor because of the scarcity of evidence...A man rejects God because of a moral resistance that refuses to admit his need for God.”...Zacharias is saying there is much evidence to look at and believe...But a moral resistance may refuse one to believe in God...Morals are what is right and just and the prudent thing to do...Morals seem to come more from the heart than they do pure intellect (although some might argue that morals are from the mind or are both from the mind and from the heart)...So while we use intellect for faith, we also use the heart...The heart influences the mind and its decisions, and our decisions to believe in God...Faith needs the heart to help one believe...So when Paul says, "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...We must believe that the heart as well as the mind helps us believe and both are needed for our faith...