For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 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. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."—Romans 10:4-13
Christ is our righteousness! By the deeds of the law no flesh is justified in His sight. There is none who does good...no not one. All have become guilty before God. But of Him we are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— if we glory then, let us glory in Him who did it all! We who believe have been justified by faith and have peace with God through Jesus...our Lord and our Savior.
Romans 10:6-7 quotes Deuteronomy 30:12-13. Interestingly, Paul personifies the righteousness that comes by faith here by giving it a voice. It says we don’t have to ascend into heaven or descend into the abyss to find Christ. That kind of travel or effort is not necessary. In fact, God has already done that! God has clearly revealed to us the way of salvation. It is by faith. Verses 9 and 10 tell us how.
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. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
God is near...His salvation is right in front of us...as near to us as our own heart and lips. We who are saved are those that confess with our mouths that Jesus is our Master and Lord and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead. Confession here means to say the same thing that God says about Jesus...that He is both Savior and Lord. Believing in our heart is not just an acknowledgment that Jesus is God (the demons believe, James says, and tremble). It means that we who believe have a deep, personal and sincere conviction that Jesus is our personal Lord and Savior and that His perfect life and death fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law in our place. Jesus’ resurrection proved that God had accepted His sacrifice in our place.
Verses 11-13 emphasize that salvation is available to all. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved. Salvation is available to people of all nations and races. Not just any Lord...but the Lord Jesus whom God raised from the dead.
