The Gospel According to Paul

Romans 10 is about rejection

In spite of…

v.1- prayer

v.2- zeal

v.13- grace

v.16- teaching

v.21- God’s patience

Israel, as a nation, was lost.

Why is this Important?

1) Because we too have

rejected Christ,

and2) We can

do it again

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart's desire

and prayer to God for them is that they may be

saved. 

Matthew 19:16And behold, a man came

up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good

deed must I do to have eternal life?” 

1. Not Feeling the need

Like the young ruler

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart's desire

and prayer to God for them is that they may be

saved. 

Matthew 7:21Not everyone who says to

me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one

who does the will of my Father who is in

heaven.  

1. Not Feeling the need

Like the young rulerReligious workers

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart's desire

and prayer to God for them is that they may be

saved. 

Luke 16:19“There was a rich man who

was clothed in purple and fine linen and who

feasted sumptuously every day.   

1. Not Feeling the need

Like the young rulerReligious workersRich man who lived

joyously

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart's desire

and prayer to God for them is that they may be

saved. 

Jeremiah 10:23I know, O LORD, that the

way of man is not in himself,

that it is not in man who walks to direct his

steps.

1. Not Feeling the need

Like the young rulerReligious workersRich man who lived

joyously

Feelings should be

guided, not guides

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:2For I bear them witness that

they have a zeal for God, but not according to

knowledge. 

1. Not Feeling the need2. Zeal without knowledge

This was the attitude of the

60’s, and it continues…in the Social

Gospel,Institutionalism,

And church sponsored recreation

Culminated in the Cross Roads

Controversy, the Boston

Movement,Evangelistic oversight,Satellite

churches,The discipling

movement

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:3For, being ignorant of the

righteousness of God, and seeking to establish

their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.

1. Not Feeling the need2. Zeal without knowledge3. Being self-righteous

Luke 18:9-14He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves

that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a

Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am

not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be

merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who

exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

By comparing self to others

How do we present self as self-righteous??

How might we compare ourselves to others?

1 Timothy 6:3-5If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not

agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with

godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy

craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander,

evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of

the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain

By evil suspicions & stubborn argument

How might we compare ourselves to others?

James 4:11Do not speak evil

against one another, brothers. The one

who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and

judges the law. But if you judge the law,

you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

By speaking against a brother

What are the Wherefores of Rejecting Christ?

Romans 10:4-13For Christ is the end of the

law for righteousness to everyone who

believes….  

1. Not Feeling the need2. Zeal without knowledge3. Being self-righteous 4. Not understanding that

the law pointed to Christ

Galatians 3:23-24Now before faith came, we

were held captive under the law, imprisoned until

the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the

law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that

we might be justified by faith.

The templePriesthoodSacrificesCovenant

And all parts of these

Worshippers of the Law vs Worshipping Deity

John 5:39 You search the

Scriptures because you think that in

them you have eternal life; and

it is they that bear witness

about me,.In worshipping law, WE sacrifice and reject Christ.

What is the Remedy for Rejection?Romans 10:14-17

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him

of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it

is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So

faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

True belief in what we hear taught, that is true

I Thessalonians 2:13

  And we also thank God constantly for

this, that when you received the word of

God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as

the word of men but as what it really is,

the word of God, which is at work in

you believers  

Hebrews 2:1Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.Hebrews 4:1Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

True belief in what we hear taught, that is true

Just a side note on Romans 10:15

Romans 10:15…how are they to

hear without someone

preaching? 15 And how are they to

preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How

beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good

news!” 

The church that is not interested in evangelism won’t long be interested

in edification and growth.

What is the Result of Rejection?Romans 10:18

But I ask, have they not

heard? Indeed they have, for

“Their voice has gone out to all

the earth,and their words

to the ends of the world.”

A declaration of guilt where excuses won’t stand

Revelation 20:15And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

What is the Result of Rejection?Romans 10:19

But I ask, did Israel not

understand? First Moses says,“I will make you jealous of those

who are not a nation;

with a foolish nation I will

make you angry.”

The message will go to others

Hebrews 12:17 …Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

What is the Result of Rejection? Romans

10:21But of Israel he says, “All

day long I have held

out my hands to a

disobedient and contrary

people.”

God’s patience will not save

2 Peter 3:9No question of His loveNo question of His graceNo question of His desire

But as Israel was lost, so can we be !!

Putting it all together

• Sincerity is not enough

• Prayer is not enough

• God’s word is not enough

Rejecting Christ is an ever present danger to beware

of

We must open our hearts to the Savior