2005-02-06 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Romans 10

1. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

(Not according to "epignosis" knowledge - knowledge that has been revealed, rather than knowledge we come to on our own.)

3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

This is the danger of leaning on what I know about being a Christian, rather than standing on what the Holy Spirit reveals to me. When I stand on the "epignosis," the knowledge of God, I'm standing on the only rock that will never be moved. When I stand on my own "gnosis," going about trying to establish my own righteousness is neccessary, because the ground keeps shifting under my feet, and in the end I will fall because I haven't submitted myself; I haven't humbled myself and said, "LORD, thank You for sending Your Son..."

4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7. Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15. And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. (They indeed heard the prophets, but rarely heeded them.)
19. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

How strong is your faith? When you're having a bad day, or when things just aren't going your way, what's your first reaction? Do you get frustrated, upset, even angry? Does your blood pressure rise as you try to think of some way to make it all go away, some way to fix the problems? God is saying, "All day long I have stretched forth my hands toward you." Do you reach for His hands, or do you say, "No thanks, Lord. I've got this under control."

The God who can raise the dead is reaching down to give you a lift, that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). How do we honor this gift? It's so one-sided! Well, we have a decision to make: Should we go about trying to establish, to make firm our own righteousness, to lean on the goodness of our works, or try to find comfort in the fact that we were right and the other guy was wrong, or instead, should we submit ourselves unto the righteousness of God?