Romans 10 Escaping Religion Errors and Finding the Truth

Romans 10:1-4, Brethren My heart's desire and prayer for Israel is, that they might be saved.

For I bear record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

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.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every oner that believeth.

Wow Paul is laying out something here for the Jews at Rome they have not heard before. He is telling them it is no longer the law of Moses and trying to seek righteousness through the law, but it is only through Christ Jesus. Righteousness comes through repentance and faith, believing only in Jesus as our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us,"for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast."

The Jews had always worked for their salvation, they had always worked the law for their righteousness. Now Paul is directing them in a different way. The way of grace offered through Jesus.

These Jews though had not heard the spoken Word of Jesus Christ. They, in their ignorance, were going about trying to workout their righteousness. I believe here it is appropriate to to say their righteousness is the same as their salvation.

Churches today are still "working out" their salvation. Walk into any church into most churches in America today and ask what they believe in their salvation and the reply is quite unnerving.

Most will tell you that as a baby you are "guaranteed" going to heaven by your baptism. Then they preach works to you. They first will tell you, you must go through church rituals like catechism to become a member. They will teach you that by taking communion your current sins are forgiven. If that is not enough they go on to say (ignoring what they previously said about baptism), that we must pray daily to have our sins forgiven to "help" insure our possibility that when we die God will see more good works then bad and accept us to heaven.

I praise God I was delivered from such a church and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. See Paul went on to say," there is none righteous no not one, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. But God Commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Jesus said," For the Son of man is not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved."

But how do people find this salvation? How do they come to know Jesus Christ as the true Savior of the world? We find in Romans 10:17," So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." We must preach the truth, we must reach a world lost in religion and show them the true Christ.

My friends being lost in religion is one of the biggest dangers we face. Many churches have a resemblance of Christianity but they "lack the power thereof." Jesus says to turn away from such churches, to,"come out from among them." But, how do we know? How do we find the truth in a church? I come to say if they teach works as a way of salvation then run from it. If they teach you salvation is attained by any other way then repentance, turning from sin, accepting Jesus Christ through faith, plus nothing else, then once again run away.

Romans 10 verses 14-15 tells us," How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him in whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

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?

There you go, it is up to us a preachers and evangelists to preach the truth to those who have never heard. It is up to the saved child of God to witness to the lost, preaching Jesus. Paul exhorted in Acts 18 that those he was preaching to would know Jesus is the Christ. It is our duty as Christians to spread the true Word of God. I preached on this a couple months ago at South Dayton Baptist CHurch in Moraine, Ohio.

Most Christians are too "shy" as they say to witness to others out on the streets. Verse 11 of Romans chapter 10," For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth."

Do you believe? Are you ashamed of Christ? Most will say,"of course I am not ashamed of Christ he saved me by dying on the cross." Then why do you not say anything to others about Christ Jesus? Once again in questioning Christians they say they would not know what to say. They tell me that they do not have scriptures memorized or know where to find them. So I offer this bit of evangelistic advice. Do you remember when you got saved? You remember that moment? What did you do? What did you pray?

In this message I went on to explain a bit on witnessing. First of all understand this, witnessing is one on one preaching. In Acts 1:7,8 Jesus gave the commandment that we take the Gospel into all the world. That we reach everyone everyday around the world. But, you still say," I just don't know what to say." After posing tis I took a deep breath and spewed out the Romans Road. I said," You may not be able to quote the Romans Road by saying, there is none righteous no not one, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, the wages of sin is death, but God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, that whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life, for he son of man did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved." Whew one breath I made it all the way through.

Then I back tracked to the previous questions over each ones day of salvation. How powerful the preaching of that day can be! I remembered how some had said where and when they were saved. Was it in a tent revival, was it in the living room as a child with mom and dad? Was it when you were at a youth camp? Ws it in a church service? Where and when were you saved? What is your testimony on that time?

There you go! You now have the words to say to a lost person in witnessing. Give them that testimony, share your faith with what God has done for you. I know most people are also afraid of rejection. Hey that is human nature, we all fear being rejected. Let me say this, Jesus was rejected and despised. He did not give you a duty as his follower to fear rejection but to glorify in preaching his name to the lost. You have one duty, one calling, to give out the Gospel. Those you are speaking to also have a responsibility that you can do nothing if they neglect it. They have the duty to accept or reject the words you are speaking to them.

In that, they are not rejecting you or accepting you. They are rejecting Christ or accepting Christ. You have finished what you need to do, now it is up to them to decide what they are to do with Jesus. You amy have planted a seed, felt rejection form the listener, and they walked away. You have planted. Paul said," I planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase." It is up to you to plant another may water that seed and the final increase is of God. It may be a few hours or days, it may be years.

I look back at one such day. I was asked to preach in a revival service in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania a couple of years ago. I as a ministry do a cross carrying ministry. We carried the cross through Bellefonte to a park and had open air preaxcching. As we walked a little boy maybe 5 or 6 years old asked his mommy why there was a man carrying a big cross. The mother hushed the boy and hurried on. That made an impression on that little boy, a seed ws planted. Years from now that boy grows up. Maybe he hits rock bottom and has no idea where he needs to go. Maybe he is confused about life and its worth. Maybe he is confused about spiritual things. Then he remembers the day that he saw a man in his little hometown carrying a cross. Then he begins to pray, asking God for answers, and asks Jesus Christ into his heart. Though the seed was planted many years earlier and I never saw the watering of another or the increase given by God, this little boy found Jesus from that day years earlier in his life.

Why, oh why, will we sit back and let people die and go to Hell because we are too afraid (ashamed) to share Jesus?