Scripture
1Dear brothers and sisters,[1] the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[2] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Salvation Is for Everyone
5For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.[3] 6But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8In fact, it says,
“The message is very close at hand;
it is on your lips and in your heart.”[4]
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[5] 12Jew and Gentile[6] are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[7]
14But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”[8]
16But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[9] 17So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 18But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have:
“The message has gone throughout the earth,
and the words to all the world.”[10]
19But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,
“I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation.
I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”[11]
20And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying,
“I was found by people who were not looking for me.
I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”[12]
Translation notes (12)
- 10:1 Greek Brothers.
- 10:4 Or For Christ is the end of the law.
- 10:5 See Lev 18:5.
- 10:6-8 Deut 30:12-14.
- 10:11 Isa 28:16 (Greek version).
- 10:12 Greek and Greek.
- 10:13 Joel 2:32.
- 10:15 Isa 52:7.
- 10:16 Isa 53:1.
- 10:18 Ps 19:4.
- 10:19 Deut 32:21.
- 10:20 Isa 65:1 (Greek version).
But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
I am not sure about you, but I find it nearly impossible to keep good news to myself. It does not matter what the good news is; I have to tell other people about it. I want to share my joy with the people around me. This is the natural response to hearing good news, especially sharing our faith. You see, the good news that Jesus died on the cross, rose from the grave, and offers forgiveness for our sins is the single greatest news we will ever receive, and our call is to share that news with everyone around us and to teach our children to share this good news with others as well.
The apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest missionary to ever live, called readers to follow His example and share the good news of Christ in Romans 10. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” he wrote (verse 13). He then continued by saying, “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who bring good news!’” (verses 14-15). This is one of the most compelling passages about sharing our faith. You see, people are desperate for hope, and we have the ultimate hope. How will they have this hope unless someone tells them? How will someone tell them unless they strategically and intentionally tell others about this hope? If we have this hope, and we do, how could we not spread it?
When you think about your life, are you consistently sharing your faith and your hope with those around you, or are you keeping it to yourself? Are you teaching the children in your life to share their faith? Are you showing them, by example, what it looks like to consistently share their faith as well as having intentional conversations about how to effectively and clearly share their own faith? There is a world searching for hope. May you and I be messengers of that hope. “How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who bring the good news!”
Moving Toward Action
My friend, you and I must always be prepared to share our faith. Take time to review the Bridge Diagram . After reviewing it for yourself, take some time to walk through it with the children in your life. Talk to them about the importance of sharing their faith with a world that is desperately in need of good news.
Going Deeper
Read Romans 10:1-20 (NLT)
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