There are several basic truths that we find in Roman’s chapter 10.  One is that the only way to salvation is to respond to God’s Word with faith. Many pastors will use this passage as a reason to send out missionaries around the world. Yet, this misses the mark of the main concern found in this passage.  While it does support the concept that God sends out people to share the message of Christ around the world. When you understand the context, you learn the main concern is that many in Israel had heard the message of Jesus Christ but failed to believe it. 

Every denomination seems to have different requirements, traditions, or rituals required to become a part of their fellowship.  However, it is our response to God’s Word that determines if we enter God’s community or not.  If a person rejects God’s message, they will not enter the Kingdom of God no matter how good they are.  There are people who attend church every week and hear the message but have failed to confess with their mouths and believe in their hearts that Jesus is Lord.  There are other wonderful people in this world who have heard the message but have rejected that God is real. The result is they live without the hope of salvation!  We cannot make people believe in the message.

This summer I was with my wife’s family in Colorado eating at a favorite pizza place. We learned that our waiter had lived in Hawaii for a short period of time.  Since my wife was born and raised in Hawaii, we asked him more about where he lived in Hawaii.  As a result of this conversation, he learned that my father-in-law had been a missionary in Hawaii.  He then asked, what is required for a person to be saved?  I responded that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected for your sins, then you will be saved.  The waiter then quotes Romans 10:9, which is the verse I had basically used to paraphrase my response to him.  Somehow in that small exchange, we had made a connection because we both understood what was required to experience salvation.  But how sad it is when people hear the message of Christ and refuse to believe in God’s message of love and salvation.

Read Romans 10:1-21