Weekly Pulpit Romans 10:5-11 For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.… Paul is making an earnest effort to show how simple for both Jew and Gentile the way of salvation is. It is heart-faith in Jesus. It is life-devotion to His honour. Three principles are laid down with the utmost assurance. I. A MAN SHOULD HAVE A HEART-FAITH IN CHRIST TO CONFESS. Profession without such heart-life is self-delusion or hypocrisy, and has most pernicious influence on the man. The heart-life is something between Christ and the soul. None may intermeddle with it. But it has its tests, which discover it to others. Heart-faith is — 1. Sincere and loving. 2. In Christ: Christ risen: Christ raised by God. 3. Tones the life with righteousness.Can these tests be applied now by men to themselves? Can these tests be applied now by men to their fellow men? Show they can. The sincere response to these is the abiding confidence of godly men. II. A MAN SHOULD FIND OUT THE BEST WAY IS WHICH TO CONFESS SUCH HEART-LIFE. It is due to Christ that he should. It is needful for himself that he should. Life repressed is imperilled. Illustration. Archimedes running into the street, saying, "Eureka. I have found it," when his problem was solved. And what is the best way in which to confess? 1. A life on all of which lies the Christly stamp. 2. Association with those who stand out as manifestly Christ's. 3. Obedience to Christ in any public symbolic act — as Lord's Supper.Illustration. How these would come home to timid secret disciples among Romans. In these Christian times such confession is still demanded. III. A MAN WILL SURELY FIND THAT GOD'S BLESSING RESTS ON FULL OBEDIENCE: in heart-belief, and lip, and life confession. Remember Christ's words — "Ashamed of Me before men." Blessing comes — 1. To the man himself — in fixity of mind and of life. 2. To others — in the example of His firmness, and in the work which confessed disciples undertake. Conclusion: Public confession of Christ must not be delayed until either — (1) An adequate knowledge is gained; (2) or model experience reached. When may the Eunuch confess Christ? When may Lydia — or the jailer? When may we? When with the heart we receive the risen Saviour as our Saviour, and begin to live in the rule of Christ, our saving Lord. (Weekly Pulpit.) Parallel Verses KJV: For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.WEB: For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them." |
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