Family Study Guide for Romans 10

November 24 – November 30, 2005
(Read Romans 10 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 10 by Sean Dean, Youth Pastor of Fircrest Church UMC

I grew up in the church – seriously I was born on Saturday and attended my first service in church on Sunday at 26 hours old. I’ve known a lot of people that have grown up in the church. Most of us come to know Jesus and become followers of Him, but what about those who grow up in church and never come into relationship with Jesus and start to follow Him. What’s the deal with them? What about people who are on the complete other side of the spectrum, those who have never heard of Jesus? What’s going to happen with them?

These are the questions that the Apostle Paul is dealing with in Romans chapter 10. More specifically he’s trying to figure out what’s going to happen to his Jewish brothers and sisters. They had all grown up in “church”, they knew the scriptures – most of them had the Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy) memorized by the time they were twelve. Many of them had even come into contact with Jesus while He walked on the earth. And yet so many of them had decided not to become followers.

Paul does not come to any grand conclusions here, but what Paul does say is this: anyone can be saved and the way to start the process of being saved is simple.

Say the welcoming word to God--"Jesus is my Master"--embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what He did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting Him to do it for you. That's salvation. (10:9 The Message).

What’s interesting is that Paul doesn’t leave it there – as we often do. He goes on to say that while salvation is simple, it requires that people be out there proclaiming the word of Christ. What are you doing to proclaim the word of Christ? If no one is out there proclaiming, those who have never heard can never hear and if they never hear they can never believe.

I think that the ending of the passage is very interesting; it’s a quote from Isaiah about how God has been continually calling out to the people of Israel to follow Him. It never says that God stops calling out and that needs to be our perspective as well. Continue proclaiming no matter how often it is rejected, because eventually they will hear and when they hear they can believe.

Questions to Consider:

• Who do you know who grew up “in the church”, but has never come to Christ? Why do you think their knowledge and experience do not help them to know Jesus?
• If you grew up in the church, have you really examined your life and compared it to that of Jesus? Have you really said in your heart “Jesus is Lord” and proclaimed with your mouth that God raised Him from the dead?
• Why is it important that you be telling your friends about Jesus? Who do you know who has grown up around Christians here in America, but still does not know the gospel?
  

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

b. God’s sovereign choice applied (9:30-10:21)

Finish the Verses for this Chapter:

That // if you confess with "your mouth, ""Jesus is Lord,"" and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10

For there // is no difference "between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’" Romans 10:12-13

How, // then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Romans 10:14-15

Consequently, faith // comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. I was found by whom?
2. Who did not know the righteousness that comes from God?
3. My HEART'S desire and prayer to God that they may be saved is for whom?
4. Reference : According to Romans 10:17, consequently what?
5. 2 Part : You will be saved if you what?
6. 2 Part : There is no difference between whom?
7. Situation Who said it? About what?: "The man who does these things will live by them."
8. Reference : According to Romans 10:16, Isaiah says what?
9. 2 Part : With your heart you what?
10. They did not know what?
11. How can they hear without someone WHAT?
12. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not what?
13. 2 Part : With your mouth you what?
14. 2 Part : That they may be saved is what?
15. You confess and are saved how?
16. (They) sought to establish their own what?
17. What is heard through the word of Christ?
18. How can they believe in the one of whom WHAT?
19. Who will ASCEND into heaven WHY?
20. 2 Part : The righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart WHAT?

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