Romans 10:6-7, Faith and not Works
Romans 10:6-7 (KJV) 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
The Apostle Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 in verse 6. The context is given Leviticus 18:1-5 (KJV) 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. 3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
God provided His Laws by which Israel is to live. The people of Israel are not to imbibe the ways of Egypt nor the ways of the inhabitants of Canaan. Israel has a God-ordained mission to be a witness of God to the nations of the world. Her work was to bring forth her foremost Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. All the Laws given by God to Israel pointed them to faith in the salvific work of Jesus Christ. Israel stumbled when she rejected her Messiah, Jesus. Both His death and resurrection is prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures. Worship and the sacrificial system in both the Tabernacle when they came out of Egypt and in the Temple in Jerusalem pointed to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. The people of Israel sought to gain righteousness by keeping the law. They failed because this is not the purpose for which God gave the law. The law is given so that it lead them to faith in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul reiterated that the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is completed. Jesus has kept all the law perfectly in His life and in His death to gain access to God and heaven for all who would simply put their faith in what He has accomplished in His lifetime. Struggle not but receive the good news of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.
We are praying that God will be merciful to bringing a Jewish woman to our gospel meeting tomorrow night and that she might hear the gospel. We pray that God will open her spiritual eyes. Amen.