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From a message by Jon Alsdorf
Romans chapter 10 cuts through centuries of religious confusion and gets to the heart of one of the most important questions anyone can ask: how is a person actually saved? The answer is clearer than most people think, and it has never changed. What Is the Main Message of the Book of Romans? The entire book of Romans is built around one thesis statement found in Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Every chapter circles back to this single idea. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Not by following the law. Not by doing enough good things. Salvation is received as a gift, based on Jesus' performance, not ours. Who Was Paul Writing To in Romans 10? Paul was writing primarily to Jewish Christians who were wrestling with deep questions about their identity and heritage. If salvation comes through faith in Jesus, what does that mean for the law of Moses? Do Gentiles have to become Jewish first? Do Jewish believers have to abandon their heritage? Paul's answer to both questions is no. You do not have to become Jewish to follow Jesus, and you do not have to stop being Jewish to follow Jesus. These were not small questions. They were grief-inducing struggles for real people trying to understand what God was doing. What Are the Only Two Ways to Be Saved According to Scripture? Paul lays out two and only two options in Romans 10.
Because Jesus fulfilled the law completely, His righteousness can be credited to those who place their faith in Him. That is the gospel. What Does "Confess with Your Mouth and Believe in Your Heart" Really Mean? "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9 This is not a two-step checklist. It is one thing happening. Jesus Himself made the connection clear: what comes out of our mouths flows from what is in our hearts. When someone genuinely confesses that Jesus is Lord, it is not a performance. It is the overflow of what is already happening inside them. Faith expressed outwardly through confession is faith made real. It is how an internal reality becomes visible. Where Does Faith Come From? "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." - Romans 10:17 Paul walks through a chain of logic using rhetorical questions. How can someone call on Jesus if they have not believed? How can they believe if they have never heard? How can they hear without someone preaching? How can someone preach unless they are sent? The answer to every question is: they cannot. Faith is not manufactured from within. It comes through hearing the word of Christ, which is why the gospel being proclaimed matters so much. The gospel itself is the power of God for salvation. Why Do Some People Hear the Gospel and Still Not Believe? This is one of the most honest and important questions in the passage. Paul does not soften the answer. He identifies four real barriers that keep people from responding to the gospel in faith.
It is not confusion. It is not a lack of information. People build high walls against the work of God, even in their own lives. Paul quotes Moses and Isaiah to show that this pattern is not new. God predicted it centuries before it happened. "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." - Isaiah 65:1 (quoted in Romans 10:20) This should reshape how we pray for people in our lives who have not yet believed. The barrier is rarely intellectual. It is almost always something deeper. How Does God Respond to Disobedience and Opposition? This may be the most important question in the entire passage. When people reject Him, when they oppose Him, when they are disobedient, what does God do? "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." - Romans 10:21 He holds out His hands. All day long. To everyone. To neighbors, family members, enemies, the frustrated and the frustrating. There is no category of person to whom God has stopped extending His grace. Scripture does warn us not to take that kindness for granted. Every day eventually ends. But the posture of God toward people who have not yet come to Him is not rejection. It is an open invitation, patient and persistent. What Does This Mean for Israel, Then and Now? Paul is clear that the Jewish people are not in a different category when it comes to salvation. "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:12-13 The same Lord who is God over Israel is God over all people. There is one source of salvation, and it has always been the same. Even before Jesus came, faithful Jewish people were trusting in God's promise of a coming Messiah. That was saving faith, even without knowing His name. But when Jesus came and did not fit the expected model, many chose to oppose rather than trust. The lesson for all of us is the same: when we do not understand what God is doing, the wisest response is to trust His word rather than try to help Him fix what we perceive as a problem. God does not need our help keeping His promises. Life Application This week, identify one person in your life who has heard the gospel but has not responded in faith. Instead of assuming they simply need more information or a better argument, pray specifically against the real barriers Paul names: jealousy, anger, disobedience, and opposition. Ask God to soften what is hardened and to open what has been closed. Then look for one natural opportunity to share the gospel with them, not to win a debate, but to hold out the same open hands that God holds out all day long. Ask yourself these questions as you reflect this week:
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From a message by Jon Alsdorf
Romans 5 is one of the most dense and rewarding passages in all of Scripture. In just a few verses, Paul lays out everything a believer possesses because of justification through faith in Jesus Christ. These are not distant promises. They are present realities that belong to every follower of Christ right now. What Does "Justified by Faith" Actually Mean? Paul opens Romans 5 with the word "therefore," which ties everything back to what he has already established. Humanity is broken, fallen, and sinful by nature. But through Jesus Christ, God provided a permanent solution to that problem. Justification is the judicial declaration that because of Jesus, you are "not guilty." It is not a transformation of your character in that moment. It is God, like a judge with a gavel, declaring you righteous because Jesus took your sin. Salvation itself carries three tenses:
With that foundation in place, Paul begins stacking truth upon truth about what believers now possess. 1. You Have Peace With God "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 5:1 This is not the peace of God, which is a separate concept Paul addresses in Philippians. This is peace with God. Before Christ, every human being is in conflict with God, whether they realize it or not. A common but serious error in our culture is the idea that everyone is already a child of God. Scripture is clear that we are all creatures of God, but being a child of God is a specific reality reserved for those who are in Christ. We are born as children of Adam, inheriting his sin nature and the separation that came with it. When you are justified in Christ, the war is over. The wrath of God that Scripture says is being stored up is no longer directed at you. That is not a small thing. That is everything. 2. You Have Permanent Access to Grace "Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand." - Romans 5:2 The original Greek here uses a "perfect tense," which describes something that is always present and always moving forward. This is a standing grace. It does not expire. It does not run out when you fail. Many believers struggle with the feeling that ongoing sin disqualifies them. But Jesus knew you would still struggle after coming to faith. He died for that struggle too. His grace is not a one-time gift. It is a permanent, ever-present reality in your life. 3. You Have Hope in God's Glory, Not Your Own "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God." - Romans 5:2 The word translated "rejoice" here can also mean "boast," carrying the idea of triumphant confidence. Every other religion in the world leaves its followers asking, "Have I done enough?" There is no real basis for confidence there. But because we are justified by faith and not by works, we have a reason for genuine, grace-filled confidence. We are not boasting before the game. Jesus already won. We celebrate a completed victory every time we gather to worship. 4. You Have Hope in Your Eternal Salvation, Even Through Suffering "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame." - Romans 5:3-5 Suffering is not a sign that God is angry with you. It is part of what it means to live in a broken world. But for the believer, suffering has a purpose. It is a snapshot of the sanctification process, the Holy Spirit working to shape your character into the likeness of Jesus. There are two unhealthy extremes when it comes to suffering. The first is total avoidance. The second is unnecessary indulgence. The wiser path is to pursue wisdom to avoid needless suffering, while trusting Jesus through the suffering that cannot be escaped. That endurance builds character, and that character produces hope, both in you and in the people watching your life. 5. You Have God's Love Poured Into Your Heart "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 God has not dripped His love into your heart with an eyedropper. He has poured it in without measure. This love was given while you were still His enemy. That is how lavish it is. And here is the reason He gives so generously: there are people around you who do not yet have this love. God fills your cup to overflowing so that you can pour into others. You will never run dry. Your only job is to empty your cup, trusting that He will always refill it. 6. You Have the Holy Spirit Everything described above is made possible through the Holy Spirit who has been given to every believer. This is not a small addition to the list. It is the power behind all of it. In the Old Testament, God's people had the revelation of His righteousness but no internal means to live it out. On the day of Pentecost, everything changed. The disciples who had been confused and stumbling were transformed because the Holy Spirit now lived inside them. The same is true for you. The Holy Spirit is recreating you from the inside out. He is the reason sin no longer feels comfortable the way it once did. He is the reason you can love, endure, worship, and grow. You are not the same person you were before Christ. You have been changed because you possess the Holy Spirit. 7. You Have Received Reconciliation "We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." - Romans 5:11 Reconciliation means two things being made one. Through justification and sanctification, God is bringing you into unity with Himself. He looks at you and sees Jesus. That is not something you earned or helped accomplish. That is the power of the atonement. Paul closes this section of Romans 5 by making the point unmistakably clear: "As one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men." - Romans 5:18 One man, Adam, brought sin and death. One man, Jesus Christ, brought righteousness and life. You did not help. He did not ask for your help. He accomplished it all so that the glory belongs entirely to Him. Life Application This week, when doubt, guilt, or confusion creeps in about your standing before God, open your Bible to Romans 5 and read the first eleven verses. Let the truth of what you possess in Christ anchor you before you spiral into shame or despair. Ask yourself these questions:
You are not saved by your effort. You are not sustained by your performance. Everything you need has already been given to you in Christ. Walk in it. From a message by Jon Alsdorf
Paul's letter to the Romans begins with one of the most powerful declarations in all of Scripture. Before diving into the complexities of faith, Paul establishes a crucial foundation: understanding why we desperately need the good news requires first grasping just how bad the bad news really is. The Gospel: God's Power for Salvation What is the Gospel's Purpose? "'For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek'" - Romans 1:16. This verse serves as the thesis for the entire book of Romans. Paul declares that the gospel isn't just good advice or moral teaching - it's literally God's power working to save people. The phrase "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" encompasses all of humanity. Paul uses "Greek" to represent all non-Jewish people, what we call Gentiles. This salvation is available to 100% of humanity, regardless of background, ethnicity, or past. Faith from Beginning to End Paul continues: "'For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith'" - Romans 1:17. This phrase "from faith to faith" means from beginning to end, from eternity past to eternity future. God didn't change His plan between the Old and New Testaments. Salvation has always been by faith, never by works or religious performance. Why Do We Need Salvation? The Wrath of God Revealed "'For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth'" - Romans 1:18. This is the reality every human being faces: God's righteous anger against sin. Paul identifies two core problems: - Ungodliness : Living life separated from God, as if He doesn't exist - Unrighteousness : Doing what is wrong instead of what is right The Suppression of Truth The fundamental issue is that humanity suppresses truth. We live in a culture that expends enormous energy trying to explain away God's existence, promoting ideas that make no scientific, philosophical, or theological sense. When we divorce reality from God, we end up living by lies instead of truth. As Alexander Solzhenitsyn powerfully stated: "Live not by lies." This four-word phrase captures what followers of Jesus must choose - to stand for truth regardless of the cost, because when no one stands for truth, only God's wrath remains. Five Desecrations That Follow Rejecting God 1. Desecration of Worship When people reject God, they don't stop worshipping - they redirect their worship. Instead of honoring the Creator, they give credit to creation, to themselves, or even to nothing. This is deeply offensive to God, like eating a meal your spouse prepared and thanking someone else for cooking it. 2. Desecration Through Idolatry "'Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things'" - Romans 1:22-23. Modern idols might be parked in our driveways or stored in our phones. Anything we exalt above its proper place becomes an idol. 3. Desecration of Marriage Sexual intimacy reserved for marriage spills into inappropriate places. Marriage becomes devalued while unfettered sexual expression gets elevated. This matters because marriage was designed to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church. When marriage is attacked, this beautiful picture becomes obscured. 4. Desecration of Humanity "'For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions...'" - Romans 1:26-27. Humans are made in God's image as His representatives on earth. When we reject God's design for sexuality and relationships, we distort the very image of God that we're meant to display. 5. Desecration of Society The final collapse comes when society celebrates evil and condemns good. Paul lists the characteristics: "filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice...gossips, slanderers, haters of God" - Romans 1:29-30. When all other foundations crumble, society itself collapses. No One Has an Excuse Universal Knowledge of Right and Wrong "'Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges'" - Romans 2:1. Paul argues that everyone knows right from wrong. Even a preschooler knows when something is unfair. This moral awareness is God's fingerprint on every human heart. Creation itself testifies to God's existence. Looking at your own hand, the stars, a growing plant, or a child's eyes - all point to a Creator. The philosophical question "Why is there something rather than nothing?" demands an answer that points beyond the material universe. The Problem with Our Own Standards Every culture values truth-telling over lying, faithfulness over unfaithfulness. We all make moral judgments. The problem? None of us live up to even our own standards, let alone God's perfect standard. We can all judge what's right, but we've all failed to do what's right. The Law Cannot Save Same Judgment for All "'For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law'" - Romans 2:12. Whether you have God's written law (like the Jews) or just the moral law written on your heart (like the Gentiles), the result is the same: judgment for sin. External Religion Isn't Enough "'For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter'" - Romans 2:28-29. Paul warns against religious complacency. Going through religious motions - whether circumcision for Jews or baptism for Christians - doesn't save anyone. Salvation requires a genuine heart change, not just external compliance with religious practices. Life Application The judgment and wrath of God are inevitable, complete, just, infinite, and eternal. No one possesses any excuse for unrighteousness and ungodliness. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is equally complete, just, infinite, and eternal - and it's the only hope for avoiding God's wrath. This week, examine your own heart honestly. Are you trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, or are you relying on religious activities, good works, or cultural Christianity? Have you truly been rescued from God's wrath by Jesus alone, or are you hoping that Jesus plus your efforts will be enough? Consider these questions:
The good news is that anyone can go home today knowing they are secure in Jesus' hands forever. Salvation is available to everyone who believes - not everyone who checks religious boxes, but everyone who genuinely trusts Jesus as Lord and Savior. From a message by Jon Alsdorf
Easter is more than just a cultural holiday or a reason to gather with family. It's the celebration of the most significant event in human history - the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While many people participate in Easter traditions, not everyone understands why this day matters so profoundly. The truth is, Easter proves three crucial things that can transform your life forever. What Does the Resurrection Actually Prove? When we examine the resurrection of Jesus, we're looking at something unprecedented in human history. Death has a perfect track record - everyone dies, and everyone stays dead. Except for Jesus. This singular event wasn't expected by anyone, not even His closest followers. The women who went to the tomb weren't expecting a resurrection; they were planning to properly prepare His body for burial. Jesus Is Exactly Who He Said He Was Throughout His ministry, Jesus made extraordinary claims about His identity. He repeatedly told His disciples that He would be crucified and rise again on the third day. The prophets had foretold these events centuries earlier, with Isaiah 53 reading like an eyewitness account written 700 years before it happened. “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35, ESV). This is an impossible claim unless you're actually the Son of God. He also proclaimed: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV). Only God could fulfill such a promise. Perhaps most boldly, Jesus stated: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV). This flies in the face of cultural relativism, declaring that there is only one way to God - through Jesus Christ. The resurrection validated every one of these claims. It proved that Jesus wasn't just another religious teacher or prophet, but exactly who He claimed to be - the Son of God. Jesus Has the Authority He Claimed to Have Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated authority over sickness, demons, nature, and even death itself. He fed thousands with a small amount of food, healed people with just a word, and cast out evil spirits that His disciples couldn't handle. In John 17:1-3, Jesus prayed: "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (ESV). But it was the resurrection that demonstrated His ultimate authority - power over death itself. Jesus said: "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” (John 10:17-18, ESV). If you belong to Jesus, you belong to the One who has authority over everything. Nothing is too big for Him, nothing overwhelms Him, and nothing takes Him by surprise. Jesus Does What He Says He Will Do God is a promise-keeping God. When Jesus told the religious leaders to "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19, ESV), He was speaking of His body. He kept that promise perfectly. Jesus promised His followers: "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40, ESV). The resurrection was a demonstration of what He wants to do in your life. He also promised: "'In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also'" - John 14:2-3 (KJV). These aren't empty promises. Jesus has demonstrated He has the power to keep them all. What Difference Does the Resurrection Make in Your Life? Understanding what the resurrection proves is important, but the real question is: what difference does it make? If this is truly the biggest deal of all big deals, it should transform your life in practical ways. Your Sins Can Be Forgiven If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, nothing has changed. You would still be trapped in your sin with no hope of forgiveness. But because He conquered death, forgiveness is now possible. "In [the Lord Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7, ESV). Notice it says "according to the riches of his grace" - not according to your ability to earn it or deserve it. God's grace is immeasurably vast. Whatever you've done, however you've failed, His grace is bigger than your failure. The Scripture declares: "To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (Acts 10:43, ESV). That word "everyone" includes you. Your Struggles Can Be Overcome The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you. "'…if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11, ESV). You don't have to face life's challenges in your own strength. When that strength runs out - and it always does - you can live by the power of the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean life won't be hard, but it means you're not alone and you're not powerless. "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4, ESV). Through faith in Christ, you become stronger than the struggles of this world. As Paul discovered: "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12-13, ESV). This isn't about achieving any personal ambition, but about having the strength to face every circumstance life brings. Your Eternity Can Be Secured Perhaps most importantly, the resurrection secures your eternal destiny. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” (John 3:36, ESV). Notice this doesn't say you will someday have eternal life - it says you have it now. When you trust in Jesus, you immediately move from spiritual death to spiritual life. "Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. (John 6:47, ESV). This transformation happens "not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5, ESV). Life Application The resurrection of Jesus Christ isn't just a historical event to commemorate - it's a present reality that should transform how you live. This week, challenge yourself to live in the power of the resurrection. Instead of facing your struggles in your own strength, consciously rely on the Holy Spirit's power within you. If you've never trusted Jesus for salvation, don't let this moment pass. The same God who knew you before creation and saw exactly how your life would unfold chose to go to the cross for you. His grace is bigger than your failures, and His love is deeper than your struggles. Ask yourself these questions:
The resurrection proves that Jesus is who He said He was, has the authority He claimed, and does what He promises. More than that, it means your sins can be forgiven, your struggles can be overcome, and your eternity can be secured. That's what makes Easter the biggest deal of all. |
Apply it!Next Steps is a collection of articles drawn from the sermons of Pastor Jon Alsdorf, and guest speakers, written to help you connect God's Word to real life. Each post is designed to inspire, challenge, and encourage you to live out your faith in practical, everyday ways -- because following Jesus is more than words, it's actions. Archives
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