Week 43 - Free Weeknd Program for Street & Vulnerable Children

Text : Romans 10:1-4

Theme : Righteousness by Faith

Verse 1: “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.”

Speaking to fellow believers, fellow Christians, Paul expresses his desire for the salvation of his people Israel, he didn’t stop there, he prayed to God for them. It’s not enough to desire to see our family members saved, it’s not enough to sincerely wish they are saved, we must labour in prayer, asking God to help them, to bring them to faith by the power of His grace. We are helpless in ourselves to bring about redemption and regeneration in the heart of anyone, but there is a God with whom nothing is impossible, we must pray to Him for the salvation of others, especially those with obvious zeal for God but without true knowledge.

Verse 2: “I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.”

The Jews, also known as Israelites, were passionate about the things of God. They cherished the Torah, the laws of God, and were meticulous in keeping to the law, ordinances, statutes, rituals, and ceremonies, seeking God’s approval and acceptance through these means.

Similarly, we see Muslims that are equally passionate and zealous for God’s honour. They pray five times daily at exact times and are ready to behead anyone who speaks badly about their prophet because they believe God is dishonoured. They punish the act of stealing by cutting off someone’s hand so the person cannot steal again. They kill anyone found committing adultery, similar to Saul who persecuted and killed Christians in Acts 9; Zealous Muslims seek to kill anyone who claims that Jesus is God, they often disown, ostracize, persecute, and kill those who convert from Islam to Christianity, deeply and sincerely convinced that God is pleased by their action.

Intriguingly, they are not alone, In Numbers 25:6-8, a man called Phinehas, the son of Eleazer and grandson of Aaron the priest, was so zealous for God, passionate for God’s honour, that he took a javelin and killed a fellow Israelite and his partner for licentious adultery. We have zealous individuals in churches as well. They worship philosophies and “spiritual principles,” adhering tenaciously to its tenets. Some defend and worship their pastor, serving him with great zeal, his words are valued above words of scripture, with a misconception that God is honored.

These false teachers distort 2 Chronicles 20:20 , ensnaring people through endless dreams and visions of their carnal religious minds, a satanic illusion, cunningly and craftily wrapped with the mantra that says “for the kingdom of God and for the honor of Christ.” As a result, many are led into endless and relentless service and sacrifice as they labor tenaciously with their time, talents and resources to build the self-serving dreams and empires of these greedy dogs, called “men of God” Isaiah 56:11.

As we speak, million are still trapped in these false churches, especially in the Pentecostal movement. As the people delve deeper into false prosperity religion in search of the promised rest, self mutilating acts are subtly and progressively introduced, - purify yourselves! fast 40 days + more, give all your money to church and pastor, more money will rain down, Go out gather people, fill this church with members and see what God will do for you, seclude yourself to the mountain, don’t touch the tithe, don’t look at a woman, don’t taste alcohol etc; souls of men are constantly mesmerized by soothsaying, gainsaying, empty philosophies, false hope, fake miracles and deadly illusion. Last week, a “pastor” butchered his wife, killed and cut her into pieces because he got a clear “revelation” from God that she has acted like Achan by touching the tithe, which made God angry and caused Him to cease his prosperity, so he decided to put an end to her like Joshua did to Achan in the valley of Anchor.

Some of us were there, we were devoted members of these false churches, but God had mercy, brought us out and we are still learning and praying for more grace as we grow in true biblical knowledge and wisdom; to discern by the grace of God how to passionately honor God with our lives without hypocrisy but with true knowledge according to scripture. 2 Corinthian 8:13 and Ecclesiastes chapter 3 are very instructive. Read it when you get home. By the grace of God, the Holy Spirit will help us to grow in knowledge and wisdom and to bear the fruit of self control.

No doubt, God has called us to service, to honour Him with our lives, this is expressed through our love for others. John 15:11-13. We can’t claim to love God whom we can’t see if we cannot love a brother whom we see (1 John 4:20). God has not called us to laziness and slothfulness Romans 12:11, but to serve him passionately with the gifts he has given us for His glory alone, not ours or anyone else irrespective of their title.

Always remember this, God is not appeased by the self serving effort, devotion, passion, commitment, sacrifice or death of anyone. (1 Cor. 13), He will never be. He is pleased with the death of Christ; it is God’s love for us that justifies us, not our love for Him. On the cross, that love was on display (1 John 4:10); There, justice was satisfied on behalf of all who believe in Christ. Those relying on their own efforts are already condemned, their so called passionate good works mean nothing . John 3: 18

Verse 3: “For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.

Paul explains that the Israelites lack understanding of God’s way of salvation, this is also true for all without faith in Christ . Instead of accepting the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ, they are holding onto their own attempts to earn righteousness through the law. They are refusing to accept God’s way of salvation and are relying on their own works. It is not what we have done or the things we do that makes us acceptable before God, it is what Christ has done that qualifies us eternally before God. Hebrews 10:14; our righteousness -good works are like filthy rags before God, God is not please with that, He is pleased with the finished work of Christ on behalf of all who believe. Perfect righteousness is a gift that comes by faith - by believing, not by doing. We can’t make ourselves right with God or acceptable before Him by doing right, keeping the laws, obeying all the commandments, spiritual and natural principles, ceremonial laws, etc. No man can do this, no matter how much he strives.

The law demands complete obedience, if you fail in one, you are guilty of all (James 2:20). Naturally, we think sin is just the act, but God’s standard is far beyond that. Sinful desires like envy, jealousy, and pride - lofty ambition are treacherous and considered spiritual treason, punishable by eternal damnation (See Matthew 5). It’s impossible for anyone to fulfill the tenets of the law; all religious pandering is hypocrisy at best. We all need mercy and grace, and they are found in Christ alone because sin must be atoned for, and Christ has paid in full for all who believe in Him.

If your heart is hard, pray that God will give you the grace to believe. Whether you are a Jew, Muslim, or churchgoer, faith in Christ is all you need, or you will face the eternal consequences for your sins. Don’t be deceived by elusive empty philosophies; purgatory doesn’t exist and is not mentioned anywhere in scripture. There is no penance after death; it’s an illusion (Hebrews 9:27). Don’t hold onto self-effort; it’s pride. Accept God’s free gift!

Verse 4: “For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”

For what purpose was the law given? Why did God give the law? The law was given so that we can see our sin, recognize our helpless nature, despair in ourselves (Romans 7:24-25), and seek the mercy of God. Our inability to fully obey the law, reveals our need for a saviour, an advocate. The law was designed to bring us to an end in ourselves, to make us feel helpless and desperate for God’s mercy because we are unable to fully obey it. Anyone who honestly seeks to perfectly obey the law will eventually reach a point of frustration; the law is meant to lead us to the experience described in Psalm 51. Without the law, we would be prone to boasting in our own self-efforts. However, through the law and our inability to obey it perfectly, all such boasting ceases. The central message of the Gospel is this: Christ fulfilled the purpose of the law through His sacrificial death and resurrection. Through faith in Christ, believers are made right with God, not through their own efforts to keep the law.

Today, you can choose to strive towards obeying all the laws of God to earn perfect righteousness and holiness, or you can put your faith in Christ and recieve the free gift of perfect righteousness. The former will lead to eternal damnation because you are bond to fail, but the later will give eternal life because Christ did not fail. Hebrew 2:14-15