In Romans chapter 10, the Apostle Paul explains the inclusive nature of the gospel—its availability to anyone and everyone that calls on the name of the Lord. He begins with his heart’s desire to see his fellow Jews recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Paul knew that his central mission was one focused on the Gentiles, but he never forgot his Jewish brothers. In fact, time and again as he traveled throughout the Roman world, he began his preaching in the synagogue. He wanted the Jews to know that being the people of God no longer revolved around zeal for the law, but came through faith in Christ. That was, and is, the true mark of covenant membership. Paul explains that the gospel was now available to everyone who responded to God in faith, with all being saved regardless of their ethnicity. This gospel is for the Jew and the Gentile alike. Israel’s history culminated in the Messiah; now the people of God would be recognized not through circumcision but by faith.
The call to confess Jesus as Lord was not without cost in Rome because it was a culture where Caesar was Lord. The proclamation of Jesus as Lord and resistance to worshipping the pagan gods required the early church to pay a great price, even with their lives. Paul encouraged a life of faith as opposed to zealous law keeping, but he did not promote a life of ease. He instead described a life of costly discipleship. However, this life of discipleship was not an effort to earn God’s favor but a response to the grace that believers had been given.
Paul has made clear in previous chapters that salvation comes at the initiative of God and not man. The truth of God’s sovereignty and the importance of evangelism has caused a good deal of confusion throughout the history of the church. Some have used God’s sovereignty as a rationale for inaction, becoming the “frozen chosen.” In contrast, others feel that evangelism is dependent on their efforts alone. Both of these perspectives fail to fully grasp God’s grace.
In chapter 10 Paul explains that this truth of God’s gift of grace should not lead to passivity but to action. He wanted the church in Rome to know that God called believers to be the mechanism by which the people heard the good news. Paul hoped to go to Spain to share the gospel to the far reaches of the Roman world. He hoped that the church in Rome would support that effort and embrace the importance of sharing the gospel in Rome and sending him on to more missionary journeys.