WATCH today as Ariel continues his teaching series on Romans 9, 10 & 11. In this series we are focusing on the three major paradigms of how we know the word of God and His plans for Israel and the nations are being fulfilled.
1. There is always a Jewish remnant of faith.
2. Gentile inclusion as full citizens of God’s household.
3. The ultimate fullness of all His promises leading up the 2nd Coming of Yeshua.
In Romans 10 Paul reminds the believers in Rome that while there are many big theological discussions to be had regarding these promises, the central message of the gospel is all about faith in Yeshua. Faith in what He accomplished on our behalf doesn’t just guarantee that all the promises of God will eventually come to pass, it is the very “engine” that will get us there. The simplicity of faith in Yeshua—His death, burial, resurrection and ascension—releases the power to purify and transform the conscience, resulting in a changed life. Its simplicity is a scandal. You don’t have to be a Torah scholar or have a theological degree to receive the righteousness of God that is offered to us through Him.
By rooting the message of Romans 10:5-13 in the “soil” of Deuteronomy 30:12-14, Paul was, and still is, mounting a direct challenge to rabbinic authority to correctly interpret and apply the Word of God. The famous Talmud story based on the same verses teaches that the Torah is “not in heaven” anymore, but is now totally within the sphere of rabbinic authority—and not even God Himself can intervene miraculously to influence their decisions. Paul says, indeed, it’s “not in heaven” anymore because the Living Torah, the Word of God, the Son of God Himself has come down and proven his authority by “performing” the ultimate miracle of faith: trusting Himself to God by dying on the cross and letting Heaven speak finally and authoritatively by raising Him from the dead!
Paul makes it clear that the final authority for interpreting Torah, and how to apply it to life (halacha), starts and ends with the imparted righteousness of God that we receive when we believe in Yeshua’s death and resurrection, and confess with our words that Yeshua is LORD.
Yeshua is the “telos”, the “end-goal” of the righteousness that Abraham and Moses believed in, preached, and practiced. The Torah has always pointed to the righteousness of God, who is the Messiah, the one called, “Yehovah Tsidkenu,” the LORD our righteousness (Jer 23:6).
Don’t miss this challenging message. Share it with others!
