Romans 10:5-13 - Righteousness by Law Keeping versus Righteousness by Faith

In this section, Paul contrasts the two methods of justification in order to show that justification by law keeping is beyond the reach of sinful men, but justification by faith is (comparatively speaking) simple, easy, and adapted to all men without distinction.

 

  [To be made righteous through law keeping demands that man keep the law perfectly (cf., Galatians 3:10-12; James 2:10-11)]:
10:5 What then shall we say?
Moses [in Leviticus 18:5] describes in this way
the righteousness that is by the law:

"The man who does these things [written in the law] will live by them."
 

[Justification by faith does not require that which is impossible to do; it simply requires faith in the heart and an open confession that Christ is the risen Lord]:
10:6  But the righteousness that is by faith says:

"Do not say in your heart,
'Who will ascend into heaven?'"
(that is, to bring Christ down)
10:7
"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'"
(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

[Charles Hodge in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans suggests this as one interpretation of vs. 6-7: "The plan of salvation by faith does not require us to do what cannot be done, and which is now unnecessary; it does not require us to provide a Savior, to bring Him down from heaven, or raise Him from the dead; a Savior has been provided and we are now only required to believe, etc." (p.399)]
10:8 But what does it [righteousness that is by faith] say?

"The word is near you;
it is in your mouth and in your heart,"
that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
 

["The meaning of the passage then is, 'the gospel instead of directing us to ascend into heaven, or go down to the abyss, tells us that that the thing required is simple and easy. Believe with thy heart and thou shalt be saved'" (Charles Hodge p.340)]

[Paul here gives two marks of a person who has been saved by faith:
 1.  Faith in Christ's work
 2.  A willingness to acknowledge that faith verbally to others]
10:9 That if you confess with your mouth,
"Jesus is Lord,"
and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
10:10 For it is with your heart
that you believe and are justified,
and it is with your mouth
that you confess and are saved.

[The scriptures frequently teach the importance of acknowledging our indebtedness to Christ before others. See for example, the words of Jesus: "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)]

[Justification is offered to all men (Jews and Gentiles alike) on the same terms]:
10:11 As the Scripture says [in Isaiah 28:16],

"Anyone [Jew and Gentile alike]
who trusts in him [Christ]
will never be put to shame."
10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--
the same Lord is Lord of all
and richly blesses all who call on him,
10:13  for,

"Everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord [Jesus]
will be saved."