Romans 10 with Metaphysical Footnotes (asv)

^10:1Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. ^10:2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ^10:3For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ^10:4For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness1 to every one that believeth.

1. For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness. Harper Study Bible says "It is not certain whether end means termination or goal; the latter is the more probable." This Unity commentary agrees with HSB that "end" means "goal": The law unto righteousness, or law of right thinking, right speaking, and right acting, is wholly fulfilled in the Christ consciousness. As we believe in the power of true thought and persist in putting our faith into practice, we realize that “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

^10:5For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. ^10:6But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart,1 Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) ^10:7or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)

^10:8But what saith it?

The word is nigh thee,

in thy mouth, and in thy heart:2

that is, the word of faith, which we preach:3 ^10:9because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: ^10:10for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;4 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ^10:11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.5 ^10:12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: ^10:13for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

^10:14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ^10:15and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings6 of good things! ^10:16But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ^10:17So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

^10:18But I say, Did they not hear?

Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth,

And their words unto the ends of the world.

^10:19But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith,

I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation,

With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

^10:20And Isaiah is very bold, and saith,

I was found of them that sought me not;

I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.

^10:21But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

1. Say in thy heart. As used in Scripture, the word heart represents the subconscious mind (Revealing Word, heart).
2. in thy mouth, and in thy heart. The Christ ideal can be realized by every man and woman.
3. the word of faith, which we preach. The function of words is to express thought, and the word of faith expresses our thought of God and our belief in Him. God dwells in us as thought.
4. for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Through faith in the I AM, man puts his emotions in order. This done, he sees reason as a surer guide for action than feeling. Faith in the ideals of right, love, and Truth enables him to transform his heart, the symbolic seat of emotion, into a center of right thinking.
5. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. Whoever really believes in God and Jesus Christ is as good as his professed word. Faithful thinking and speaking of Truth lead to faithful living in harmony with thought and word, for real faith is practical and can be applied to everyday living.
6. the feet of them that bring glad tidings. The accomplishing of needed service. Words unaccompanied by appropriate action lack the faith that moves mountains of doubt and difficulty.