oatmeal
Well-known member
On another thread I said that the tenth chapter of the epistle to the Romans was written to believers.
In response, glorydaz said this:
"You SHALL BE SAVED" rules out your claim this is written to believers.
Here is the verse which she was making reference:
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Ro.10:8-9).
When we examine the "context" we can see that Paul was merely telling the believers what he preached to the unsaved:
"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Ro.10:8-9).
He is telling these believers what he preaches to the unsaved--"the word of faith which we preach." After all, this epistles is written to those who already believe, as witnessed by what Paul said about their faith:
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Ro.1:8).
Not only that, after Paul explained what He preached to the unbelievers He then calls unbelievers "they" which he would not do if his words are being addressed to unbelievers:
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Ro.10:14).
If this chapter was addressed to unbelievers then it would read:
"How then shall you call on him in whom you have not believed? and how shall you believe in him of whom you have not heard? and how shall you hear without a preacher?"
That is not what Paul wrote so it is obvious that He was not addressing the unsaved.
And if the tenth chapter is addressed to unbelievers then the whole epistle is meant for unbelievers. Or else you would have to tear out the tenth chapter and give it to the unbelievers. So it cannot be denied that if glorydaz is correct then Romans is written to unbelievers even though only one chapter of that epistle applies to them.
However, none of what is said in the epistle to the Romans is addressed to unbelievers.
The entirety of scripture is written for the benefit of believers. However, unbelievers do not become believers without learning at least a little of what scripture teaches. (whether directly from scripture or indirectly)
Romans 10:9 Paul is communicating what it takes for the unsaved to become saved. This information is vital to the unbeliever if the unbeliever is to be saved.
However, the benefit and responsibility to the believer is manifold. It succinctly communicates what the believer should be wanting to communicate to the unbeliever so that the unbeliever can receive salvation, if he wants to.
Romans does contain passages that are directed to unsaved Judeans, Romans 9:1-4 tells us that Paul is writing about Judeans and their state.
Whereas, Paul switches to addressing the Gentiles in Romans 11:13
Neither Judeans nor Gentiles are part of the church of God until they do Romans 10:9-10 so as to receive salvation.
God's puts every person into one of three categories according to I Corinthians 10:32
The are either:
1. Judean
2. Gentile
3. Church of God
Only the church of God has done Romans 10:9-10, the Judeans and Gentiles are not part of the church of God until they do Romans 10:9-10