Paul desires for his fellow Jewish brethren to be saved, indicating that, though they have a zeal for God, it is not according to knowledge. He continues to explain that their ignorance caused them to refuse God’s righteousness, i.e., God’s way to make them righteous. They had it fixed in their minds that righteousness was based on law-keeping. What they failed to accept was that Christ was the “end” or completion of the law so that righteousness is granted to everyone who believes.
Their righteousness, according to verse 5 (cf. Gal. 3:10), says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” This was the reason they were not saved because by the law shall no flesh be justified before Him. This does not negate the importance of law but as a means of justification, law-keeping excluded grace. He then contrasts their righteousness based on the law with what the righteousness that is by faith says. It says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”(that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
It seems that Paul is making a point about distressing over understanding and keeping the law. They do not need to imagine that we must send someone to heaven or into the deep to bring back the proper explanation of its meaning because it would have nothing to do with its fulfillment. Everyone can understand it from the heart and profess it with the mouth. The understanding of the law which Moses declares possible is the fruit of a heart in full fellowship with the God of promise. The same law taught that Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness. Why would he now replace this faith centuries later with meritorious work? Even Jesus’ sermon on the mount intends to emphasize the spirit of the law. He does not contrast the teaching of the law with His own teaching. He contrasts what has been said by others concerning the law with His own explanation and interpretation of the law. Even grace was deposited under the surface of the law which one day would break out to become the peculiar character of the new covenant. Doing would follow from believing. The contrast here is not between belief and unbelief but in doing with believing. If unbelief was contained in the thought, would Paul argue that the righteousness of faith says, “I prohibit your unbelief?” Paul addresses Jewish Christians who already believe but who do not understand the saving power of the gospel. They are convinced of the facts of the gospel (Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection). However, they should not think that they must ascend to heaven by their own obedience. Who will do it? To ask it is to deny that Christ has already done it. And, those tormented by their sins should not think, “Who shall descend to the abyss to undergo punishment?” Again, to ask such a question is to deny that it has already been done by the atoning work of Christ. The righteousness of faith forbids such sayings. Saying it also requires Christ to return again to the earth to fulfill his work. Christ is the victor not only for Himself, but for all who put their faith in Him. By this perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice, He has won it for himself and all those of faith.
What is in question here is not is not the historical fact of his death, resurrection, and ascension but their value. All the doing of the law, which could never be accomplished perfectly, is now accomplished by Christ, i.e., the conquest of heaven where he occupies His rightful place and the appeasement of God’s wrath by the sacrifice of Himself. All that remains for human beings, Jews and Gentiles, is to believe in this work of Christ by applying it to himself. After telling us what we should not say in verses 6 and 7 to open heaven and close hell, we should trust Christ for the doing of it and leave us to the work of believing it.
Now, to apply the word of faith which he preaches does not mean saying an invocation, “Lord, Jesus” or some feeling of the heart. Instead, confessing with the mouth is an expression of the heart. Neither is adequate by themselves. If we believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, he must boldly confess it to the world. Paul writes, “if you will confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” He explains in verse 10, “For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Justification and righteousness are what we need; one is connected with faith, while the other is connected with that of a profession. Justification depends on faith. Salvation depends on faithful perseverance in the profession of faith. Again, confession with the mouth should not be taken as a mere invocation. One may say at one moment in time, “I believe that Jesus is the son of God and died for my sins and was raised for our justification” (cf. Rom. 4:25), but deny Him when the rubber meets the road. This involves our way of life that acknowledges Him as our Redeemer and depends on Him for our forgiveness. If you confess Him, He will confess you. You deny Him, He’ll deny you. Paul ends on a strong text taken from Isaiah 9:33, “Whosoever believes on Him will not be confounded.” Imagining that salvation was bound up with the fulfillment of the ordinances of the law, they used it to their advantage, consenting to share it only with the Gentiles who would accept circumcision and other ordinances of the law to become God’s people. This message is for all, including them, and requires the end of a legal system as a means of justification. Paul will proceed in the following verses to develop this thought, which we will take up, later.