Romans 10:1-21
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “THE MAN WHO DOES THOSE THINGS SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
7 or, ” ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For “WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.”
14 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?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?”
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “THEIR SOUND HAS GONE OUT TO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I WILL PROVOKE YOU TO JEALOUSY BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT A NATION, I WILL MOVE YOU TO ANGER BY A FOOLISH NATION.”
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME; I WAS MADE MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”
21 But to Israel he says: “ALL DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND CONTRARY PEOPLE.”
Just knowledge alone is not sufficient, if the knowledge found does not include experienced understanding of God’s love in Christ and its expression in the mouth. This is apparent in those who possess some of the most capable and productive minds. They are filled with massive volumes of information and yet their mouths fail to establish the only truth that makes a difference in the heart. Faith comes as an option in the reception of information, but it only comes alive in its belief-filled expression. What is believed will be expressed in much more than just a religious incantation. It will also be much more than a repeated declaration. It will be the inspired expression of conviction from a heart that has received truth and acted upon it, first in confirming confession, but then, also, in a life that is fully baptized in a presentation of this belief. There are many who have even committed themselves to the pursuit of a religious ascension who will never discover true faith until the information found takes them to a personal relationship with the Redeemer that establishes faith over dead works. We will never, in the accumulation of what we think is significant knowledge, have an advantage over the simplest of minds that wholly receives the knowledge of the gospel with an open heart and confessing mouth. Where there is no confirming sound/action, there is only a dangerous disillusionment of vain security in an unapplied bit of information. So much better to remain hungry for truth that is continually given action and purpose from a heart that has uninhibited expression of its acquired belief.