Salvation 
By Mike Rule

I can testify about people that are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge of God Himself. They do not know the righteousness that comes from God and therefore seek to establish their own. As a result they do not submit to God's righteousness. Christ has put an end to the pursuit of righteousness by making it available to everyone who believes. In Leviticus 18:5 Moses described the righteousness that is given through law and works (mans effort) by saying: "The man who does these things will live by them." But the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ says, The Word – Jesus Christ - is near you; in your mouth and in your heart. That is the Word of faith that I am proclaiming to you today. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. (Paraphrase from Romans 10:1-9)

Verses for Reflection

Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, the Word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. He shall say, Only in Jehovah do I have righteousness and strength; to Him he comes; and they are ashamed, all who are angry with Him. Isaiah 45:22-24 (LITV)

And He said to them, You are those justifying yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for the thing highly prized among men is a hateful thing before God. Luke 16:15 (LITV)

I will reveal your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you. Isaiah 57:12 (LITV)

For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 (LITV)

Do not think that I came to annul the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to annul, but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17 (LITV)

Then let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this One remission of sin is announced to you. And everyone believing in this One is justified from all things which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39 (LITV)

But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah come to consider a disadvantage. Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my Lord. It was because of him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah and be found in union with Him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness from God based on trust. Philippians 3:7-9 (CJB)

For this command which I am commanding you today is not too wonderful for you, nor is it too far off. It is not in the heavens that you should say, Who shall go up into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, that we may do it? And it is not beyond the sea that you should say, Who shall cross over for us to the region beyond the sea and take it for us, and cause us to hear it, that we may do it? For the Word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (LITV)

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Messiah is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them." But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Messiah down); or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead.)" 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: that if you will confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:2-9