A blog from Sunday’s sermon on Romans 10:1-3
In Romans 10:1–3, Paul reveals his deep burden for the people of Israel. He writes that his heart’s desire and prayer to God is that they might be saved. Paul understood something that many people still struggle with today: sincerity, effort, and religious activity cannot save a person. Only God can.
This passage teaches three important truths about salvation and our responsibility toward those who are lost.
Legalism Doesn’t Save
Paul explains that the people of Israel were ignorant of God’s righteousness. This does not mean they were unintelligent. Rather, they lacked understanding of God’s plan of salvation, how a person receives righteousness from Him.
According to Ephesians 2:8–9, salvation is by grace through faith, not by works. If people truly understood this truth, they would stop trying to earn salvation and instead trust in Christ.
Instead, Paul says they attempted to establish their own righteousness. They created a system based on human effort. This is what we call legalism, the belief that obedience, religious practices, or good works can earn salvation.
When people pursue their own righteousness, they ultimately refuse to submit to the righteousness of God, which is found only in Jesus Christ. If someone has never surrendered to Christ, they remain in their sin.
Even today, many people attempt legalism in different ways. Some trust religious rituals, others rely on moral living, and some believe that faith must be combined with works in order to save. While good works and spiritual disciplines are valuable, they should be the result of salvation, not the means to obtain it.
Religion Doesn’t Save
Paul also describes the Israelites as zealous for God. They had enthusiasm and dedication. Their zeal was visible through their commitment to the Old Testament Law.
However, Paul says their zeal was not according to knowledge.
There is a difference between knowing facts about God and truly knowing Him. One type of knowledge is simply information learned through experience. The deeper knowledge is personal, relational, and transformative.
Many people today are deeply religious. They attend church regularly, participate in Bible studies, pray often, and strive to live moral lives. From the outside, these behaviors can make someone appear spiritually healthy.
But religious activity does not equal salvation.
A person can be active in church, respected in their community, and committed to good living while still lacking a personal faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation comes only when someone personally places their trust in Christ alone.
Religion may shape behavior, but it cannot change the heart.
Only God Can Save
Understanding these realities moved Paul to action. His response was both inward and outward.
First, he had an inner burden. His heart’s desire was for people to experience salvation. The lost condition of others weighed heavily on him.
Second, he responded with prayer. Paul brought his burden before the Lord because he knew that salvation is ultimately God’s work.
Winning souls is a spiritual battle. As Ephesians 6 reminds us, our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. Because of this, spiritual battles require spiritual weapons, and one of the most powerful weapons God has given us is prayer.
Prayer should be central to our desire to see others saved.
Praying for the Lost
If we truly desire to see people come to Christ, prayer must become a priority. Here are a few practical ways to pray for those who do not yet know the Lord:
- Ask God to burden believers to share their faith.
- Keep a prayer list of people who need salvation.
- Pray for opportunities to share the gospel.
- Ask God to place other Christians in their lives who will point them to Christ.
- Pray for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit when opportunities arise.
Revival cannot happen without prayer. When believers stop praying for the lost, the urgency of the gospel fades. But when God’s people begin to pray again, hearts begin to change.
Conclusion
Legalism cannot save. Religion cannot save. Only God can save.
Paul’s example reminds us that understanding this truth should move us to compassion, burden, and prayer for those who are still searching for righteousness in the wrong places.
If we want to see real revival, it must begin the same way it did for Paul, with a heart that longs for the salvation of others and with prayer lifted continually to God.
After all, the only place where power comes before prayer is in the dictionary. Prayer precedes power.
Click here to watch the full sermon:
