Romans 11:1–10

¹ I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ³ “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? ⁴ But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. ⁷ What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. ⁸ Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” ⁹ And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. ¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.”

Commentary
Vs. 1-5 With the Apostle Paul having given such a strong rebuke of Israel's disobedience and then citing several Scriptural passages as prophetic evidence against them. One might wrongly assume that God has cast away His people. Yet God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. For as the Apostle Paul now declares, "I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." vs. 1  The very fact than that the Apostle Paul being a Jew was saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is evidential proof enough that God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew (vs. 2). Rather just as in the Old Testament times when Israel was at the height of their rebellion against, and apostasy from God, and God reserved for Himself seven thousand individuals who did not bow the knee to Baal. So it is is now that God has reserved for Himself a believing remnant in Israel who themselves believe or will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus as God preserved the nation of Israel back in the days of Elijah through a chosen and faithful remnant, so He continues to do so now. For just as they tore down God's altars and killed God's prophets in the days of Elijah, even seeking to kill that righteous man (vs. 3, quoting from 1 Kings 19:10, 14), so they continue to do so now, even crucifying God's Son as well as persecuting and killing His Apostles and prophets who have been sent to them by Him (consider Jesus' parable in Matthew 21:33-46). Nonetheless God always preserves for Himself a witness in and amongst and through His people. Therefore the Apostle Paul rightly sees a parallel between God's working out His Will and plans (in the midst of their rebellion) both then and now, as he states in verse five, "Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace." 

And so here again Paul picks up the Scriptural theme of election, which he introduced and elucidated to us in chapter nine. His point in doing so here is to show us that God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew, rather by drawing a parallel from the O.T. and their apostasy then, the Apostle Paul now demonstrates that God has also reserved for Himself a remnant according to the election of grace.

Vs. 6  "And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work." 

This is arguably one of the most clear statements in the N.T. about the nature of God's salvation. Drawing an unpassable demarcation line between works and grace. Therefore those who seek salvation by their own works (which neither remits any of their their sins, nor brings them to Spirit life) can be God's remnant according to the election of grace. Therefore let no one who calls themselves a Christian (whether a Jew or a Gentile) try to combine God's grace with the works of man, since the two are utterly incompatible, and when combined, completely hostile to the cross of Christ. Thus they are presented here to us in verse nine unmistakably juxtaposed to each other, so that there is no confusion as to how salvation comes to us all who believe. For God commands all people everywhere to look to the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for our sins remission and thus too receive everlasting life through faith in Him, and thus to trust what He has done to save us the moment we believe in Him, not what we do to try to save ourselves. And so it is through the Gospel of Christ that God's Everlasting Work and Righteousness stands forever juxtaposed to perishable mankinds. Thus God's choosing the remnant here has nothing to do with their own works, righteousness, or anything else about them. God simply chooses us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and so there is no inequity, since the selection is by God alone, according to His own Sovereign Will and Grace. 

Vs. 7-8 ⁷ What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. ⁸ Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”

And so it is that Israel in seeking salvation through works of the Law, and thus apart from Christ, have not attained too what it seeks, but the elect, i.e. those elected by God, have attained it, while the rest were blinded. Now the word translated blinded here means "to wound" or "to harden", and thus make one incapable of seeing (and thus receiving) the Spiritual truths and realities that are only found through faith in Jesus Christ (see Jesus' warning to them in John 12:35-40). Thus Israel in not receiving Christ, and instead turning back to the Law, has by God's Will been blinded to the truth (something that can happen to anyone else as well who does not receive the love of the truth but chooses to continue on in their sins, see 1 Thess 2:9-12). Now as a confirmation of this reality and current state of Israel, the Apostle Paul will now cite from Deuteronomy 29:3-4 and Isaiah 29:10 in verse eight where it is stated that God has given them a "spirit of stupor", eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, even to this day. Now this spirit of stupor that God has given them has some very negative connotations, but at the heart of it all is a state of being in which one's heart and mind is completely "numbed" and "dumbed" to the Spiritual things of God, and so they are in effect spiritually discerned (see 1 Cor 2:14).  Thus God has removed from them the ability to reason out within their hearts and minds anything right and sound about Jesus, and thus receive His salvation for themselves. For in rejecting God's light and revelation through His Son, and instead having sought salvation for themselves through the works of their own hands, God has given them over to minds of utter insensibility regarding His Spiritual Works and Ways. Enhanced Strong's give this as a definition for the “spirit of stupor”. That "which renders their souls torpid so insensible that they are not affected at all by the offer made them of salvation through the Messiah."

Vs. 9-10 ⁹ And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. ¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.”

The Apostle Paul having cited first Moses (Rom 10:19; 11:8), then Isaiah (Rom 10:20-21; 11:8), then Elijah (Rom 11:2), will now cite David (Rom 11:9-10). All as God's Scriptural witnesses against unbelieving and unrepentant Israel. Now the passage is taken from Psalm 69:22-23, a psalm in which David as the king of the nation of Israel experiences through his own life a terrible betrayal by some of his own countrymen (and thus calls for God to execute His vengeance) that also prophetically foretells Israel's King the Lord Jesus Christ, for whom David's throne was birthed and established by God to do the same. For it was Israel who having rejected their Messiah who sought to put Him to death through the hands of the Gentile's who then ruled them. And so here David's words are in fact Christ's own against all those who though being Jews have rejected Him and have not received all of God's promised Spiritual blessings and Kingdom privileges that can only come through Him. 

I will now cite from the Believers Bible Commentary which states: "David, too, anticipated the judgment of God on Israel. In Psalm 69:22, 23 he described the rejected Savior as calling on God to turn their table into a snare and a trap. The table here means the sum total of the privileges and blessings which flowed through Christ. What should have been a blessing was turned into a curse. In the Psalms passage, the suffering Savior also called on God to let their eyes be darkened and their bodies bent over as by toil or in old age (or, their loins made to shake continually)."

Therefore in light of such things no one should take God's offer of salvation through faith in His Son lighty. Rather through repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ escape the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10).

Scriptural Quotations

The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Word Studies
Vs. 7 blinded, πωρόω, πηρόω Str 4456; GK 4800 and 4386; TDNT 5:1025; TDNTA 816; LN 27:51 (Mark 6:52; John 12:40; Rom 9:18; 11:25; 2 Cor. 3:14) 5x
Vs. 8 stupor, κατάνυξις, Str 2659; GK 2919; TDNT 3:626; TDNTA 419; LN 30:19 (1x) Appears only in Romans 11:8. Enhanced Strong's give this as a definition for the “spirit of stupor”, that "which renders their souls torpid so insensible that they are not affected at all by the offer made them of salvation through the Messiah."

Additional Resources Consulted 
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1724). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 483). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 817). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 332). New York: United Bible Societies.

Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

Romans 10:14–21

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.”

Commentary

Vs. 14-15 Following up on his exhortation and Scriptural quotation that "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom 10:13 The Apostle Paul now reiterates that preaching the Gospel is paramount for us who believe, as he says: "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?" vs. 14 First and foremost then is that everyone, everywhere hear what God has done for them through the Lord Jesus Christ so that they might believe in Him, and thus be saved by Him, when they call upon Him. Yet without a preacher first declaring the Lord Jesus Christ's mortal life, crucifixion death, resurrection from the dead, and ascension back to heaven. How can anyone call upon Him, and thus be saved by Him, unless they are first told about Him? As the Apostle says how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach unless they are sent? And so it is that we who believe in Jesus have not only been saved from our sins and the wrath to come by His crusifixion death and resurrection from the dead and our faith in Him. But we have also been sent by Him to go out into the world to preach the Gospel of peace to one and to all. For the being sent here is in no way (or anywhere else in the Gospel) a restricted call to just a "select" few. Nor is the preaching of the Gospel something that only takes place within the confines of a church buildings walls. For Jesus didn't just preach in synagogues, or the Temple courtyard. Jesus taught and preached the Kingdom of heaven wherever He went, and to whomever He met. From the pinnacles of power in major cities like Capernaum and Jerusalem, to a small fishing vessel anchored a few meters off the shoreline to the eager and inquisitive listeners who gathered on the shore to hear Him, too the grassy hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee, and the many remote villages and places that He and His disciples visited, too even far off and distant places and lands like Tyre and Sidon. Wherever Jesus went there He preached the Gospel to one and to all. Yet far to many believers and even congregations are now shunning their royal duty and God given call by the Lord by not actively participating in His glorious work wherever He may be working, and through whatever mediums He chooses to use to reach people with the Gospel through. For that is the church's first and foremost mandate, and that is our mandate as believers in, and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Make Christ known to one and to all to the exclusion of no-one. And thus make disciples of one and all who believe in Him (Matt 28:18-20). For Christ crucified and risen from the dead for the remission of our sins with new and everlasting by faith in Him transcends every nation, language, culture and person in every generation, because it reaches to the core of our greatest human need, and that is our being reconciled to God. Everything then that church does, or even we do as individual believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should have that as our prime focus, ultimate desire, and life-long goal, to make Christ known during our lives sojourn down here. I simply cannot stress this enough for both individual believers and the collective Body of Christ, whether this is a local church, Bible study group, worship team, or whatever activities or ministries you participate in, (or whatever else you do inside or outside of the church) make it your purpose and goal in life to make the Lord Jesus Christ known that people might believe and thus receive everlasting life by faith in Him. Just as the Scripture says: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Vs. 16  ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 

Here the Apostle Paul reveals Israel's ongoing obstinacy towards the will of God for them, that is to receive His Salvation for them by faith in His Son (John 6:29). Now it's not that Israel was not foretold about Christ's coming and His bringing salvation to both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Him (see Romans 9:23-26). For just as the Old Testament Scriptures are loaded with many references to Jesus' Person, Purpose and Life (Deuteronomy 18:18; Judges 13:5; Psalm 2:7-9; 40:6-8; 45:6-7; 110:4; 118:22-23; Isaiah 7:14; 9:1-2; 6-7; 11:1-2; 16:5; 42:1-4; 48:16; 49:1-6; 61:1-2; Daniel 7:13-14; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9; 11:12-13). So they also foretell His Crucifixion death (Isaiah 52:13-53-13; Psalm 22:1, 18) and His Resurrection from the dead, even His Ascension back to God the Father (Psalm 68:18; 110:1-2) etc. Therefore Israel has no excuse for not knowing the Lord Jesus Christ when He was so clearly foretold to them, and then so clearly revealed and manifested amongst them. Instead in their own hearts and minds they turned back to Moses and Law and thus sought and are still seeking righteousness with God by that, instead of having the righteousness which only comes from God by faith in Jesus' Person. For though some in Israel did indeed believe, many more did not. Which is why the Apostle Paul is quoting from Isaiah 53:1 in verse sixteen, for even in his own ministering of the Gospel to them he often found much antagonism and hostile towards our Lord and Savior and King. Though the passage is in no way limited to them, since unbelieving Gentiles are just as guilty in this as well, in not believing the Gospel's message to them, and thus in not obeying it's call to repent and believe as well. Yet the Gospel is being preached everywhere, in every generation, offering God's eternal salvation to one and to all who will repent and believe (Acts 20:21). 

Vs. 17-18 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.”

Therefore in response to their hardness of heart, in not hearing, and thus obeying the Gospel. The Apostle Paul now says in verse seventeen that, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God". For it is the Word of God that alone reaches to the depths of every human heart, mind, and soul (Heb. 4:12). Yet one can harden themselves to it, can shut up their ears from hearing it, and thus not believe it. And so it is with Israel to this present day, they wouldn't here the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Prophet when He was sent to them (Deut. 18:18-19), and so they are to this Day still alienated from God, as is everyone else who will not hear Him. Now in response to his saying that faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the Word of God. The Apostle Paul anticipating a possible objection to this, that maybe Israel was not given adequate opportunity to hear Him, and thus believe in the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so Paul now rhetorically asks in verse 18, "have they not heard". Meaning has it not been declared to them, what God did for them, through His Son Jesus? To which their is but one response, Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” Therefore in quoting from Psalm 19:4, the Apostle Paul is making it abundantly clear that God's revelation of His Son and Person is in no way a hidden thing. For just as God gives direct testimony to us all of Himself through all of His creation, so He has in these last Days given direct Revelation and Testimony to us all about His Son. Therefore neither the Jews nor the Gentiles have any excuse for not "hearing", and thus believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Vs. 19-21¹⁹ 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.”

The Apostle Paul now turns his reasoning towards another possible objection for justifying Israel's ongoing disobedience, that is that Israel though they had the Gospel preached to them they did not know that God was going to offer salvation to the Gentiles by faith as well. Which again he thoroughly rebukes by quoting the Scriptures, specifically citing Moses to whom they all look, yet who himself by the Spirit of God says to them all, “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” (quotation Deut. 32:21; also see Acts 28:28). Thus the very people the Jews held in contempt for their ignorance of the One true God, have now by the Will of God become the people to which God has given salvation too.
Yet the Apostle Paul does not stop there, for Isaiah the prophet is also very bold in declaring this when he says, “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” (vs. 20, quoting from Isaiah 65:1). And so it is the Gentiles who did not seek God by their own works of the law (as the Israelites have always done and continue to do) have found God, and have received His salvation for them by believing in His Son's Person. And so it is that God also says through Isaiah the prophet to Israel, “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.” (vs. 21, quoting from Isaiah 65:2). For they are and continue to be contrary to God by being disobedient to the very Gospel which was first sent to them, but was never to be exclusively for them. Yet God has not shut them out of His salvation plans, but as stated early because of their obstinacy and ongoing disobedience which He foresaw, He has now given salvation to the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy, to turn them back to Himself through the very people they once scorned. For the believing Gentiles have now surpassed them in righteousness and thus now have a justified standing with God by faith In Christ. Therefore Israel in pursuing the law of righteousness have not attained to righteousness because they did not seek it faith but rather by works of the law (Rom 9:33). And so it is even to this day that God's chosen people remain alienated from God because they have not believed, and thus do not obey the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to whom God's Righteousness comes to one and to all who believe in Him (2 Cor 5:21).  The only question remains then have you received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith into your heart life or are you still trying to earn God's salvation for yourself like the Israelites are still doing. Looking to Moses and the Law for a justified standing with God, yet neither Moses nor the Law can save them, only Christ crucified can and their faith in Him (John 3:15-16). Therefore believe the Gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ today! (John 1:12; Rev. 3:20).

Word Studies
Vs. 21 disobedient, ἀπειθέω, vb.; Str 544; GK 578; TDNT 6.10; TDNTA 818; LN 31.107; 36.23 (15x)
N.T. NKJ usages:
"does not believe" John 3:36
"unbelieving" Acts 14:3
"who were not persuaded" Acts 17:3
"did not believe" Acts 19:9
"do not obey" Rom 2:9
"disobedient" Rom 10:21
"disobedient" Rom 11:30
"disobedient" Rom 11:31
"do not believe" Rom 15:31
"did not obey" Heb 3:18
"did not believe" Heb. 11:31
"who are disobedient" 1 Peter 2:7
"being disobedient" 1 Peter 2:8
"do not obey" 1 Peter 3:1
"were disobedient" 1 Peter 3:20
"do not obey" 1 Peter 4:17

Even at a glance one can see the connection between unbelief and disobedience. Just as the distinction between unbelief and disobedience is often indistinguishable with this words usage in the N.T. and is often only clarified by the translators choice for one or other as each context demands.

Vs. 21 contrary, ἀντιλέγω, vb., Str 473; GK 515; LN. 33.455 (11x)
N.T. NKJ usages:
"which will be spoken against" Luke 2:34
"deny" Luke 20:27
"to contradict" Luke 21:15
"speaks against" John 19:12
"say nothing against it" Acts 4:14
"contradicting" Acts 13:45
"spoke against" Acts 28:19
"spoken against" Acts 28:22
"contrary" Rom 10:21
"contradict" Titus 1:9
"answering back" Titus 2:9

Note: This word means to strongly speak against, to oppose.


Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. (1982). (Is 65:1–2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Additional Resources Consulted 
Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 481–482). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, pp. 467–468). New York: United Bible Societies.

Romans 10:1–13

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.”

Commentary

Vs. 1 In previously stating that Israel has not obtained to the law of righteousness because they have stumbled at the stumbling stone the Apostle Paul was not condemning his fellow countrymen. For as He states here his desire is that they may be saved. 

Vs. 2 And so it is that Israel though having a zeal for God (by their fervently seeking to keep all the religious ordinances and ritual sacrifices and commanded Sabbath's and such that the law required of them) they did not have this zeal according to knowledge. For they made keeping all the ordinances and sacrifices and Sabbath's etc. the primary goal. Yet God gave them all of these to point them to Christ (Gal 3:24-25). Thus though their zeal is in one sense commendable, yet if it does not lead them or anyone else to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ then it is only leading them and those who follow them astray. For religious zeal without true knowledge of God is always perilous. 

Vs. 3-4 And so it is "...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." 

Now it's not just Israel that is guilty of this, of seeking to establish their own righteousness, and thus not submitting to the righteousness of God by trying to do so. For within the very broad umbrella that is Christianity, there have also been doctrines and commandments and traditions of man that have been handed down to us, yet are not required of any of us. Even within the local church or parachurch ministries we can be guilty of this when we in our zeal for God, seek to establish our own righteousness, by making observing this non-Scriptural ordinance or not observing that apart of being in a right standing with God. All of which is only undermining the truth that being declared righteous by God is only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, not by observing the doctrines, commandments and or preferences of man. As the Scripture says: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Therefore where faith in the Lord Jesus Christ begins there the law ends as the means for being declared righteous by God (Rom 5:1, 6:14, 10:3-4).

Vs. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”

Therefore the righteousness of the law is not something that someone should place any hope on. For the law states: “The man who does those things shall live by them.” Lev. 18:5 That is the person who seeks to be justified by God through the Law of God must keep all of it; without fail and without offense; otherwise that person will be charged with violating all of it (see James 2:13). Anyone then who thinks by keeping or having kept parts of it, whether this is the moral, ceremonial, or priestly aspects of it, that they will somehow have the "righteousness of the law" justify them, and thus have a right standing with God through it, are only deceiving themselves. For if you fail in one point, you have failed in all of it, and thus are under the curse of it, if you seek to be justified by it (see Gal 3:10-14). For God gave the Law through Moses as tutor (or guardian) which was in the fulfillment of time to bring us to Christ (Gal 3:19-25). He did not give it so that we would become self justifying through it. Rather through the law we should see our own fallen and sinful condition and thus seek God by faith, not works of the law, so that He might not only justify us, but ultimately change us (consider Luke 18:9-14).

Vs. 6-8 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):

Therefore in striking contrast to the righteousness which is of the law, which commands perfect and ongoing flawless obedience to it to maintain it, there is the righteousness of faith, which does not need us to do something to attain to it. (In regards to this see Rom 4:13-24, where Abraham attained to the righteousness of faith by believing God, and thus so do we when we do so as well. And Romans 9:30-33 where we believing Gentiles are commended because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, while Israel holding to the law have only stumbled at the stumbling stone, because they have not yet come to Christ which they must do if they hope to be justified by God). Now in regards to this the Apostle Paul will now quote from Law, where Moses is telling the Israelites that the Word of God is not far off from them, rather it is very near to us all. And so he says to us all through it, “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). vs. 6-7
His point being that God having already seen our need for salvation, sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ into this world to suffer crucifixion death in our place (John 3:16). Thus with the Living Word of God having become Incarnate amongst us in mortal flesh (John 1:14), there is now no one who believes in Him who cannot now come to God through Him (1 John 2:1-2; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25). The Apostle Paul continues his exposition from the law, now looking at our other greatest need, the first being the atonement or expiation of all our sins, the second our being brought to Spiritual life with Christ, saying, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). And so this too is not something we need to strive and try to do for ourselves. Spiritual life (or being born again) is not something anyone need to strive for by trying to do various spiritual works and such. For God has already done this for us when He raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead to bring us to everlasting life with Himself, which happens the moment we believe in Him, the Holy Spirit being the Person of God who does that in us and for us (John 3:3-5) and thus seals us for eternity with Christ (2 Cor 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30 etc.). Therefore the righteousness of faith speaks this way, “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

Vs. 9-13 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.”

Therefore the word of faith is not asking us to do something, it is asking us to believe in Someone, the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done to save us, and then confess Him as Lord, for He transforms our persons and lives when we do. For those too things are the essential elements of salvation, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Scripture declares Him to be, and just what He has done for us all, and then confessing Him as Lord. For when one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ in one's heart one is declared righteous by God, and thus will never be put to shame for having believed God and His Living Word (vs. 10-11).  For God is the Just and the Justifier of everyone who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). Similarly having seen ones need for Christ and believing in Him always leads to calling on His Name, that is what is meant by confessing Jesus as Lord. It's not a "formula" for salvation, it's an essential part of receiving Him, asking Him to save one from one's sins and transgressions. For as the Apostle Paul declares here, in the eyes of God there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, 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.” vs. 12-13 

Therefore if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and that after His crucifixion death God raised Him from the dead, then call upon and receive life everlasting for yourself through Him. For God is rich to all who call upon Him, for whoever calls upon Him shall be saved. 

Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson

Romans 9:30-33

³⁰ What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Commentary
And so it is that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith. That is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ every believing Gentile has attained to the righteousness that God requires of us all (Rom 5:1). While Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness, because they did not seek it by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather by works of the law. That is they in seeking to obtain too a righteous standing with God through their own obedience to the Law of God have not not obtained to a righteous standing with God. For the Law of God only places us all, whether Jew or Gentile, under sin (Rom 3:19:28, vs. 23) and thus justifies no-one, other than God who gave it. Therefore those who seek to be declared righteous by God through their own works, righteousness, obedience, zealousness etc., through the Law of God or anything else have not obtained too the righteousness that God requires of us all, because they are not seeking it by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather by works of the Law (consider Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:8-9).  
Therefore the Gospel is God's Good News of His Righteousness imputed to us all who believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21). For salvation is and always will be of the Lord (Jonah 2:9), of what He has done to save us all who believe in His Son from the wrath to come (Rom 5:8-10; 1 Thess. 1:10). And so Israel in pursuing the law of righteousness have not obtained to the law of righteousness, because they did not seek it by faith, but rather by works of the law. Thus the Apostle Paul rightly says of his countrymen who have done so, and are continuing to do so, that they have stumbled at the stumbling stone (vs. 32). For the Lord Jesus Christ is the "stumbling stone and rock of offense" that God has laid in the heart of Judaism, in Zion. So that Jesus would become either the means of eternal salvation for them, and us all, or the means through which they would stumble and be caught by their own religious pride and zeal (consider Matt. 21:42-44; 1 Peter 2:6-8; and Phil 3:1-9, vs. 7-9, where the Apostle Paul renounces everything about himself that is not of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ). And so it is that Jesus has become, just as Isaiah the prophet foretold of Him, God's sole means of salvation for all who believe in Him, as the Scripture says: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Isaiah 28:16

Thus no one (no matter what they have done) who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will be put shame by God. For it will be the Lord Jesus Christ who will justify us all who believe in Him before God the Father. Therefore if you have not yet received the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart life then please do so now. By a simple prayer of faith, by believing in His Person and calling on His Name, you can have remission of all your sins and everlasting life. For Jesus has already suffered crucifixion death for us all, and thus has made atonement for us all. Then He having died in our place came back to life on the third day after His burial in a tomb, so that He can now impute His Righteousness and give everlasting life to everyone one of us who believe in Him. For apart from Him we are only dead in our sins and transgressions, and under the wrath of God. But through faith in Him, God not only bring us to life by His Holy Spirit, He also unites us with Himself and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. And so it is by faith in Jesus' Person we become a child of God (John 1:12).

Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.