Lawrence Taylor Ministry

Guest (Male): Hello and welcome to Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor. Each and every week, Dr. Taylor will be sharing a relevant message from the scriptures designed to inform and instruct us in the ways of our God. Dr. Taylor has been the pastor of Kenilworth Baptist Church in the Midwood section of Brooklyn for the past 22 years. He brings a wealth of experience to each broadcast, having been a New York City public school teacher and a theology professor. Stay tuned to the end of the broadcast to find out how to stream today's message. Now, here's Dr.

Taylor.

Dr. Lawrence Taylor: Hello everyone. This is Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor. I'm so glad that you could join us today. We would like for you to go to my website, marinstaylorministry .com or .org. There you will find past messages that we did on Romans. And also, if you are interested in learning about expository preaching and teaching, we have information there also. Today, we're going to examine Romans chapter 10 verses 1 through 13. In this section, Paul explains why Israel failed to believe the gospel. The apostle squarely places the blame on Israel. In verses 1 through 4, he contrasts the righteousness of God, that's justification, with Israel's own attempt to establish their own righteousness.

He wrote, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. The apostle uses the term the righteousness of God twice in verse 3. This is evidence that justification is the antithesis of a works righteousness system. Paul made a shocking remark in verse 4.

He wrote that Christ is the end of the law. What does this expression mean? The word end tell us in Greek, t e l o s, can mean fulfillment. However, such a meaning would be alien to the context of this passage. Tell us often means termination or secession of something. This idea fits better with the context. Paul expressed the idea of the end of the law in other passages. For instance, in Galatians chapter 3 verses 23 to 25, he wrote, but before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

Therefore, the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. In the book of Acts chapter 13 verse 39, Paul was recorded to preach in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. And he said the following words, quote, and through him everyone who believes is freed from all things from which you could not be freed through the law of Moses. The word free in the New American Standard Bible is the Greek word dikaio. d i k a i double o.

That's the word justification. The writer of Hebrews expresses a similar idea in Hebrews chapter 7 verses 12, 18, and 19 when he wrote, for when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. For on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness. For the law made nothing perfect. And on the other hand, there is a bringing in of a better hope through which we draw near to God, end of quote. While the idea of termination of the law is what Paul had in mind, Jews, both believers in Christ and unbelievers, found such a notion offensive.

This is clearly seen in Acts chapter 21 verses 19 to 24 when Paul returned to Jerusalem and met with the church leadership. They told him, quote, after he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they began glorifying God, and they said to him, you see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. And they are all zealous for the law. And they have been told about you that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

What is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Therefore, do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. Take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have heard about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly keeping the law. This independent source in the New Testament tells us about Paul's reputation in the Judean region. He was intensely disliked not because he was a Jewish believer in Christ.

No, the Jewish believers are concerned about Paul's reputation. They are the ones who are relating these facts to him. He is disliked because of his evangelistic campaign to promote a Torah-free gospel. The Jerusalem leadership attempted to clean Paul's act up by telling him to give the appearance that he is a Torah-keeping Jew. However, we should not miss the point that Paul's reputation has already been tainted among Jews because of his doctrine of justification by faith. The statement in Romans chapter 10 verse 4, Christ is the end of the law, is consistent with what Luke portrays of Paul.

The apostle promoted a Torah-free gospel. Going back to Romans chapter 10 verse 5 reads, for Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. Now, while Paul does not disparage the law in verse 5, he describes Torah righteousness as a works righteousness system. The person who attempts to live by the Torah is under obligation to follow the entire Torah, a point that the apostle Paul made earlier in Galatians chapter 5 verse 3. Unfortunately, many people think that there are only 10 commandments. However, according to the Talmud, Rabbi Simlai wrote in Makkot 23b, there are 613 commandments.

All these commandments have been listed, and they are listed in the Talmud based on the Torah. If you say that you are obligated to keep the law, you must observe all 613 commandments. No one can keep 613 commandments. Peter acknowledges this fact in Acts chapter 15 verse 10 when he said, quote, now therefore, why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? Peter at the Jerusalem Council argued that it was nonsensical to impose the Torah on the Gentiles since the Jews were unable to keep it.

Beginning at verse 6 in Romans chapter 10, Paul contrasts the righteousness of faith with the righteousness of the law. Quote, but the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows. Do not say in your heart, who will ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ down. Or who will descend into the abyss? That is to bring Christ up. Paul in this passage eludes to Deuteronomy chapter 30 verses 11 through 14. The idea expressing the Deuteronomy passage by Moses was that Israel had the Torah. It was accessible to them. Paul changes the meaning of the passage to refer to the gospel.

The apostle points to how accessible and easy the gospel is in comparison to keeping the Torah. To prove the accessibility of the gospel and how easy it is, Paul wrote in verses 8 into 10 in Romans chapter 10, quote, what does it say? The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith which we are preaching that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.

End of quote. The point that Paul is making is how easy the gospel is in comparison to keeping the law. Note verse 8. But what does it say? The word is near your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith which we are preaching. The apostle Paul points out that it is not a matter of doing, but it is a matter of believing, having faith. Paul spells out what the word of faith means in verses 9 and 10, quote, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

For with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation. The Greek word confess, homologeo, and I'll spell that, that's h o m o l o g e o, means to agree with. The word does not mean to make some public announcement before an audience. The word actually means to just be in agreement with what has been said. Let us also note that the word heart is at the center of this formula. Note the word heart appears in verses 6, 7, 9, and 10. Paul wrote that justification is a result of believing with your heart.

For with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness. That is justification. Paul sums up his argument in verse 11. For the scripture says, whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. Now, that's a quote from Isaiah chapter 28 verse 16. And let us note the emphasis again is on faith. The only means by which a person can get right with God is faith and faith alone. Isaiah 28:16 is also quoted earlier in Romans 9:33. What the passage in Isaiah tells us is that Judah, in their folly, thought that they would escape the judgment of God.

God tells Judah that he will provide a stone in Zion. This is a figure of course of Christ. Belief in that stone is the only way Judah could escape judgment. The emphasis is on faith, not works. We should also note that this is a prophecy about the Messiah. Salvation is not based on a law given to a particular race of people because of some hereditary privilege. The basis of salvation is faith in Christ. Since it it is a it since it's a matter of believing, it is universal. It is for Jew and Gentile. Note Paul makes that point in verses 12 to 13, quote, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord of all abounding in riches for all who call on him.

For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Israel failed in this work of salvation because they failed to believe in God's Messiah Jesus. Every human is spiritually responsible to the offer that God makes. However, we should note every human is spiritually impoverished. We are blinded to our spiritual bankruptcy. Most of us feel good about ourselves. We evaluate ourselves by comparing ourselves with other sinners. And in our eyes, well, we don't look that bad. However, this satisfaction with self is grounded on ignorance of scripture and our own spiritual dim-wittedness. We have eyes, but we do not see.

We have ears, but we do not hear. Spiritual death has created a sightless deprivation that has left man in a quagmire of a state of losslessness. I witnessed to a man who once told me that he didn't need the gospel because he was sinless. He was convinced that he had never sinned. I explained the biblical concept of sin, and he agreed that he had sinned, but that he was still a good person and did not need the gospel. When I asked how often did he sin, he replied, only once a day. Satisfied with himself, he said to me, you see, that's not a lot of sin, and I'm not a bad person.

However, the Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. What that passage tells us in Romans 6:23 is as in Romans chapter 3 I'm sorry, verse 23, that all it takes is one sin to fall short of the glory of God. That's all. Since there are 365 days in a year, and this man who spoke to me was in his mid 50s and said he committed one sin a day while he was way past the limit. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit opened his eyes and he accepted Jesus as Savior. The reason people reject is because they don't think they need Jesus.

They conjure up fallacious arguments about the personage of Jesus or religion, speaking of what they have no knowledge of. I believe that I have heard just about every argument there is for rejecting Christ. Quote, Christianity is the white man's religion. Or religion is the opiate of the people. It is a psychological narcotic to keep the working class blinded and preventing them from revolting against their oppressors. Others argue that faith in Christ is a psychological crutch that weak people need in order to get by. Mythicists like Dr. Robert Price advance the argument that Jesus never existed, is a mythological person, no different than Zeus, Prometheus, or some gods of Zoroastrianism.

Others say he must be a cruel God if he exists because he allows so much suffering in the world. He cannot be good if he turns a blind eye to the untold suffering of so many. Many say that they find the claim of exclusivity offensive. That is saying Jesus is the only way. Look, there are a plethora of arguments that skeptics use to rational lies their unbelief, why they reject Jesus. But none of these will suffice. The Holy Spirit is working on their conscience, on the conscience of every person. It is the Holy Spirit drawing their attention to Christ.

You may pretend to be satisfied with these rationalizations that you conjure up to explain your rejection, but the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God is working on you. It is not that you have found the answer, but you just continue to resist his power to draw you. I resisted the effectual call of grace until one day the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and that inner voice said to me, come unto me, lost sheep, and cease your endless wandering. Your beautiful shepherd has found you and now calls you into his fold. Resist no more this incomparable grace for your loving father wants you to be part of his eternal home.

Guest (Male): One day, when I was teaching at the Department of Education, a history teacher, and it was a very snowy day. A number of students didn't show up. And so we had a very small class. And the teachers were instructed not to give a lot of work. So I decided with the very few students in my class that we were just going to play some game like Jeopardy. But there was a student in my class who was part of the Christian club that I was a faculty advisor to. And his I remember his name. Toro. And he was a student who was full of faith.

And he said to me, Mr. Taylor, can I speak to these students? He says, we really really don't have anything to do. And I said to him, I don't think so because and he looked at me. He says, you're afraid, Mr. Taylor. He says, don't be afraid. Just trust Jesus. And I said, okay. One student, I remember, said, I know this kid and I know what he's going to do. And he looked at me and he says, if you let him do what he's about to do, I'm going to report you because you know you're not supposed to do it.

And Toro looked at me and said, Mr. Taylor, don't be afraid. It'll be all right. I was nervous. I have to admit. But I let Toro speak to the students. And he gave them the gospel in their classroom. And he's wasn't seminary trained. He was a high school student. But the Holy Spirit took over. And after that class was finished, that kid who did all the protesting came up to me and said, I was against what happened, but he said when Toro began to speak, he said, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He said there was something that he was saying that kept drawing me to him.

And he said to me, this student who resisted, he said that I know that Toro was telling the truth. And he said, I'm going to go to him because I want Jesus to be my Savior. There is no one like Jesus. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's program. This broadcast is an extension of the ministry of Dr. Lawrence Taylor and the Kenilworth Baptist Church. To stream today's message, please go to lawrencetaylorministry.com and click on lawrencetaylorministry/message. Please join us again next week at the same time for Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor.

Guest (Female): as long as you are near. Please be near me to the end. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.