Seeing Christ in Deuteronomy 30:11-14
The apostle Paul made it clear that no one, including the nation of Israel, is righteous through the law (Rom 4:13-15). As our sermon today is based on Romans 10:5-21, this article will concentrate on how "the righteousness of faith speaks in this way…" (Rom 10:6).
In a move that can only seem sacrilegious to some in modern churches of Christ, Paul takes a Christ-centered hermeneutical approach to what Moses clearly taught in Deuteronomy 30:11-14. Moses declared, "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."
The apostle re-envisions this Deuteronomy passage through a "righteousness of faith" perspective and says, "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) or, "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ 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)'" (Romans 10:6–8).
What Moses made clear in his speech to the Israelites before entering the Promised Land—that the teachings of the law were graciously accessible and "very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it" (Deut 30:14)—Paul repurposes for a greater truth. The apostle recognizes that humanity is not justified or saved by law-keeping (through human effort) but by grace through faith (in Christ, whose divine effort was fulfilled on the cross). This theme runs throughout his entire letter from the very beginning all the way through Romans 11.
For believers, this means righteousness is not achieved through religious performance but received through faith in Christ's completed work. We don't need to strive to reach God—He has already reached us through the incarnation and resurrection. The gospel is as accessible as our own confession and heart-belief: "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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).
In a move that can only seem sacrilegious to some in modern churches of Christ, Paul takes a Christ-centered hermeneutical approach to what Moses clearly taught in Deuteronomy 30:11-14. Moses declared, "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."
The apostle re-envisions this Deuteronomy passage through a "righteousness of faith" perspective and says, "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) or, "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ 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)'" (Romans 10:6–8).
What Moses made clear in his speech to the Israelites before entering the Promised Land—that the teachings of the law were graciously accessible and "very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it" (Deut 30:14)—Paul repurposes for a greater truth. The apostle recognizes that humanity is not justified or saved by law-keeping (through human effort) but by grace through faith (in Christ, whose divine effort was fulfilled on the cross). This theme runs throughout his entire letter from the very beginning all the way through Romans 11.
For believers, this means righteousness is not achieved through religious performance but received through faith in Christ's completed work. We don't need to strive to reach God—He has already reached us through the incarnation and resurrection. The gospel is as accessible as our own confession and heart-belief: "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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).
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