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22. Could you explain to me Romans 10:6-8?

The text says: “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans 10:6-8)

Paul is explaining the difference which exists between the righteousness which is of the law, which says: “The man who does those things shall live by them” (Romans 10:5 - NKJV), and the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, which is obtained by faith in Christ “for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4 – NKJV).

Now, what does the righteousness which is through faith say? It says, ‘Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to make us hear the Word of faith?’ (this means to bring Christ down from above, who has already descended from heaven and He has given us the word of faith), or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss to let me hear the Word of faith?’ (this means to bring Christ up from the dead, which is something that has already happened, for the third day He rose from the dead and after His resurrection He confirmed the Word of faith to His disciples). For “the Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (and not in heaven or into the abyss) because this is the word of faith which we preach: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, your will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10 – NKJV).

Therefore, to obtain the righteousness which is of faith it is sufficient to confess with one’s mouth the Lord Jesus and to believe with one’s heart that God raised Him from the dead. This is the word of faith, which is to be confessed with one’s mouth and to be believed with one’s heart.

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