I tend to agree with Robert Brock's point that this passage in Romans 10 is not the saving content of the Gospel (as in 1 Cor 15) but is Paul's describing a correct response to it, and he seems to have assumed they knew what that content was when he wrote it. Now that Jews and Gentiles were on equal footing before God, Paul could...
...quote the divine principle from the O.T. that "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved " (Joel 2:32). This is true of all dispensations. It is NOT THE MESSAGE PREACHED but the RESPONSE to the message that is important here in Romans 9 and 10, in calling on the name of the Lord for salvation.
I firmly believe that Romans 10:9-10 describes what should take place at the time of salvation. It is important to see that the resurrection of Christ is brought in as a truth to be believed. The Jews REFUSED to accept the resurrection of Christ (Acts 4:2-3), and consequently were not saved. Believing in your heart is a guard against believing in your mind or believing in your head, something that all religious unsaved people do. The apostle tells them what kind of belief is necessary for salvation - a heart belief. It is a CONTRAST with Israel who believed only in their minds that what they did was acceptable in God's sight.
Why do we have to believe in our hearts? Because v. 10 says "with the heart one believes unto RIGHTEOUSNESS." This is the 'righteousness of faith' found in Rom 9:30 and Rom 10:6. It is submitting to 'the righteousness of God' (Rom 10:3). Did the Apostle intend this to be only a Jewish teaching? I think not...
There is one unchanging principle that Paul gleaned from the O.T., which he did when he quoted from Isaiah 49:23 and Joel 2:32 -- that those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
When the Apostle quoted from the O.T., he rightly divided the Word of truth by picking out phrases that can be applied during the Age of grace. The Holy Spirit led him to take aspects of truth out of context and apply them to today.
Am not sure if I agree with that, as to the heart issue part of it, and so, find it interesting in contrast.
I guess it depends on what we believe/understand [the mind] what this issue of "with the heart man believeth" is dealing with.
I had just begun to restudy this heart issue earlier this morning, through passages...
Genesis Chapter 6:
5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him
at his heart.
Genesis Chapter 8:
21. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for
the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
Deuteronomy Chapter 8:
2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was
in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Romans Chapter 2:
14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and
their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;]
2 Corinthians 10:
5. Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Hebrews 4:
12. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.
What I am getting a sense of again is that this "heart" issue is the heart or core of one's mind - the issue in Romans 10 being not that they had not believed but that they had believed in error.
Matthew 22:
29. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err,
not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Romans 10:
2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but
not according to knowledge.
3. For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
That is the same issue with deal with with many on here - they believe with their heart, but in error.
What of this, then - Romans 9:
32. Wherefore? Because
they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
The issue is they believed their tradition's interpretation of Moses - Mark 7:
6. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9. And he said unto them,
Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
11. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
12. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
13.
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
He mentions Isaiah. His narrative - Isaiah 29's:
13. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and
their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.