How does Romans 10:5 relate to the righteousness based on the law? Romans 10:5 in Its Immediate Context “ For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ ” What Moses Said about Law-Based Righteousness • Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 verbatim; Moses literally taught that perfect obedience brings life. • The statement is descriptive, not hypothetical: God truly promised life to the doer of every statute. • Righteousness “by the law” is therefore performance-based—measured by continual, flawless obedience. Why Law-Based Righteousness Falls Short • No one actually “does” all that the law requires (Romans 3:10-12, 23). • Breaking even one command brings guilt for all (James 2:10). • Therefore the promised “life” becomes unreachable through human effort; the law instead reveals sin and condemns the sinner (Romans 7:10-11). Contrast With the Righteousness of Faith (vv. 6-13) • Paul immediately shifts from Leviticus to Deuteronomy 30, showing another kind of righteousness—faith-based, centered on Christ’s finished work. • Faith righteousness speaks, “Believe in your heart… confess with your mouth” (Romans 10:9-10), whereas law righteousness commands, “Do this perfectly.” • Result: what the law demanded but could not supply, Christ supplies freely (Romans 8:3-4). Connecting Scriptures • Galatians 3:10-12—Paul repeats the Leviticus quote and adds Habakkuk 2:4, underscoring the incompatibility of works-righteousness and faith-righteousness. • Philippians 3:8-9—Paul exchanges his own law-keeping résumé for “the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” • Ezekiel 20:11, 13—Israel “did not walk” in the statutes that promised life; historical proof of human inability. • Hebrews 10:1—The law is “only a shadow,” incapable of perfecting worshipers. Takeaway Truths • Romans 10:5 states the unbending principle of the law: life for flawless obedience, death for the slightest failure. • The verse exposes our need for a righteousness outside ourselves. • Christ alone fulfills the law’s demand and offers us His righteousness by faith, not by works, so that anyone who believes “will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). |
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