Salvation Is for Everyone

For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But
faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down
to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact,
it says,

“The message is very close at hand;
it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you
are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who
trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives
generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never
heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without
being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So faith comes
from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message?
Yes, they have:

“The message has gone throughout the earth,
and the words to all the world.”

But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,

“I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation.
I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”

And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying,

“I was found by people who were not looking for me.
I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”

But regarding Israel, God said,

“All day long I opened my arms to them,
but they were disobedient and rebellious.”