Romans 10:8 (NASB)
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 are preaching,
From other translations:
But what does it say? The Word (God ‘s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, [AMP]
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); [ESV]
So what exactly was Moses saying? The word that saves is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest. It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. [MSB]
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; [KJV]
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: [NIV]
Salvation that comes from trusting Christ –which is the message we preach– is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” [NLT]
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): [NKJV]
Now let us see what this verse is telling us.
What does the Bible say? The word, that is God’s message in Christ, is near you, it is on your lips meaning that you can talk about it, so it is in your mouth, and you can think about it, so it is in your heart.
That is, the word of faith, that is the message, about salvation that comes from trusting in the Christ; it is the basis and object of faith, which we are preaching, that is the same message that we are teaching the people. We tell people to believe in Jesus Christ.
God’s message is so near to you as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest.
What saith it? Moses said in Deuteronomy:
Deuteronomy 30:14
But the word is very near you,
in your mouth and in your heart,
that you may observe it.
By “word”, Moses understood the law which the Lord proclaimed with His own voice.
The word is nigh thee
Where Moses understood the word “word”, to be the law which the Lord had given to His people; Paul now applies “the word” to the preaching of the Gospel, which was the perfection of the law.
It means that the word is easily accessible.
It is not difficult to read the Bible – If you don’t, it’s because of your own decision. Maybe you find the things of this world more important?
It is not difficult to listen to faith building sermons – If you don’t, it’s because of your own decision. Maybe you like to spend your time differently?
Be warned! If you don’t want to spend time with the Bible, with the word, with Jesus, you may in future also have to spend eternity different from what you hope for.
Even in thy mouth
The word is in your mouth when you confess Him.
And in thy heart
The word is in your heart when you believe in Him.
Though Moses speaks of the Law, Paul applies it to the Gospel, the perfection of the Law and so Paul is not merely appropriating the language of Moses, but keeping in the line of his deeper thought.
The word of faith, which we preach
That is, the word which men have to believe for salvation (compare 1 Timothy 4:6 ).
1 Timothy 4:6 — In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of the Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
The word of faith
This is the gospel message concerning faith in contrast to the law.
Which we preach
The living voice brings home to every one the faith kind of righteousness.
Paul seizes the words of Moses with the orator’s instinct and with rhetorical skill and applies them to the facts about the gospel message about the Incarnation and Resurrection of the Christ.
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