Romans 10:1-13
Israel, the Torah, and the Messiah
In Rm 9-11 Paul explores a powerful dynamic of Scripture. God creates us humans to whom he gives life and freedom. He desires our good, but the greatest good is bound to that freedom: moral choice, love, trust, faithfulness, creativity, relationship. We rebel. God promises to open a path to a renewed relationship of love, forgiveness, right standing. He chooses Abraham as the conduit for all the world to deal with human sin and death.
Then the path has twists and turns as God makes choices, creates a covenant people, gives Torah, promises a Messiah, deals with deep division and rebelliousness, begins radical transformation through exile, empires, oppression ... all the way to a Messiah crucified!