Romans 10:6-13
Christ's justification of a sinner becomes personal “by faith” (Romans 5:1). Faith requires our acceptance of the substitutionary sacrifice Christ performed on our behalf to accomplish what we are unable to achieve on our own—reconciliation with God. It is not inherent, but the result of our individual belief—our acceptance and appropriate response to the calling we receive from the Father (Romans 4; 3:22; 10:4, 9-11; Ephesians 1:13, 19; Acts 16:31).
This faith is not some impersonal, abstract phenomenon. Instead, it is a concrete, spiritual manifestation of the will of God, given by God personally and individually through His Son and must also be received personally and individually by the one being reconciled to Him (I Peter 1:7). Nor is it faith in anyone else, but only in Jesus Christ, personally. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (emphasis ours). Faith in anyone else will not declare a person justified. Our faith must be in the One who bore our sin in His own body, the One in whom the fullness of the divine nature dwelt (Colossians 2:9; Romans 8:3; Galatians 1:4; I Peter 3:18; I John 1:9; 4:10; Revelation 1:5).
Justification becomes personal through faith, accepting Christ's substitutionary sacrifice to accomplish reconciliation with God that no one can achieve alone. Faith is not inherent but results from individual belief and an appropriate response to the Father's calling. Given personally through His Son, it must be received personally. Only faith in Jesus Christ, who bore sin in His own body, brings justification. Man cannot find God; only God initiates a calling. Though people may suppose they initiated contact by calling on the name of the Lord, God introduces them to Himself, and they must hear of Him through a preacher whom God has sent, not one self-proclaimed.