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Romans Commentary Chapters 9-16  /  Romans 10:1-4 the Folly of Seeking Righteousness in the Law  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 10
Theodoret is quoted: “he who does not have Christ, even if he seems to have the righteousness of the law, does not really have it…if someone has Christ, even though he has not correctly fulfilled the Law, he has received the whole of righteousness”; what does “having Christ” mean in concrete terms (belief, loyalty, obedience, baptism, ongoing relationship), and how would your daily decisions change if you truly believed that Christ—not rule-keeping—defines whether you possess righteousness?
Another way to ask: In everyday terms, what does it mean to “have Christ” (belief, loyalty, obedience, baptism, relationship)? If you truly believed Christ—not rule-keeping—shows whether you have righteousness, what choices would change in your daily life?

Direct Answer In the transcript, “having Christ” is closely tied to believing/trusting in Him and submitting to God’s righteousness—an ongoing, obedient love-faith relationship rather than relying on Mosaic rule-keeping. If Christ defines righteousness, daily decisions would focus less on proving yourself through rules and more on faithful obedience that flows from trust and submission to Him.

Support from Transcript:

  • Romans 10:4 is quoted: Christ is the end of the law “for righteousness to everyone who believes,” linking righteousness to belief in Christ.
  • Theodoret: “the person who trusts in Christ fulfills the intention of the law,” making trust in Christ central.
  • Chrysostom: God’s righteousness “comes entirely through the grace from above,” received through faith.
  • Bercot also stresses continuation: early Christians saw we must maintain “an obedient love-faith relationship with Christ after our initial justification.”
  • Origen includes post-baptism obedience: we should “obey…Christ” in “a humble, obedient walk with Christ after baptism.”
Discussion Follow-ups Which “rules” do you use to measure whether you are okay with God? What would change if the main question became, “Am I trusting and obeying Christ today?”

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