March 26 Click on verses for Full Scripture

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Today's Pathway: Romans 9:30-33 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

After setting the stage for the previous 24 verses, Paul finally makes it clear exactly what he has been writing about. The Jews have fallen by the wayside and God is now blessing the Gentiles. In verses 30-31 he does a comparison between these two ethnicities. The Gentiles never "followed ('pursued') after righteousness" because they never had the law. That was given only to the Jews. The word "righteousness" means "being proper or right in the sense of being fully justified, or being in accordance with what God requires." The Gentiles historically were idol-worshiping pagans who were not at all interested in keeping the laws that God had written. However, Paul says they "attained ('to take eagerly, grasp with force') to righteousness". It did not happen because of their law-keeping, for they didn't keep the Law. They received their righteousness by faith, which is the way Abraham received it (Romans 4:3), and the only way anyone receives it (Philippians 3:9).

Israel, on the other hand, thought that because they had the Law they could attain righteousness by keeping the Law. They tried doing the sacrifices and the feasts and the rituals, but they always failed at some point. Because they could not keep the totality of Law 100% of the time, the Law could not give them the righteousness that they needed in order to be acceptable to God. What was the problem? Verse 32 tells us that Israel did not seek righteousness by faith, but rather through good works. Titus 3:5 says,

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us."

We saw in verse 31 that the Jews had a problem because they tried to achieve righteousness through works instead of faith. Now in verse 32 we see a second problem: "they stumbled at that stumblingstone". Who or what is the stumbling stone? Jesus is the stumbling stone. Paul references Isaiah 28:16, which reads,

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

"Here is a promise of Christ, as the only foundation of hope for escaping the wrath to come. This foundation was laid in Zion, in the eternal counsels of God. This foundation is a stone, firm and able to support his church. It is a tried stone, a chosen stone, approved of God, and never failed any who made trial of it. A corner stone, binding together the whole building, and bearing the whole weight; precious in the sight of the Lord, and of every believer; a sure foundation on which to build. And he who in any age or nation shall believe this testimony, and rest all his hopes, and his never-dying soul on this foundation, shall never be confounded."

"And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel."

Is Jesus your Savior or your stumbling block? Have you accepted His message of salvation, or have you rejected Him and chosen to try to get to Heaven your own way?