RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES

Passage: Romans 9:30-10:4

Key verse: 10:4

NIV

Israel’s Unbelief

30 What then shall we say?(A) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;(B) 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,(C) have not attained their goal.(D) 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.(E) 33 As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[a](F)

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire(G) and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous(H) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.(I) 4 Christ is the culmination of the law(J) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.(K)

Footnotes
  1. Romans 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Israel's Unbelief

30 What shall we say, then? (A)That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, (B)a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel (C)who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness[a] (D)did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the (E)stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,

(F)“Behold, I am laying in Zion (G)a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
    (H)and whoever believes in him will not be (I)put to shame.”

10 Brothers,[b] my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that (J)they have a zeal for God, (K)but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of (L)the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For (M)Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.[c]

Footnotes
  1. Romans 9:31 Greek a law of righteousness
  2. Romans 10:1 Or Brothers and sisters
  3. Romans 10:4 Or end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The stumbling stone (9:3

-33)

It is not enough to be sincere or zealous. The people of Israel were zealous, but they lost God's blessing because they were proud. They thought they could do something for God before accepting what God had done for them. Jesus is the stumbling stone God laid in Zion. His death was shameful, so one can only come to him with a humble, repentant heart. Proud people do not want to repent, so they fall under God's hand of judgment. But anyone who confesses his sins and trusts in Jesus will be saved.

2. The righteousness of God (1

:1-4)

Jesus is the righteousness that comes from God. He fulfilled the law; he kept God's promises. We are unrighteous sinners; until our sin problem is solved, whatever we do is sin. We cannot save ourselves by our own zeal or righteousness. God does not look at our zeal. He looks at Jesus. We must come to Jesus and submit to God's righteousness.

Prayer: Lord, I come, 'Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me.'

One Word: By faith in Jesus alone