ADDRESSES ON ROMANS
THE GENTILES' ACCEPTANCE OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH 9:30-33 Now let us read verses 30-33, which give the conclusion of this chapter, and show that the reason the Gentiles received God's gift of righteousness is that they accepted it by faith in Christ. Israel had tried to keep the law and had failed. Then her Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, was sent into the world to keep the law, as the sinner's Substitute. But the Jew stum- bled here. He would not accept Christ as his Saviour. He did not see his need of One who could give him righteousness. On the other hand, the ungodly Gentiles, without Israel's privileges and honors, accepted God's gift by faith. God put before them the message of salvation all of grace, and they believed. This is what Paul meant when he wrote: "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after right- eousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteous- ness which is of faith. But Israel. which followed after the law of righteousness. hath not attained to the law of righteous- ness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law" (Rom. 9: 30-32). These words should be significant to self-righteous Gen- tiles today who are walking the way of the Jews described here. Many are trusting in alms-giving and philanthropy. but the only way to attain righteousness is by faith in the Lord Jesus. He only is "the way, the truth, and the life." Paul concludes the chapter with one more quotation from the Jewish Scriptures, which, like the preceding passages from Hosea and Isaiah, foretold Israel's unbelief, at the same time showing that individual faith in Christ Jesus is the only way to eternal life: "Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" (verse 33). [Page 189
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