9:30 So what are we going to say? Gentiles who weren’t striving for righteousness achieved righteousness, the righteousness that comes from faith. 31 But though Israel was striving for a Law of righteousness, they didn’t arrive. 32 Why? It’s because they didn’t go for it by faith but they went for it as if it could be reached by doing something. They have tripped over a stumbling block. 33 As it is written:
Look! I’m putting a stumbling block in Zion,
which is a rock that offends people.
And the one who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire is for Israel’s salvation. That’s my prayer to God for them. 2 I can vouch for them: they are enthusiastic about God. However, it isn’t informed by knowledge. 3 They don’t submit to God’s righteousness because they don’t understand his righteousness, and they try to establish their own righteousness. 4 Christ is the goal of the Law, which leads to righteousness for all who have faith in God.
Reflection
Have you ever worked so hard toward a difficult goal that you felt like you were banging your head against the wall—just missing the mark, unsure what’s off? Then, after taking a step back, breathing, and remembering why you’re doing it, things start to click into place.
In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul speaks to something very similar. Israel, Paul says, was zealously pursuing righteousness—but doing it the wrong way. “But though Israel was striving for a Law of righteousness they didn’t arrive. Why? It’s because they didn’t go for it by faith but they went for it as if it could be reached by doing something” (Romans 9:31–32). They stumbled over the very person who was meant to save them: Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of God’s redemptive plan.
In contrast, Gentiles—those outside of Israel, who weren’t even seeking righteousness through the law—attained it. How? By faith. They didn’t try to justify themselves but simply trusted in the One who justifies.
There is only one person who ever perfectly kept God’s law: Jesus. The law was never given so that people could boast in their religious achievement. It was meant to give us a guide of how we can live in harmony with each other and to point us to our need—for grace, for a Savior, for a relationship with God through faith.
We, like Israel, can fall into the trap of striving—trying to earn God’s approval through good behavior, regular church attendance, moral discipline, or acts of service. These things are not bad in themselves, but when they become substitutes for faith, we end up with zeal “not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). We miss the heart of the gospel: Righteousness is not earned; it is received.
As we walk through life, doing our best to live faithfully, let’s remember our why. We live not to earn God’s love but because we already have it. Through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, we have been offered the gift of grace and invited into eternal life with God—not by works, but by faith.
by Manny Estevez
For Pondering and Prayer
- Are there areas in your life where you’re trying to earn God’s love instead of receiving it freely?
- How does remembering “righteousness by faith” change the way you approach your spiritual life?
Prayer: Loving and gracious God, help us today to realize that we don’t have to earn your love, you freely give it to us. May this blessed assurance give us the peace and strength that we need today to live in a good and meaningful way and to share your love and peace with those we encounter. In the beautiful and powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
