One Way to Righteousness

Read the Text: Romans 9

Memorize the Text:  

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

(Romans 12:1-2, CSB)

Consider the Text: Romans 9:30-33

People attempt to be declared righteous through various methods and means. Often, individuals compare their lives to the lives of others to elevate their righteousness. They view their lives as not “as bad” as others and attempt to justify their actions based on this comparison. The apostle Paul discussed that one could never be righteous on their own to enter the presence of the Lord because everyone deserves death due to sin. With clarity, the apostle noted that only one avenue exists to obtain righteousness, and that path is by faith alone, through Christ alone.

Paul used the faith of Gentiles to demonstrate the SIMPLE NATURE OF FAITH. The Gentiles did not live under the law given in the Old Testament. Instead, their ability to engage with the Lord came through faith alone. The Gentile became righteous before the Lord, not because of works, but through a relationship with the Lord. Thus, their righteousness did not exist as theirs, but instead, they became clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

The Gentile followed the Lord and His Word and sought to be obedient to the truth. The practice of obedience did not exist to gain God’s favor but instead occurred in response to one’s faith in the Lord. Observance marked the activity of worship by honoring the Lord through faithful living. For the Gentile, faith became known through works, and works did not earn faith.

Unlike the law, the response of faith did not become reliant upon adhering to a complex set of laws but by responding to the gracious work of Christ in complete truth. The response of the Gentile to Christ was a simple avenue, but the effects of that response led to a life sold out to the Lord completely. Thus, the avenue to righteousness before the Lord is paved by the work of Christ and traveled by the act of faith.

The apostle Paul contrasted this response of faith with the STUMBLING BLOCK OF ISRAEL. The old covenant law became Israel’s stumbling block because they treated it as the means to achieve redemption. The adherence to the law trumped the needed response of faith in the mind of the Jews and, as a result, blinded them from the need for faith in Christ. Thus, the regulations and tradition of religion became more important than one entering a relationship with Jesus Christ in faith. Their religion was more important to them than a relationship.

 In Matthew 15, the Pharisees approached Jesus and asked him why his disciples broke the traditions of the Jews. Jesus responded by quoting the prophet Isaiah, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9) The people's focus became on the letter of the law instead of faithfulness to the Lord. They allowed secondary guidance to become the primary in their lives and, as a result, missed the simple relational entry point of faith.

As we consider this text, may we assess our approach to the Lord honestly. Do we, as individuals or churches, allow secondary issues to dominate the leading and will of the Lord? For instance, do we ever say something like, “I know what the Bible says, but that’s not what we want?” When we add the word “but” to any statement that begins with “I know what the Bible says,” we are setting a course of a stumbling block like Israel. On the flip side, are we seeking righteousness in Christ alone? Are we traveling down the avenue of eternal life through the vehicle of faith?

This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.