Romans 9:30

From chapter 1 thru 8 we see a marvelous process as the gospel of God. From condemnation, to justification, to sanctification resulting in glorification. Sinners have b= ecome the righteousness of God in their living, walking and doings in the way God= has ordained. But this righteousn= ess is not out of the law but out of faith.

We may know today, or we will know in the future, = that it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs,= but of God who shows mercy. Our u= sefulness to God is not in what we can do or perform, but as vessels to contain and express Him.

Paul observed that his people, Israel,= who had been given everything (the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the law, the service, the promises and the fathers) had pursued a law of righteousness, = but did not attain to that law. T= hey had a zeal for God, but it was not according to full knowledge. It is possi= ble to be exceedingly zealous for God while lacking the proper knowledge of His way.

Yet Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, had laid hold of righteousness, but a righteousness which is out of faith. We can never arrive at righteousne= ss by pursuing the law of righteousness. The Israelites sought to establish their= own righteousness, but stumbled at the Stone of stumbling<= /span>, which is Christ, the Rock of offense.

As believers in Christ Jesus, we need chapters 9 &= amp; 10 in order to be saved from the stumbling frustration that comes from a partial knowledge. We know God requires righteousness yet we may be ignorant of God’s righteousness.=

Christ is God’s righteousness (see hymn 295 = God’s Christ, who is my righteousness by John Wesley).

Jesus Christ fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law and even ended (terminated) the law. In vers= e 6 the righteousness that is out of faith= is concerning God in Christ coming to us in His incarnation. You don’t = need to bring Christ down! In vers= e 7 the righteousness that is out of faith= is concerning God in Christ resurrecting from the dead. You don’t have to descend in= to the abyss to bring Christ up from the dead!

This book, the Gospel of God, begins with these two matters accomplished by Christ. God, who has come to us in incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ= as the seed of David (1:3) and was designated the Son of God in power accordin= g to the Spirit of holiness out of the resurrection of the dead (1:4), is the wo= rd that is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that is the word of the faith. This word has been proclaimed to us by ones that were sent.&n= bsp; We hear this word which becomes faith in our heart. This faith in action becomes the v= ery righteousness of God expressed in our living, walking and doings. It is not out of our effort but out of faith we have laid hold of righteousnes= s.

Paul, in his epistles and in the Acts exhorts us to continue in the faith and even that our faith would grow exceedingly.<= /o:p>

May = we daily hear the word of the faith in order to lay hold of righteousness to express God.