Righteousness

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

Rom 9:26-33

26 and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"   27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."   29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah."   30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."  

NIV

And now the rest of the story. Paul continues to show the Old Testament words the Jews in this church in Rome would be very used to. Rather than regurgitate this word again, and try to examine each of them, it would seem right to focus on his conclusion to this argument or perhaps a dissertation. Let us start with his statement or question: “what then shall we say?” We already know the Jews have been trying to find righteousness through the law. After all the law must be good for it came from God. Why would he give us the law if he did not intend us to follow the law to the letter? We know that all things work for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. We would have to think that the Jews certainly loved Jehovah, they would go to the temple or synagogue, and read the scrolls, and we must believe they worshipped God. However, because of our learning from the New Testament, or the new covenant, the law was given to show them they could not attain righteousness through their works, they're doing the demands of the law. Instead, they maintained their works, and saw themselves as righteous, especially the Pharisees and the Rabi’s and Chief priests, dressed in their fancy, pious, religious clothing. However, Paul makes it clear the Gentile believers among them have found this righteousness simply through faith. And once again, we are back to the central theme of faith. We know our faith is the only source of righteousness and life. Although we still feel we need to be doing these “good works” as a response to the love of God and his free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Then the thought occurred to us that if we are the image bearers of God, that we reflect his glory to the world, then it is not through our “good works” we do that. God’s image has always been his love for his creation. Even in those times when it seemed his wrath was poured out, such as with Sodom and Gomorrah, it was his love being shown for his love of his creation. Mankind cannot expect to live shrouded in their darkness, hiding as it were from the face of God, trying their best to fulfill their every evil desire and not expect some action from God, whom they refuse to acknowledge, at least openly. All men have the knowledge of God within them, but they suppress that truth with their evil deeds. No, we cannot get confused about the difference between righteousness through faith, and that which looks like works. Again, because we are image bearers of God, we will reflect his love for his creation. All the works in the world are but clanking noise, if we do reflect nothing of God, for our righteousness comes through faith and we know that faith, hope and love are left, and the greatest of these is love.