By Faith Alone (Romans 9:30-10:4)

Do you remember the ad campaign, "There's no wrong way to eat a Resse's peanut butter cup"? 

(I'm sorry if I just made you crave candy. Small price to pay for a sermon illustration). 

The basic premise behind the ad was that all ways to eat the candy were equally valid. And that may be true when it comes to candy, but it's not when it comes to relationships with people and it's especially not true of our relationship with God. 

This week at Grace we're continuing in the book of Romans with 9:30-10:4. In this passage, Paul provides a second answer to the question, "Why didn't Israel respond to their Messiah?" But now he shifts from focusing on God's responsibility (9:1-29) to human responsibility (the theme of chapter 10). 

And in that human responsibility he identifies three key distinctions that make all the difference in our spiritual life: 

- The Law without faith

- Zeal without knowledge

- Righteousness without Christ

These temptations were the stumbling block for many in Paul's day, and they could be for us today. I'm looking forward to talking about them with you this Sunday!

In Christ, 

Pastor Bob

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30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;  and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

- Romans 9:30 – 10:4