Stumbling Stone

SCRIPTURE:
Romans 9:30-32 CSB - What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness -- namely the righteousness that comes from faith. But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law. Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

OBSERVATION:
In Romans 1-8, Paul shows us that humanity has a need—and that God has fulfilled it through the glorious provision of Jesus Christ.

As we move into chapters 9-11, Paul addresses the question: What about Israel?

Is God finished with them? Since they missed the Messiah, what will happen to them? What does this say about God, Israel, and our present position in God?

David Guzik says the question goes something like this:

Paul makes it clear that God has not rejected Israel. He has temporarily blinded them to the truth. They are—and will always be—His chosen people: heirs and recipients of the promises. He is not done with them. A day will come when they will recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

Zechariah 12:10 NKJV - "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
 
Zechariah 13:4 NKJV - "And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.
Just as there is hope for Israel’s complete restoration, there is also hope that God can keep us.

The key lesson—one Israel has not yet fully embraced—is that righteousness comes by faith, not by works.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

APPLICATION:
Paul has already shown in Romans that the only way to be saved is through faith, not by the works of the law. This salvation comes only through the work of a crucified Savior, which was a stumbling block to Israel.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NKJV - But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Don’t fall back into the trap of righteousness apart from faith. Grace does not end when we come to Christ — it magnifies. We cannot make ourselves holy. Only He can. We can either stumble over this truth and live the Christian life frustrated and weary, or we can stumble upon the reality that we must remain in faith.

It is grace alone that saves us and grace alone that keeps us.

PRAYER:
Thank You, Jesus, for Your faithfulness. Thank You that one day You will open the eyes of Your chosen people—the Jews—so they will see You as the Messiah. They will understand that You made a way through the cross, not through self-righteousness. They, too, will one day discover this amazing grace. Help me not to stumble at grace, but to stumble upon it—and remain there, pursuing Your righteousness by faith, not by works. May I remember to live in this amazing grace every day!