Romans 10:1-5 (KJV)
10 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
This makes me think of where the bible says that they can be grafted back into the vine, just as we are grafted into their vine. Because of Jesus, both Jew and Gentile need to be grafted into the vine. They are no longer automatically in the vine because Christ came to His own people, and His own people would not receive Him. So they need to be baptized into Christ just like the rest of us, and I hope for anyone that they might be saved.
[SUP]2 [/SUP]For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
This reminds me of when Jesus said God only accepts worshippers who worship in spirit AND in truth. We must make sure our worship matches the bible, that the bible is our only doctrine. For God says, "They worship Me in vain, their doctrine is merely human rules."
[SUP]3 [/SUP]For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Ignorant of God's righteousness makes me think of how Christ was transferring us over to "the most excellent way" which is love- because if you truly love God and your neighbor, you won't need a list to say "do not steal... do not murder, etc" because that comes naturally when you love- therefore love fulfills the law, but in a spiritual way instead of a physical way.
They seek out to establish their own righteousness by completing a list instead of grasping the concept that effort is the evidence of love, that love is not the evidence of effort. It's like putting on a duck costume, and saying, "I look like a duck, walk like a duck, quack like a duck, so I must be a duck." Or in this case a sheep. But when we get baptized, feed on the word, and let the Spirit lead our minds instead of our flesh, we are a new creature- genuinely from the inside out.
God makes us righteous by sharing His righteousness with us, but it is not our own righteousness, nor can we attain it on our own. God is love, and God in us transforms us into a new creature, but if we won't transform He will "spit us out of His mouth." He will share His righteousness with us, but only if we conform to it. Our obedience does not earn, but He only shares His righteousness with those who give effort to obey Him.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Christ showed us how love fulfills the law- whips his the most excellent way, nothing further is needed, so Christ brought us to the end. As for the word "believeth" we must remember that a lot of things save- such as hearing, believing, repenting, confessing, baptism, etc, but none of these saves ALONE all by themselves. That's like saying "Breathing sustains life, not eating." They both sustain life, but if you choose only one of them you won't live long.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
In the Old Testament the law was done physically, and in the New Testament it is done spiritually, but it is the exact same law. The law is righteous, but the only One Who was able to fulfill it both physically and spiritually is Jesus Christ. Only He is righteous 100%. Abraham had faith, and that was accredited to him as righteousness, but he failed in other areas- for all sin and fall short. This is where Jesus comes in and completes our righteousness, but not for those who are not trying to be righteous.
Who's righteousness are you "going about to establish?
God's- because all sin and fall short, I cannot be 100% righteous in order to enter heaven unless God shares His righteousness with me- which He will not do if I don't even attempt to obey Him. He chooses who to give the gift to. Our obedience does not earn it, it can't, but those who strive to obey Him are the category of ones in which He chooses to give the gift. I am not earning His gift because nothing I could ever do or say can earn it. But He gives it to me because I try to obey Him- this is His decision on whom He chooses to give it to.
(Rom. 3:21-22, 4:5-6,13,22, 5:8-9, 17-21)
