Lesson 2010

(Lesson 2010)(05-04-17) Romans 9:24-33

"Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Today's quote, along with yesterday's establishes that although God made a covenant with the Jews in particular, He used many of them simply as pawns. Thereby allowing them to fail to demonstrate that mankind, in all, is incapable of living a life of righteousness worthy of a renewal before God or eternal life.

As is demonstrated in today's quote, the ONLY path to the renewal of the spirit (eternal salvation) is through faith. And, as these lessons confirm, that has been true since the fall of Adam.

The allowed failure of the Jews can be summed up in the following passage; "But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

Because the Jews tried to live out their own righteousness, instead of, by faith, relying on God to impute that righteousness.~