“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,” -Romans 9:30–32
In contrast to the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness but attained it by faith, Israel pursued the law as means of attaining righteousness but did not succeed because not only could they not reach the standard of the law, they neglected faith. Instead of believing, they continued futilely to pursue the righteousness of the law by their works.
As had been prophesied, when the time came to receive their Messiah, Israel did not believe. They stumbled over Christ, the rock of offense, the very Rock that gave them water in desert when their father in the law, Moses, led them into the wilderness (Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:4).
God has determined beforehand that all would be saved by faith in Christ, not by keeping the law. Otherwise, who could be saved?
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