Believers Will Not Be Put To Shame

“Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 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.”” -Romans 9:32–33

Paul concludes his argument by appealing to Isaiah, amalgamating a few different passages of Isaiah’s prophetic writing (Cf. Isaiah 28:16, 8:14, and 49:23) to support his theology from Scripture.

The point is, Israel failed, not because the covenant was no good but because Israel did not have faith and stumbled on the Rock that was laid to save them. God in his wisdom had chosen beforehand, to lay this stone. For believers it would be a shelter and a foundation; for unbelievers, it would be a stone of stumbling. But God was not taken off-guard. He planned for the tragic failure of Israel as a means of bring the Gentiles into the fold. 

Paul concludes this part of his argument with a word of hope. Whoever believes in Christ, will not be put to shame. In other words, Israel’s destiny was their own fault. No one else has to experience their tragedy—if they simply believe on Christ.