God’s way to find him

Romans 9:30-10:4

³⁰ What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. ³¹ But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. ³² Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. ³³ God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,

“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”

^10:1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. ² I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. ³ For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. ⁴ For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

Israel was seeking God with enormous zeal, but seeking him their way rather than God’s way.

No matter how earnestly they went their own way to get right with God, they were going their own way rather than God’s way. And that is the essence of sin: going our own way rather than God’s way. It’s ironic and sad that the harder they tried, the greater the sin that separated them becomes.

What Jesus did in fulfilling the law and paying for sin is absolutely essential to me being reconciled with God. If I don’t allow Jesus to die for my sins, then I have to die for them. If Jesus did not fulfil the law for me then I have the impossible task of fulfilling it. God makes it so easy: he gives salvation as a gift. But if I refuse his gift, I refuse the life he gives me.

Australia is increasingly becoming a nation not just of those who seek God and those who don’t, but also of those who earnestly seek God in their own ways. That their hearts are to seek God is wonderful, but it’s tragic if they reject God’s way.

I need Paul’s heart for those people. Whilst respecting where they are coming from, they desperately need the truth about Jesus. Perhaps I can help their understanding of that truth.

Father, please give me your heart for people around me who seek you in the wrong places. Holy Spirit, please give them understanding of your way to reconciliation. And give me the courage and the grace to play my part in you giving that understanding.

Written by David Cornell