‘What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith: but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." '(Romans 9:30-33)
Is a person righteous because they have been born of the stock of Israel? What about those who are sympathetic to the ideal of the God of Israel? Is one righteous because they have received God's mercy and have been born again: washed by the blood of the Lamb of God?
What about those who have received the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, so that they may become witnesses to Him? The steps discussed certainly lend a form of righteousness; but unless we recognize the hope of His calling, counting it all joy when we fall into various trials, letting patience have its perfect work, so that we might perfect and complete, lacking nothing; which is our reasonable service, we won't have 'attained to the righteousness of faith'. Faith is the testimony the Lord, Jesus Christ left for us. It is what He did!
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