Romans 10:1-3, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God."
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel: Paul again feels compelled to relate his heart regarding his fellow Jews. Paul does not rejoice that they have stumbled at that stumbling stone (Romans 9:32).
Paul's heart's desire also translated into concrete action: prayer to God for Israel. Paul didn't just "care," he prayed.
I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God: Paul will readily recognize that Israel has a zeal for God but he also sees that it is zeal not according to knowledge.
This is where so many religious people - even sincere Christians - go astray. They have plenty of zeal but little knowledge.
Zeal for God, but not according to knowledge is a perfect description of Paul himself before his conversion. Saul of Tarsus was a notorious persecutor of Christians before Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20).
Their lack of knowledge is reflected in the fact that they are ignorant of God's righteousness, and want to establish their own righteousness.
Paul has ably demonstrated in the first several chapters of Romans how futile this is. Plainly put, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified.(Romans 3:20)
Seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God: Israel had a lack of knowledge. But that wasn't their only problem. They also had a moral problem: they have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
People cannot come to Jesus without the right information about the gospel but information alone is not enough to save anyone. There must be a radical submission to the righteousness of God, putting away our own righteousness.
Dear God, thank you for clearly showing me the folly of my own righteousness as a way to eternal life! I pray that everyone I know and love can be given that same knowledge and will place their trust for eternal life on your righteousness and not their own.
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