Chapter # 9 Paragraph # 5 Study # 2
February 10, 2009
Lincolnton, N.C.
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• I. The Background.
  • A. The Gentiles got a "no effort" status of perfect righteousness before the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
  • B. Israel, on the other hand, was denied such a status even though he "sought" it.
• II. The Explanation.
  • A. Paul's explanation is given at multiple levels.
    • 1. Israel did not obtain his goal because he sought it by an ineffectual method.
      • a. There is a method identified as "faith".
        • 1) In this context, "faith" is revealed to have its "locus" in Another, but its results upon the one believing.
        • 2) In this context, "faith" is not only what allows one to obtain righteousness from God (9:30), but also what prevents one from being subjected to the very "monster" of which the devil and his seed among men are so fearful (9:33).
      • b. There is a method identified as "works".
        • 1) This is not a "faithless" method; it is simply a "shifted locus" method.
        • 2) In this context, "works", as a method, has a fundamental attribute: the intent of imposing one's will upon God by the forceful use of His own attributes against Him.
    • 2. Israel's method was ineffectual because he stumbled in the pursuit.
      • a. The first element in Paul's imagery is Israel's "pursuit" (a verb that often indicates a high speed foot race).
      • b. The second element in Paul's imagery is Israel's "ignorant" (see 10:2) collision with the "stone of stumbling".
    • 3. Israel stumbled because a stumbling stone had been placed in his path (Isaiah 8:14 put together with 28:16).
    • 4. Israel's stumble was caused by God because He was unwilling for Israel to "catch" his real "objective".
      • a. God is never deceived by the superficial cloaks and smoke by which men deceive one another.
      • b. When God sees an unworthy objective, He sets himself against its final fulfillment (though He may well permit a host of its intermediate objectives to be fulfilled).
      • c. This unworthy objective has already been revealed above: the intent to impose one's will upon God in disregard for Love.
  • B. Paul's explanation gives an alternative to what is going to happen to Israel by way of a "promise".
    • 1. The weight of the promise is significant.
      • a. In 3:27 Paul made a rather "big deal" out of how "boasting" was eliminated, and in 4:2 he re-made the issue an issue.
      • b. In this text (9:33) he makes at least a part of the "boasting" issue the foundation for the significance of the "promise".
        • 1) Part of the reason for "boasting" is related to "being shamed" in that those who boast have already made "shame" their greatest fear and adversary.
        • 2) Any "promise" of the absence of "shame" is, by everyone's measure, a desirable objective.
    • 2. There is a "problem" with the "promise".
      • a. The fact is "shamelessness" cannot come without being "ashamed".
      • b. Jesus put this truth before His audience in this form: "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Luke 20:18).
      • c. The distinction, however, is significant.
        • 1) Being "shamed" by the facts of our sin and need is temporary.
        • 2) Being "shamed" by our rejection of those facts is eternal.