Message: Paul is speaking to the Romans about tripping on an element God desires for all of us, to be in agreement with Him. To be in proper relationship is less an act and more being. Why stumble on the promises of God? Works took the place of faith. What is the root cause for lack of faith? There are 3 factors; 1) Zeal 2) Ignorance 3) seeking to be self-righteous.
The zeal they had was a passion for God, but missing the knowledge of His divine plans, Paul's life before conversion. Awareness of God as the reason for their passion was missing from their zeal. They were in need of awakening of God's love in their hearts, a breathing of His revelation knowledge. The lack of knowledge is referred to as ignorance. The thinking of the time mistakenly supported the cause of self-righteousness, unaware and uninformed of Christ as the end of the Law, preferring to abide by the letter of the Law. It would never work, righteousness is of faith based on Jesus Christ. Trying to establish righteousness was futile, in that, it is not submitting to the righteousness of God. How then is righteousness gained? Romans 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." -KJV A confession of this caliber to the Jews was to place allegiance above the emperor, a step of faith and trust in Christ as the foundation of their hope of salvation. Paul's urgency, don't stumble!
Scripture: Romans 10:1-4 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." - KJV
