Establishing Their Own Righteousness Romans 10:3

Paul the apostle told the people in Rome how Isaiah in the Old Testament wrote, “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge”, and in chapter ten and verse three of Romans, Paul told his readers how the people in Israel were, “going about to establish their own righteousness” where we read:

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.

The verse begins, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, ...” Paul began with the words, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “they being ignorant” or “the people of Israel did not understand, were wrong, erred and sinned through mistake” “of God's” which means “pertaining to the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit's” “righteousness” or “the state of him who is as he ought to be and the condition acceptable to God”, “and going about” or “and seeking, striving and craving” “to establish” which means “to put in place, make firm or be steadfast in” “their own righteousness” or “the people of Israel's own state in which they ought to be”. Because these people of Israel did not “understand” God's acceptable way of living, they went about to “put in place and be steadfast within” their own way.

The verse continues, “... have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Paul added the words, “have not submitted” which means “have not arranged under or subordinated” “themselves” which means “the people of Israel their own selves” “unto the righteousness” or “toward and with the state of him who is as he ought to be and the condition acceptable” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Because they chose their own way, Paul declared these people have not “subordinated” themselves to “God's” way of “acceptable living”.

When we meditate these words of Paul, we see who is in charge or “Lord” over a person's life. The people of Israel decided they were “Lords” over themselves, and therefore could make their own rules for living, and those who submit to “God's law” have Him as “Lord” in their lives. In other words, these two ways of living are diametrically opposed to one another, and the justifying factor is who makes the rules. When a person rejects Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they form their own “laws” for living and disregard God's. People who have “submitted” themselves to Jesus Christ align themselves under God's way of living. Unwise is the person who “establishes their own righteousness” because God will eventually be the judge of how one has lived, and if the person does not align themselves with God's rule, they have become as a “god” to themselves.

Next time we see Paul tell his readers how, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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