God's trap?

God set a trap. Don’t fall for it. What do you mean God set a trap? God doesn’t set traps, or does He? Normally He doesn’t. This time however, He laid out a trap for the religious. It’s found in the book of Romans. Read it for yourself.

“Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:33.

A stumbling stone… a rock of offense. What’s a stumbling stone? A stone that makes people stumble or fall. What’s a rock of offense? A rock that makes people offended. This stone is Christ. The revelation of Christ either blesses or offends.

What’s this revelation of Christ that offends many? It’s found in the three verses before our text.

“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.” Romans 9: 30-32.

The Gentiles that did not go after righteousness were declared righteous. Israel who pursued righteousness did not attain righteousness. What a contradiction, it’s the gospel irony.

Those who place faith in their good works to make them righteous lose it.  Those who do not deserve to be righteous gain it.

The stumbling stone and rock of offense is this: Christ makes a person righteous by faith instead of by works.

It’s the consequence of the exchange on the cross. Jesus carried our sins without committing any sins. We carry His righteousness without deserving it. Jesus became sin by grace so that we’ll become righteous by grace. 2 Corinthians 5:21

This revelation has always made the religious mad. Man has always wanted to save himself. That’s the error of religion. Man always wants to take the glory. It’s human pride. The cross makes us eat our pride. We can’t raise enough righteousness to pay God. In the context of our right standing with God, only the righteousness of Christ matters and, it’s freely given. Freely received.

Stop trying to earn righteousness. Jesus has paid for it.

Are you mad at this message? Does it make you angry or happy? Are you quick to add works to righteousness by faith?

God set a trap for the religious.

 Don’t fall for it.