I am sure, at some point in your life, you were walking along a path and stumbled. One of my worst was at the beach, because I was wearing flip flops! I will just say that my big toe took the brunt of the injury and it took weeks to heal. So, why talk about this…
When I was studying in Romans yesterday, I had one of those moments where the Holy Spirit moved me. I am going to try and capture the key points for now and hopefully encourage you to dig into this a little deeper for yourself.
Romans chapter 9 gives us a brief summary of Israel’s past, present and future through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Through Jacob, the line of Israel would be saved because he was faithful and knew the heart of God. Several centuries before Christ, Hosea portrays God’s love for Israel and us in a unique way through a story of the relationship between Hosea and his wife Gomer.
The gist of the story God told Hosea to marry Gomer, an adulterous woman, who was unfaithful (think Israel). Hosea then redeemed Gomer as God redeems Israel. This is a separate story of its own that you should read. Link to a summary about the Remnant and Hosea.
Paul, uses the story of Hosea in a brilliant way to describe how God will bring salvation to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected God’s plan. He ends chapter nine with this verse, taken from Isaiah 28:16:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” [1]
So what is the stumbling stone? … or should I ask, Who is the stumbling stone? The “stumbling stone” is Jesus Christ. He was then and is today for many. His message was simple: Have faith and believe in me! The Jews were blinded because Jesus did not meet “their expectation” of the Messiah. Paul begins Chapter 10 talking about the Jews and how they did not know the righteousness from God. They took the original law that God gave to Moses and expanded it with their own rules. Their human effort to become righteous by following the laws had a major flaw – No One IS PERFECT.
Jesus comes into the world with a simple message – the law is powerless to save. Still, people today forget, like the Jews forgot: the law was given to us to know the difference between right and wrong – God’s focus was to change our hearts!
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. …” [2]
In other words, believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord! Read Romans 10:8-13. How do you become a Christian? These verses summarize the basis for our salvation. This simple message of hope was a huge stumbling stone for the Jews and for people today. If we believe in our heart and profess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord of our lives, we will be saved. Paul goes on in Romans 10:15:
“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” [3]
Belief is just the beginning. The process is a lifelong struggle between sin and obedience that leads to righteousness. Sharing the good news with others helps us to grow ourselves and God’s kingdom. Those who share their struggles and stumbles will continue to grow by learning that we are not alone…we have a common savior – Jesus Christ!
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011) (Revised and updated edition, Ro 9:33). (2011). Hodder & Stoughton.
[2] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011) (Revised and updated edition, Mt 5:17). (2011). Hodder & Stoughton.
[3] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011) (Revised and updated edition, Ro 10:15). (2011). Hodder & Stoughton.