IGNORANCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

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.

As Paul introduces his Roman letter, we understand that he is addressing it to Roman Christians - the saints in the city of Rome (Rom. 1:7). These represent his spiritual brethren. The bond of this brotherhood exists between all people, regardless of nationality, that have heard and obeyed God's call through His holy word, and have been baptized into the body of Christ, His church. In this spiritual state, as Christians, all are God's children, and enjoy the hope of eternal salvation, planned by God from the beginning of time. It is to this spiritual body - Brethren (in Christ) - that Paul addresses this message as He begins the lesson text.

We can readily distinguish between to whom Paul was writing - Brethren in Christ - from those about whom he is writing - Israel, Paul's fellow countrymen, his fleshly relatives. Here Paul tells the Roman Christians of his affection and concern for them. My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel (his Jewish kinsmen) is, that they might be saved. What a wonderfully ambitious example Paul sets for all to follow. Once in the body of Christ, and realizing its earthly and eternal benefits, we should all have the same desire and prayer to God, that every member of our physical family might be saved. This same desire and prayer to God should motivate us to do everything possible to present God's message of salvation to each family member - that all may enjoy the hope of salvation found only in Christ Jesus.

In the remaining verses of the lesson text, Paul gives us one reason, if not the most prominent reason, why most of his fellow kinsmen, and why most of the world today, fail to obey God's commandments. And, with this failure, completely lose their hope of attaining eternal salvation. He writes about the Jewish nation as a whole, For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Through ignorance, they have replaced God's will with that of their own. What is right in the eyes of God has been disregarded and replaced, or superceded by, their own self-righteous will.

Willful ignorance is not an acceptable reason in God's eyes, for disobedience; it is merely an excuse to live under one's own will. Such was the case with Israel, and is the same for most of the people of the world today. Jesus, Himself, taught that all people should search the scriptures ...(for they) testify of Me (John 5:39). It is in God's Holy Word, and only in His Word - these scriptures - that we can find God's plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. One only has to read Isaiah 53 to know that Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of these prophesies. Indeed, Jesus was the promised Messiah sent by God to offer salvation to the world. All Jews had access to these scriptures, but they chose to disregard the teaching of Moses, the prophets, and all other inspired writers of the Old Testament. Instead, they chose to follow their own will or the false teaching of their spiritual leaders.

The last five verses of this chapter of Romans assure us Israel had full opportunity of knowing the will of God. Paul wrote, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17). In the following verses, 18-21, Paul assures us that all Israel had complete access to God's word and full opportunity to know and obey His will. Therefore their ignorance was willful, for which there was no excuse for their disobedience of God's commandments.

In God's eyes, religious zealousness and a good conscience, do not replace faithful obedience to His will. One's worship is vain and empty, having no significance or eternal value, when a person lays aside the commandments of God and accepts teaching for doctrines the commandments ...(and) traditions of men (See Mark 7:1-9). The apostle, Paul, was fully persuaded this fact was true, because, as a Jewish zealot, he was among the chief sinners. He confesses that, in times past, under the Law of Moses, this ignorance God winked at; but now (under the new covenant) commandeth all men everywhere to repent (See Acts 17:30-31). They that truly believe in God will humbly surrender their own righteousness and totally submit to His righteousness. Our Savior can only be found, through the will of God, by every one that believeth.