by Charles Haddon Spurgeon,
Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 33,
Romans 9:30-33, May 1, 1887
“What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”— Romans ix. 30— 33.
FOR several Sabbath mornings I have sought the comfort and edification of God’s people, although I trust I have not, even in such discourses, overlooked the unconverted. How can we forget them while they are in such peril? At the same time, the main drift of the service has been for the people of God, and it will not be wise to continue long in that line. We must not forget the lost sheep: it were better that we left the ninety and nine than that we neglected the rambler. We must, therefore, this morning seek to go after that which is gone astray until we find it. Oh, that God the Holy Spirit would make every word to be full of his power! He can fill each sentence with a celestial dynamite, an irresistible energy, which will blast the rocks of self-righteousness, and make a way for the gospel of the grace of God through the impenetrable barriers of sin. For that end I am anxious that, while I speak on God’s behalf, the prayers of the faithful may bring down God’s power, and make the feeble voice of man to be the vehicle for the omnipotence of God.
It is very necessary often to go over the elements— the foundation truths of the gospel. Schools may rise to the classics, but they can never dispense with the spelling-book. All over the country there must be the repetition of the alphabet, and words of one syllable, or there will be no scholarship. I feel that it is necessary to give line upon line, precept upon precept, as to the first principles of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Multitudes of persons are in bondage, and will continue to be so until they hear a very clear and simple description of the way of salvation. This is the key of their liberty. You that know these first things must be willing often to hear them; indeed, I had that you are the people that never grow tired of viewing that stone which God has laid in Sion for a foundation; for it never becomes a rock of offence to you. To you the repetitions of Jesus are more acceptable than the novelties of human invention. The system and method of salvation, therefore, will come before you again this morning. Oh, that to some it may seem to be heard for the first time, though they may with the outward ear have heard “the old, old story” a thousand times! Oh, that they may now understand it, grasp it, and find the blessing of it, and so rejoice in God their Saviour!
Paul had two facts before him: the first was, that wherever he
went preaching Jesus Christ certain Gentiles believed the doctrine, and
straightway became justified persons, receiving at once forgiveness of
sin and a change of heart. He had been in Ephesus and Thessalonica, in
Corinth and in Rome, and at his preaching of the word of life the
heathen who were outside of the pale of true religious profession had
believed in the Lord Jesus, and so had attained to righteousness, and
proved that they had done so by their righteous, pure, devout lives. On
the other hand, there was the sad fact that whereas he had usually
commenced his ministry in the synagogues, and so had opened his
commission by addressing the seed of Abraham, to whom belonged the
covenants of promise, yet they had almost everywhere rejected the
Messiah, and refused the grace of the gospel. At the same time, it was
evident that they had missed the righteousness which they conceived they
had obtained; for, as a nation, they were in bondage to superstitious
prejudice, and were fallen low, both as to morality and spirituality,
insomuch that they were correctly described by the prophet when he said,
“Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma,
and been made like unto Gomorrha.” There were these two facts before the
apostle’s mind: the Gentiles, who had been far off, had attained to
righteousness; and the Israelites, on the border of it, yet perished
there, and did not attain to the law of righteousness. To this he calls
our attention, and I shall ask you to look, first of all, at a wonder of
grace: “The Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have
attained to righteousness.” Secondly, I shall ask you to note a marvel
of folly: “Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath
not attained to the law of righteousness and when I have done that, I
shall have to throw my whole strength into a discourse of affectionate
concern about those of you who, as yet, have not attained unto the
righteousness which is of faith. Oh that you may see yourselves, and
then see the Lord Jesus by the light of the Holy Spirit! Like the
prodigal, may it be said of each one of you, “He came to himself,” and
then “he arose, and came to his Father.”
I. First, I crave
your earnest attention to A WONDER OF GRACE. Certain men had attained to
righteousness. They had, so to speak, “put their hand upon
righteousness.” They had grasped the righteousness of faith, which is
the righteousness of God. They could say, “Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” These
without boasting could declare that Jesus Christ was made of God unto
them wisdom and righteousness. In them the righteousness of the law was
fulfilled. They were at peace, for the fruit of righteousness is peace;
they were grateful, earnest, devoted, zealous, and they yielded their
members instruments of righteousness unto God. The Lord had covered them
with the righteousness of Christ, and had infused into them the
righteousness of his indwelling Spirit. Saintly men and saintly women
were produced among those who once had used “curious arts” and
enchantments: in those in whom sin abounded grace reigned through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ. There were people in
the world whom God, the Judge of all, accepted as righteous. Now that
alone is a great wonder; for we are all sinners both by nature and by
practice, and it is as great a marvel as the making of a world, that
anyone of our race should attain to righteousness. Sit down, Christian
man, and rejoice in the righteousness which you have received by faith,
and you will be filled with amazement. The more you consider the
righteousness which you have received in Christ Jesus by your faith in
him, the more you will cry out, “Oh the depths!” It is indeed a miracle
of love that we, who by nature were under the curse, have now obtained
the blessing of righteousness, as it is written, “For he hath made him
to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.”
The wonder grows when we
consider that these persons who had attained to righteousness had come
to it under great disadvantages; for they were Gentiles. The Gentiles
were considered by the Jews to be offcasts and outcasts, aliens from the
commonwealth of grace. They were given up to idolatry or to atheism,
and lusts the most degrading were rife among them. They had gone very
for from original righteousness. A true picture of the Gentile world in
the days of Paul would have terribly dark colours in it: it would be
injurious to morals to describe in public the details of the lives of
the best of the heathen. If you speak of the manners of the common
people, you must be prepared to hear of vices which crimson the cheek of
modesty. There are virtues for which the heathen had no name; and they
practised vices for which, thank God, you have no name. The Gentiles
were filled with all unrighteousness; and withal they were ignorant of
the requirements of the law and of the holiness of God. The light which
shone upon the seed of Israel had not yet dawned on them. There may have
been here and there a chosen few, like Cornelius the centurion, and
others, who followed the light which is found in nature and in the human
conscience, and so welcomed all that they learned from Israel; but,
taken in the bulk, John fitly described the Gentiles when he said, “The
whole world lieth in wickedness.” The strange thing is that such
originally were those men who attained unto righteousness. The gospel
came into their streets, and at first they heard it with opposition,
saying, “What will this babbler say?” Their attention was attracted, and
they were willing to hear the preacher again concerning this matter.
Conscience was aroused, and soon they began to enquire, “What must we do
to be saved?” Having no righteousness of their own, and being,
convinced that they needed one, they fled at once to the righteousness
which God has prepared in his dear Son for all who believe in him; and
multitudes believed and turned to God. Thus those who knew not the Lord
became his obedient worshippers, and those who were far off were made
nigh by faith.
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