“For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law” (Romans 10:3-4, NLT).

The New Living Translation makes these two verses so clear. Paul was speaking to the Jewish people who were clinging to the Law as their basis for being right with God. They didn’t do this because they were perfect. No one but Jesus has ever been perfect. They did this because they were self-righteous and didn’t think they needed to come to Jesus in repentance and receive His gift of righteousness.

Jesus spoke of this kind of person in the Gospels. Feeling they were healthy they refused the care of the Great Physician. What they didn’t realize is that they were mortally ill spiritually, as everyone is without Christ. The most dangerous position for anyone to be in is proud self-righteousness.

Paul knew the good news. What the Law couldn’t do for us (because we couldn’t keep it) Jesus has done for us by keeping it for us. What we all want and need is the righteousness that makes us acceptable to God. We have that, not through our own efforts, but through believing in what Jesus has done for us. Paul’s message is consistently clear. What the Law couldn’t do because of our weakness Jesus has done for us.