Romans - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1182

ROMANS.

9,19

10--16 He pitics whom He desires, and whom He wills He stupefies. You will then reply to me, ‘ Why does He still blame? for who has re- sisted His will ? ’ Indeed, man, who are you to criti- 2 I 22 26

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33 cise God ? Should the thing made say to the maker, Why have you made me thus ? Has not the potter power over his clay, to make from his own clay one article for distinction , and another for common use? What if God, wishing to show His disposition, and to proclaim His authority, endured with great forbearance aperverse in- strument determined on destruction? and so that He might proclaim the wealth of His approbation upon the instrument of mercy which He had prepared for approval? and us, whom He has called not only from among jews, but also from among heathen? As He says in Hosea: I wxu. cam. rnosa Nor MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE, AND THE UNBELOvED, BELOvED. AND 11* SHALL BE IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID T0 THEM, ‘ You ARE NoT MY PEoPLE,’ THEY SHALL BE CALLED THERE, ‘ SONS ov A Lxvmo GOD.’ And Isaiah thunders over Israel: THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL SHOULD BE LIKE THE SAND OE THE SEA. THOSE STANDING OUTSIDE SHALL BE sAvED! FOR COMPLETING A DESIGN, AND COMPLETING IT RIGHTEOUSLY, THE LORD WILL PERFECT I-IIS INTENTION ON THE EARTH. And as Isaiah foretold: IP THE LORD OP PEACE HAD NOT LEFT US AN HEIR, WE SHOULD HAVE BECOME AS SODOM, AND LIKE To GoMoRRAH. ‘Fromthiswhatwouldweconclude? That a people who did not pursue

righteousness has attained to a right- eousness, but that righteousness is from their faith. But Israel, pursuing a ritual for righteousness, has not entered into a righteous law. For what reason? Because they sought it not as from faith, but as if from rituals; they stumbled at the stumb- 1ing—stone, as it is written: 1 Hosea ii. 23. 2 Hosea i. Io. Isa. x. 22, 23. 4 Isa; l. g. SEE, I PLACE A STUMBLING-STONE IN ZION, AND A DIFFICULT ROCK;

BUT THE BELIEVER ON I'! SHALL 1 NOT BE ASHAMED. Brothers, my heart’s desire and en- 10 treaty to God regarding them is for a salvation. . For I witness to them that they have a zeal for God, but not an intelligent one. For not reflecting on the righteousness of God, and trying to establish their own, they have not ranged themselves under the Divine righteousness; although the object of Christ’s Law to all believers is righteousness. Indeed, Moses describes the righteousness proceeding from the law: THAT A MAN PRAOTISING IT SHALL LIVE IN IT? But that the righteousness from faith declares: SAY NOT IN YOUR HEART, WH0 COULD ASCEND INTO THE HEAVEN? so as to bring Christ down; or, WHO COULD GO INTO THE AEYSS?3 so as to bring Christ up from the dead again. But what does he say? THE IDEAL IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH, AND IN YOUR HEART ; 4 and that is the ideal of the faith which we proclaim: That if you should proclaim from your mouth the Ideal that jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you can be saved. For with the heart it is believed to righteousness; and by the mouth it is acknowledged to salvation. For the Scripture says : WHOEVER TRUSTS IN HIM SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED. For there is no distinction between jew and Greek; for He Himself is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon Him; for, WHOEVER CALLS ON THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED. But how can they call

upon whom they have not believed ? And how can they believe about what they have not heard? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: · HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THEIR FEET WHO PROCLAIM PEACE, WH0 PREACH THE GOOD NEWS. ‘Yet all will not believe the good news. For Isaiah says: 1 Isa. xxviii. 16. ’ Lev. xviii. 5. ' Deut. xxx. rz, I3. * Deut. xxx. I4. * Isa. xlix. 23. 6 joel ii. 32, 7 Isa. lil. 7, II82 10 II I2 I6