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.
They didn't understand how God makes people right with him, so they tried to earn it on their own instead. But they never surrendered to God's way of making things right.
You can't earn your way to God when he's already offering it as a gift.
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Romans to explain how people could be made right with God, addressing the struggles of both Jewish and Gentile believers. Many Jews at that time were focused on achieving righteousness through strict observance of the Mosaic Law, mistakenly believing this effort could earn God's favor, while Paul emphasized that true righteousness comes solely from faith in Christ. This verse fits into Paul's broader argument about Israel's partial blindness to the gospel, highlighting the futility of self-reliant religious practices.
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