Another New Testament teaching concerning the Jews regards the way in which they seek to know God and obtain salvation.  You must be the judge as to whether this is true or not.  Speaking of the Jewish people, Paul states, “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” (Romans 10:2-3 [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] 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.
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I realize that this statement may seem offensive.  I ask that you withhold your anger and think about what Paul is saying.  He credits the Jew for having a great zeal of God and for working hard to establish their own righteousness.  Is this not true of the faithful Jew?  He works very hard to live righteously.  His zeal is seen in the care with which he obeys the traditions of the fathers. 

So, of what does Paul say the Jew is ignorant?  He is ignorant of God’s righteousness.  How can that be?  A Jew certainly understands the greatness of God’s righteousness.  His ignorance must be of something about God’s righteousness.  But what?  The answer is found in the testimony of the apostle Paul.

In the book of Philippians, Paul tells of the things of which he could boast;  “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6 [5] Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. [6] He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
See All...).  Yet Paul did not trust in his own righteousness.  In fact, he said that, “what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
See All...).  He counted all things but loss that he might win Christ and “be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
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Every religion in the world including Judaism and most who claim to be Christians have devised some plan by which they can use their own efforts to become righteousness.  The Bible teaches that a man cannot earn his own salvation—and not just in the New Testament.  Ecclesiastes 7:20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
See All... teaches: “For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”  Solomon said, “for there is no man that sinneth not” (1 Kings 8:46If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
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Therefore, no man can achieve perfect righteousness.  As a result, all men including Jews are under a curse.  Deuteronomy 27:26Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
See All..., after the giving of the law, states, “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.”  Notice, the man who does not do all the words of this law is said to be cursed.  Yet, all men fail in the law at some point.  David said of mankind, “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psalm 14:3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
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The problem of the Jew is that even though a perfectly righteous life is what God requires, he cannot live it.  Yet, he continues to try to earn his righteousness by his own efforts.  As a result, some Jews are caught up in seeking and declaring ever new rules and regulations for the achieving of righteousness while most Jews have given up and observe only the most outward and traditional signs of their Jewishness.  Is it not strange that so many Jews are practicing atheists?  Their religion has not given them peace.

God’s way is found in imputed righteousness.  Again, the original teaching of this doctrine comes from the Tanach.  Abraham “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
See All...).  That is imputed righteousness.  Man believes and God imputes righteousness on him.  But whose righteousness is placed on us.  Paul trusted in the imputed righteousness of Jesus.  Our sin is placed on Jesus while the righteousness of Jesus is placed on us.  God “hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21
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This is the essence of true Christianity.  Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins.  I believe in him as my Lord and Savour.  In the power of his resurrection I live and have eternal life.  His righteousness in first imputed to me and by his strength in me I daily grow closer in living in that righteousness.  Paul taught of salvation, “That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:9-10 [9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
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