Chapter 10, Verses 1-4 

Rom. 10:1 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 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. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." 

Paul said he was praying for Israel that they might be saved.  In Rom. Chapter 9 Paul had declared, "They are not all Israel, which are of Israel."  Thus, there are two Israel's taught in the scriptures.  There is natural Israel, and there is spiritual Israel.  Not all of natural Israel was a part of spiritual Israel.  In the eighth chapter, Paul taught the covenant work of God that God chose a people before the world began to be his and then he predestinated them to be conformed to the image of His son.  Next, he called, justified, and glorified those that he chose before the world began.  It makes no sense that Paul would be praying for those who were not a part of God's elect.  Thus, Paul was praying for that part of natural Israel, which was a part of spiritual Israel.   

Paul was praying that they "might be saved."  What was it that Paul desired that they be saved from?  Most people today would say that he desired that they be saved from the condemnation of sin.  The problem with this belief is that God's elect are already saved from sin and justified by the blood of Christ.  Paul set forth this principle when he asked, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" He then answered the question with, "It is God that justifieth."  The elect have been already justified by the blood of Jesus.  They do not need any further saving from the condemnation of sin.  It is a finished work.  Therefore, the prayer of Paul on behalf of spiritual Israel is that they might be saved from something else other than the condemnation of sin.   

We do not have to speculate what Paul desired they be saved from.  It is given to us in verse three: "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness."  Paul desired that they be saved from their ignorance and from their efforts to try to establish their own righteousness.  Most of those among the Israelite nation who were a part of spiritual Israel were ignorant of  the righteousness of God.  They were going about to establish their own righteousness through the works of the Mosaic Law.  They thought that through keeping the law and all its ordinances and commandments that they could become righteous before God.  However, the Mosaic Law was not designed to make anyone righteous, but rather to reveal to those under it that they are sinners and in need of a redeemer: 

1.  Gal. 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." 

2.  Rom. 3:20, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." 

3.  Acts 13:37-39, "But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." 

4.  Rom 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."       

Ignorance and Zeal.

These for whom Paul prayed and desired they be saved from their ignorance and from going about to establish their own righteousness had a "zeal of God, but not according to knowledge."  Their zeal was a zeal of God.  Some people have a zeal for different causes.  This zeal can arise for different reasons.  It may be a desire to feel like one belongs.  Or it may be a zeal to be popular.  It may be a zeal to keep long standing traditions.  All of this can arise from the works of carnal flesh.  However, the zeal spiritual Israel among the nation of Israel had did not arise from carnal flesh.  Rather it was a zeal of God.  It was a zeal that God gave them.  However, their use of the zeal God gave them was misguided.  It was not according to knowledge.  Their zeal was being used out of ignorance.  They were attempting to do something that God had already done.  They were attempting to get right with God when God had already made them right with him.           

They were going about to establish their own righteousness by the works of the Mosaic Law.  However, God had already made them righteous through the covenant blood of Christ.  Christ is the "end of the law for righteousness."  The word, "end," indicates completion.  Thus, it can be said, "Christ is the "completion" of the law for righteousness.  Christ completed the law and all its demands perfectly and then by shedding his blood for us made us righteous before God.  There is nothing that can be added to this to make us righteous.  This work of Christ is complete and we are completely righteous before a just and holy God.           

Christ said in Matt. 5:17, 18, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."  Christ fulfilled the law to a jot and a tittle.  The law having been fulfilled, there is now no longer a need for the Mosaic Law.           

Heb. Chapter 10 sets forth plainly the principle that Christ is the completion of the law for righteousness: 10:1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." 

That portion of the Israelite nation which was a part of spiritual Israel was going about trying to establish their own righteousness through the works of the law and therefore had not submitted themselves to the truth, that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.  So long as they were trying to establish their own righteousness they were in opposition to the plain truth that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.   

Was Paul's Prayer Answered?

Paul also had a zeal of God after his Damascus road experience.  A part of his zeal of God caused him to have a heart's desire for that portion of natural Israel that was a part of spiritual Israel.  He desired that they be delivered from trying to establish their own righteousness and that they submit themselves to the truth that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.  He desired they be delivered from their ignorance.  That zeal he had also led him to fervently pray for those people.  He knew that it would take the grace of God and the Spirit of the Almighty if these people were to be delivered from their ignorance and believe the truth.         

What is the situation among most of God's people among the Gentiles today?  Most would tell you that they are not under the Mosaic Law and are not trying to keep the Mosaic Law to get righteous.  However, the same principle exists with them today.  They are trying to establish their own righteousness through the keeping of a set of rules or commandments.  Their rules may seem simple in comparison to the Mosaic Law, yet the keeping of those rules cannot make you righteous before God.  The problem is that they ask people who are spiritually dead to keep a set of commandments in order to get spiritual life.  Paul said, "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."  Thus, we conclude that no law has been given that gives life.       Righteousness does not come through the keeping of a set of rules.  Righteousness comes as a result of the atoning sacrifice of Christ: 2 Cor. 5:21, "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."  This righteousness is imputed to the elect chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.   

To those who believe that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, we should have the same zeal that Paul had for that portion of the nation of Israel who are a part of spiritual Israel.  It should be our heart's desire and prayer to God for those Gentiles who are a part of spiritual Israel that they might be saved.  They, having the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge are going about to establish their own righteousness.   They are attempting to establish their own righteousness through the keeping of a set of rules or commandments.  Because of their ignorance, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.  It should be our heart's desire and prayer to God that they be saved from their ignorance and from their false works system.