Righteousness in Romans (3) Failed Righteousness

Paul believed that he was personally righteous according to the standards of the Torah. When talking about his confidence in the flesh, he claimed,

Circumcised on the eighth day…
in regard to the law, a Pharisee…
as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

Paul thought that he had attained his goal, but this was a mistake because Jesus had specifically warned his followers that the righteousness of the Pharisees was not up to scratch.

I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20).

Compliance with the best standards of the Pharisees could never be sufficient to make a person righteous. This was a serious warning to people who want to be righteousness.

Self-Righteousness
Paul came to understand this problem after his encounter with Jesus. He explains that what he had achieved was,

my own righteousness which is from the law” (Phil 3:9).

He had assumed that he was seeking God’s righteousness because he was studying the Torah, but he had actually only found his own standard of righteousness, which is actually self-righteousness, and of no value to God or man.

Paul explained in his letter to the Romans that this was a problem for the Jews too. They thought they were following after righteousness, but,

Being ignorant of God’s righteousness
and seeking their own righteousness (Rom 10:3).

They were seeking their own righteousness, rather than trusting in God’s righteousness. This was a futile exercise because when you seek your own righteousness, it turns into self-righteousness. They should have been seeking God’s righteousness, which is the only true and real righteousness.

In contrast with the Jews, The Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith (Rom 9:30).

The Gentiles had not pursued righteousness. That was wise because Paul explains righteousness cannot be achieved by pursuing personal righteousness; it must be received as a gift from God through faith. This was true in the Old Testament, as it was true in the New Testament. The Old Testament sacrifices did not make people righteous. This was never their purpose because that will always be impossible. Instead, the sacrifices provided spiritual protection for those who had trusted in God.