Romans 10:1-4

"Brothers, my hearts desire and prayer for the Israelites is that they may be saved".

I believe that every Christian should have a desire for the people of Israel - the native Jews - the people of the Old Covenant lineage that brought the Messiah. The Jewish people - the Messanic race that brought the Messiah into the earth and I believe that we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem and stand in faith for Israel while loving Arabs and hoping and praying for reconciliation. There are many hundreds of thousands of Jewish people coming from the ex-Soviet Union and coming into Israel in these last few years and many of them are coming to Christ - they didn't grow up in the land of Israel - but many of them are coming to Christ and we do believe that the people of Israel - their eyes are going to be opened and they will see their Jewish Messiah Jesus Christ and be born again and gain righteousness by faith and not by works of the law.

"For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God - but their zeal is not based on knowledge since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own".

What is that? It is self-righteousness. It is seeking to establish it by the law - it's self-righteous.

"Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes".

What is the basis for the blessing of God? When I get a Christian come upto me and say; "I need healing - I have served in the church all my life, I've been good, I've done this and that" - I know that person is not going to get healed. Because they are hoping to get healed on the basis of their self-righteousness instead of being healed on the basis of the gift of God's righteousness. They are not submitting to God's righteousness - they are promoting their works of righteousness. Then none of the blessings will come their way and Galatians 3 says the curses come on those who are self-righteous.

Reference: Rob Rufus - "The Struggle For The Authentic Part 3 - "Qualifications For The Blessings - Faith or Works?"" - City Church International, Hong Kong - Sunday 21st September 2008.