“But, Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone” (Romans 9:31-32).
Federal Visionists love this passage because they think Paul is saying that Israel should have pursued the Mosaic Covenant by faith rather than by works. Paul allegedly argues that Israel could have “arrived” at the law through faith, but they did not “arrive” at the law because they pursued the law by works. If Israel could have “arrived” at the law through faith, then this would mean that the Mosaic Covenant was a Covenant of Grace rather than a Covenant of Works. Obviously, this is neo-Shepherdian-legalism.
The Reformed faith has unanimously insisted that the Mosaic Covenant was a republication of the Covenant of Works. The Mosaic Covenant did not require faith; it required absolute perfection. Thus, Israel was correct to pursue it by works rather than by faith. Israel failed because they were not perfect, not because they did or did not have faith. Faith has nothing to do with the Mosaic Covenant.
