Faith and law --Romans 9

Rom9:30-32 "That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 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."

There is a big difference between following the Spirit and following the law. If we follow the law, even with all diligence, we will fail, as the law's set as our stumbling stone. But if we follow the Spirit, even if it contradicts with the law sometimes, we will not be condemned(Rom8:1-2,33), but will attain righteousness."And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."

To me the law and faith seems to work this way. The law is like the rules the parents set for a child:"go to bed at 8pm, no dessert before dinner, clean up your room....etc." They're for the benefit and protection of the child. The rules help the child to form his inner conscience and good habits.But then when the child grows up, and his conscience is strong, he should not be bound by these rules any more. If he needs to stay up after 8pm, as long as he understands how his body works, that he doesn't stay up all night just for play, he understands that he'll get tired the next day, he can stretch that rule. He should decide what time he goes to bed by his inner judgement and discernment, and not by his parent's rules any more. Sometimes I think the old testament is like God talking to a child, but then in the new testament, the child as grown up to an adult who has a Spirit within him. And God is telling the adult to learn to live by the Spirit, not like a child, only knows how to follow the rules(laws) without making judgement and decisions for himself.