Jesus and Paul on Justification by the Law

JohnRabbit

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If you can understand God, could you tell me why He created us knowing that we would fall and then have to deal with a life of separation from God
because God is trying to create His Holy character in us and that takes time and experience!

IOWs, the creation of man is not complete! (see 1cor 15:44-46 :oldthumbsup:)
 
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RDKirk

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:scratch:

and yet paul says:

Romans 4:15(NKJV)
15because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

Paul explains this in chapter 7, and it's elementary.

If God had never said, "Do not eat of that tree," it would not have been a sin to eat of the tree. Sin did not become possible in the world until God first uttered a command.

Sin is not a matter of this or that particular act being inherently sinful, sin is a matter of what God says about the act.
 
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GodsGrace101

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because God is trying to create His Holy character in us and that takes time and experience!

IOWs, the creation of man is not complete! (see 1cor 15:44-46 :oldthumbsup:)
D'accord
Mon Ami.
 
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hedrick

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I think Jesus did actually mean that someone following the Law is OK. I also don’t think that contradicts justification by faith.

When Jesus spoke of “sinners”, and used illustrations in parables of judgement, he was not speaking legalistically. A sinner in Jesus’ sense is someone who is not interested in God’s will, and thus is unrepentant. I’m not speaking of some kind of legalistic requirement that we repent from every individual sin, but rather to our basic commitment and thus the direction of our lives.

When Jesus assured someone who had obeyed the Law that they were OK, I doubt that he was under any illusion that they were perfect. The Bible speaks of many people as being “righteous.” That doesn’t mean they have earned God’s approval by the perfection of their lives. It means that are committed to God’s teaching, and show that in their lives.

Note that Jesus doesn’t describe the basic characteristic of his people as faith, in the same way that Paul does. He speaks of being his follower. Unless we want to set Jesus and Paul against each other, I think we should consider the likelihood that this basic orientation of being his follower or (for people like the Rich Young Ruler were just getting to know him) the basic orientation of living as God wants, is in fact the same thing as faith.

Faith, as used by Paul, is not a purely intellectual belief. It’s a commitment to Christ, that unites us with him. Being a follower for Jesus is not about being perfect or earning credit with God. It’s a commitment to God (for us, to Christ) that shows itself in our lives.
 
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JohnRabbit

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Paul explains this in chapter 7, and it's elementary.
youi're right. that's why i referenced rom 4:15!
like you said "it's elementary", in that, if there was no law during adam's time, then there would have been no transgression!
:oldthumbsup:

If God had never said, "Do not eat of that tree," it would not have been a sin to eat of the tree.
i see what you're saying, but let's break it down a little.

1 John 3:4(KJV)
4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

but what law?
the ten commandments, (see matt 19:18-19).

so adam didn't just break the command to "not to eat", he broke the 1st commandment! so whom did adam listen? and of course, the answer is obvious. (see rom 6:16)

he took from a tree that was not granted to him, thereby stealing what was not his to have. (he broke the 8th commandment)

he disobeyed his parent (he broke the 5th commandment) (also see luke 3:38)


just simple facts from the bible, to me.

sin did not become possible in the world until God first uttered a command.
yes,,you're right. :oldthumbsup:

the first command was to adam!

God had to have told him about his laws. adam was created on the sixth day of the week. the very next day God created the sabbath, for man even - Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-5!man

adam was the only man at the time! (just sayin')


Sin is not a matter of this or that particular act being inherently sinful, sin is a matter of what God says about the act.
ok, i'll just stick with what john says.:wave:
 
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GodsGrace101

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I think Jesus did actually mean that someone following the Law is OK. I also don’t think that contradicts justification by faith.

When Jesus spoke of “sinners”, and used illustrations in parables of judgement, he was not speaking legalistically. A sinner in Jesus’ sense is someone who is not interested in God’s will, and thus is unrepentant. I’m not speaking of some kind of legalistic requirement that we repent from every individual sin, but rather to our basic commitment and thus the direction of our lives.

When Jesus assured someone who had obeyed the Law that they were OK, I doubt that he was under any illusion that they were perfect. The Bible speaks of many people as being “righteous.” That doesn’t mean they have earned God’s approval by the perfection of their lives. It means that are committed to God’s teaching, and show that in their lives.

Note that Jesus doesn’t describe the basic characteristic of his people as faith, in the same way that Paul does. He speaks of being his follower. Unless we want to set Jesus and Paul against each other, I think we should consider the likelihood that this basic orientation of being his follower or (for people like the Rich Young Ruler were just getting to know him) the basic orientation of living as God wants, is in fact the same thing as faith.

Faith, as used by Paul, is not a purely intellectual belief. It’s a commitment to Christ, that unites us with him. Being a follower for Jesus is not about being perfect or earning credit with God. It’s a commitment to God (for us, to Christ) that shows itself in our lives.
Wow. Someone that understands the N.T. and what Jesus actually said.

If you notice Jesus did not speak about being born again except in John 3:3,5.....He said that to be a disciple of His, a follower of God, we must behave in a certain way and do as He stated, for instance Mathew 25.

We've become so focused on being born again that we've lost sight of what that means.

By born again Jesus meant that we are to have our spirit in tune with God's spirit (or no amount of works will save)...once that happens we are to obey God and be disciples of Jesus.

Thanks for explaining the above in a great way.
 
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TheSeabass

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Jesus on Justification by the Law

As I stated in a previous thread, salvation by works Christians typically confuse verses which speak of justification by law as if they are speaking of justification by faith.

Here Jesus is speaking of justification by the Law.

Luke 10:25-28 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Salvation by works Christians will claim that to be the good news, that people should obey the law to be saved. And while Paul also writes about justification by law saying, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Rom 2:13, He also writes:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Gal 3:10-12

Both Jesus and Paul acknowledge that if you obey the Law you will live, but Paul notes that idea is not justification by faith. Justification by faith is something different, as Jesus also said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:25 No mention of the law there, rather just mentions faith alone.

And Paul noted that Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them." But the righteousness that is by faith says: ... That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:5-6,9

In a similar incident As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good— except God alone" Mr 10:17,18 And that's why a person cannot be justified by the law, because there are no good people. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus


The "law" Paul is speaking about in Rom 2 and Gal 3 is the OT law of Moses. Under that law they did not have the blood of Christ to take away all sins instead they had the blood of bulls and goats that could not take away sins and there was remembrance of sins, Hebrews 10:1-4. So how could one find total justification under the OT law? By working to keep all the OT law perfectly and if one could keep the law perfectly, then one would be without sin before God and be just before God. Yet the problem is the Jew would always sin no matter how hard he worked to keep the law perfectly to be justified before God. Thus Paul would say in Gal 3:11 "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God" for they did not keep it perfectly. And the reason Paul would say in v12 "And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." is that justification under the law came by "doing" the law perfectly. A Jew could have faith but the first time he sinned he would bring the curse of the law upon himself. So under the law faith was not how one was justified but justification came by doing the law perfectly.

David was a Jew under the OT law, how was he justified? Not by perfect, flawless law keeping for he sinned. But he was justified by faith in doing God's will and repenting when he sinned and God forgave him thus he was a man after God's own heart.

In Romans chapters 1 and 2 Paul shows Gentile and Jew have sinned, hence all (Jew and Gentile) are under sin. Those under sin are in need of justification. Paul begins Romans 3 pointing out the Jew had an advantage over the Gentile in that the Jew was given the OT law. Yet having that law was not an advantage when it came to justification for the Jew sinned (Romans 3:10-18) therefore did not keep the OT law perfectly in order to be justified.

Therefore since Jew and Gentile are under sin and from the first part of Rom 3 we see the OT law of Moses could not justify Jew or Gentile since it required the perfect work of flawless law keeping, then what justifies? The latter part of Romans 3 Paul tells us what justifies "we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law". Again the OT law of Moses required deeds/work of flawless law keeping so it could not justify. So what does justifies is faith. Paul did not say "faith only" justifies.

In Rom 4 Paul uses examples of a Gentile (Abraham) and Jew (David) who are under sinned per Romans chapters 1 and 2 and shows neither was justified by the OT law that required flawless law keeping (both sinned, were "ungodly") but justified by an obedient faith. Abraham was one who 'worketh not"... he did not work to keep the law perfectly (he sinned) but he "believed".... he was justified by an obedient faith.


So the contrast Paul is making is:
--justification by the OT law that required the work of flawless, perfect law keeping which is not possible for the Jew eventually sinned
verses
--justification by an obedient faith.
 
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GodsGrace101

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The "law" Paul is speaking about in Rom 2 and Gal 3 is the OT law of Moses. Under that law they did not have the blood of Christ to take away all sins instead they had the blood of bulls and goats that could not take away sins and there was remembrance of sins, Hebrews 10:1-4. So how could one find total justification under the OT law? By working to keep all the OT law perfectly and if one could keep the law perfectly, then one would be without sin before God and be just before God. Yet the problem is the Jew would always sin no matter how hard he worked to keep the law perfectly to be justified before God. Thus Paul would say in Gal 3:11 "no man is justified by the law in the sight of God" for they did not keep it perfectly. And the reason Paul would say in v12 "And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." is that justification under the law came by "doing" the law perfectly. A Jew could have faith but the first time he sinned he would bring the curse of the law upon himself. So under the law faith was not how one was justified but justification came by doing the law perfectly.

David was a Jew under the OT law, how was he justified? Not by perfect, flawless law keeping for he sinned. But he was justified by faith in doing God's will and repenting when he sinned and God forgave him thus he was a man after God's own heart.

In Romans chapters 1 and 2 Paul shows Gentile and Jew have sinned, hence all (Jew and Gentile) are under sin. Those under sin are in need of justification. Paul begins Romans 3 pointing out the Jew had an advantage over the Gentile in that the Jew was given the OT law. Yet having that law was not an advantage when it came to justification for the Jew sinned (Romans 3:10-18) therefore did not keep the OT law perfectly in order to be justified.

Therefore since Jew and Gentile are under sin and from the first part of Rom 3 we see the OT law of Moses could not justify Jew or Gentile since it required the perfect work of flawless law keeping, then what justifies? The latter part of Romans 3 Paul tells us what justifies "we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law". Again the OT law of Moses required deeds/work of flawless law keeping so it could not justify. So what does justifies is faith. Paul did not say "faith only" justifies.

In Rom 4 Paul uses examples of a Gentile (Abraham) and Jew (David) who are under sinned per Romans chapters 1 and 2 and shows neither was justified by the OT law that required flawless law keeping (both sinned, were "ungodly") but justified by an obedient faith. Abraham was one who 'worketh not"... he did not work to keep the law perfectly (he sinned) but he "believed".... he was justified by an obedient faith.


So the contrast Paul is making is:
--justification by the OT law that required the work of flawless, perfect law keeping which is not possible for the Jew eventually sinned
verses
--justification by an obedient faith.
Well said !
By the reasoning of some, Jesus and Paul would seem to be stating opposite beliefs and this is not possible.

We have always been justified by faith ONLY.
But God has always demanded obedience.

I believe the problem is not Justification, but sanctification. Some like to forget about the 2nd part of being saved.
 
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GodsGrace101

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Jesus on Justification by the Law

As I stated in a previous thread, salvation by works Christians typically confuse verses which speak of justification by law as if they are speaking of justification by faith.

Here Jesus is speaking of justification by the Law.

Luke 10:25-28 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Salvation by works Christians will claim that to be the good news, that people should obey the law to be saved. And while Paul also writes about justification by law saying, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Rom 2:13, He also writes:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Gal 3:10-12

Both Jesus and Paul acknowledge that if you obey the Law you will live, but Paul notes that idea is not justification by faith. Justification by faith is something different, as Jesus also said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:25 No mention of the law there, rather just mentions faith alone.

And Paul noted that Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them." But the righteousness that is by faith says: ... That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:5-6,9

In a similar incident As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good— except God alone" Mr 10:17,18 And that's why a person cannot be justified by the law, because there are no good people. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
And so by your above post you pit Jesus against Paul?

This is what you stated above:
Salvation by works Christians will claim that to be the good news, that people should obey the law to be saved.

Are you saying Christians SHOULD NOT obey the law?

Do you know anyone who is still following the 613 laws of Moses?

In each of your scenarios above, Jesus stated plainly that we are to follow the commandments...the 10.

Jesus NEVER said to just "believe" in Him and we would be saved.

He said to BELIEVE in Him and hear His voice and be a disciple and we will be saved.

John 10:27
27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; "



John 8:31
31"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; "



 
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TheSeabass

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Well said !
By the reasoning of some, Jesus and Paul would seem to be stating opposite beliefs and this is not possible.

We have always been justified by faith ONLY.
But God has always demanded obedience.

I believe the problem is not Justification, but sanctification. Some like to forget about the 2nd part of being saved.


We are NOT justified by faith only but by an obedient faith as Abraham and David had...faith void of obedience to the will of God is dead, useless, no good.

You are correct that God demands obedience therefore obedience is as necessary to justification as faith.

Therefore faith AND obedience must come BEFORE one is justified.

Note the order of events as Paul puts them in Romans 6:17-18

1) were servants of unrighteousness/sin
2) obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
3) then freed from sin/justified, servants of righteousness

Faithful obedience (2) BEFORE justification (3).

Paul says in Romans 6:16 "obedience unto righteousness". Obedience leads one to righteousness/justification.
 
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GodsGrace101

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We are NOT justified by faith only but by an obedient faith as Abraham and David had...faith void of obedience to the will of God is dead, useless, no good.

You are correct that God demands obedience therefore obedience is as necessary to justification as faith.

Therefore faith AND obedience must come BEFORE one is justified.

Note the order of events as Paul puts them in Romans 6:17-18

1) were servants of unrighteousness/sin
2) obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
3) then freed from sin/justified, servants of righteousness

Faithful obedience (2) BEFORE justification (3).

Paul says in Romans 6:16 "obedience unto righteousness". Obedience leads one to righteousness/justification.
How does faith AND obedience come before salvation? Unsaved persons are not required to obey God...only saved persons are required to obey God.

Righteousness means to be right with God.
To be right with God you FIRST have to be justified.
To be justified you have to believe In God and have faith in Him.
At that point God declares you justified, or you can say righteous, right with God.

After this justification THEN comes sanctification.
Sanctification lasts our whole life and required our cooperation and obedience to God.

If you read Romans 6:16-18 again I think you'll see this.
 
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TheSeabass

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How does faith AND obedience come before salvation? Unsaved persons are not required to obey God...only saved persons are required to obey God.

Righteousness means to be right with God.
To be right with God you FIRST have to be justified.
To be justified you have to believe In God and have faith in Him.
At that point God declares you justified, or you can say righteous, right with God.

After this justification THEN comes sanctification.
Sanctification lasts our whole life and required our cooperation and obedience to God.

If you read Romans 6:16-18 again I think you'll see this.

Peter commanded unsaved people in Acts 2:38 to repent and be baptized. The unsaved jailer was commanded to believe (have faith) Acts 16:31. Jesus commanded unsaved men to repent, Luke 13:3. Those that are unsaved who do obey are then saved....as Paul said obedience UNTO righteousness. Belief itself is obedience;

Romans 10:10----believeth >>>>unto righteousness
Romans 6:16-----obedience>>>>unto righteousness

Since there is just one way to be saved, made righteous then belief must be a form of obedience. Again, Paul put obeying BEFORE justification in Romans 6:17-18.
 
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GodsGrace101

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Peter commanded unsaved people in Acts 2:38 to repent and be baptized. The unsaved jailer was commanded to believe (have faith) Acts 16:31. Jesus commanded unsaved men to repent, Luke 13:3. Those that are unsaved who do obey are then saved....as Paul said obedience UNTO righteousness. Belief itself is obedience;

Romans 10:10----believeth >>>>unto righteousness
Romans 6:16-----obedience>>>>unto righteousness

Since there is just one way to be saved, made righteous then belief must be a form of obedience. Again, Paul put obeying BEFORE justification in Romans 6:17-18.
I agree if posted as the above.
Obedience certainly is a form of belief because the opposite is true: Unbelief is disobedience (in greek), so the opposite is also true.

We must believe to be declared justified.
We must obey to be right with God (Righteousness).
 
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TheSeabass

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I agree if posted as the above.
Obedience certainly is a form of belief because the opposite is true: Unbelief is disobedience (in greek), so the opposite is also true.

We must believe to be declared justified.
We must obey to be right with God (Righteousness).
As long it is understood that "believe" includes obedience. Belief void of obedience is dead. Abraham's faith included obedience and he was justified by his faithful, obedient work.
 
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Jesus on Justification by the Law

As I stated in a previous thread, salvation by works Christians typically confuse verses which speak of justification by law as if they are speaking of justification by faith.

Here Jesus is speaking of justification by the Law.

Luke 10:25-28 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
Salvation by works Christians will claim that to be the good news, that people should obey the law to be saved. And while Paul also writes about justification by law saying, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Rom 2:13, He also writes:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Gal 3:10-12

Both Jesus and Paul acknowledge that if you obey the Law you will live, but Paul notes that idea is not justification by faith. Justification by faith is something different, as Jesus also said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:25 No mention of the law there, rather just mentions faith alone.

And Paul noted that Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them." But the righteousness that is by faith says: ... That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:5-6,9

In a similar incident As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good— except God alone" Mr 10:17,18 And that's why a person cannot be justified by the law, because there are no good people. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
So Jesus isn't good? The Church has always known that what links the teachings of Jesus and Paul and James is love. Love compels righteousness because love is man's righteousness or justice, which is why the Greatest Commandments are what they are. No one becomes good in any way until they love-and this is where faith is meant to lead. Love is the motivation for works such as those described in Matt 25 or Eph 2:10. Love is the means by which we move from the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (clean on the outside only) to the righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees. Love is what fulfills the law. Love is the heart of the Christian faith, the motivation for everything Jesus said and did, especially and most dramatically demonstrated on the Cross.

And that love is only available as man enters communion with God, the relationship Adam effectively spurned in the beginning, now made possible by the reconciliation Jesus accomplished between man and God. That is how God justifies us.
 
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So Jesus isn't good? The Church has always known that what links the teachings of Jesus and Paul and James is love. Love compels righteousness because love is man's righteousness or justice, which is why the Greatest Commandments are what they are. No one becomes good in any way until they love-and this is where faith is meant to lead. Love is the motivation for works such as those described in Matt 25 or Eph 2:10. Love is the means by which we move from the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (clean on the outside only) to the righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees. Love is what fulfills the law. Love is the heart of the Christian faith, the motivation for everything Jesus said and did, especially and most dramatically demonstrated on the Cross.

And that love is only available as man enters communion with God, the relationship Adam effectively spurned in the beginning, now made possible by the reconciliation Jesus accomplished between man and God. That is how God justifies us.
You're speaking of justification by the Law of Moses, the Greatest Commandments of which are to love God and your neighbor.

Actually it's not love if you doing so in order to be saved. So in vain do salvation by works Christians try to obey to law of moses to be saved while their own attitude disqualifies them from attaining it. For love is without self-interest.​

Furthermore as Paul says in Gal 3:10-12 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." (Lev 18)

And what do you "these things" refer to? Surprise! The list he's referring includes "love your neighbor as yourself". (Lev 19:18)

So good luck with that!
 
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fhansen

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You're speaking of justification by the Law of Moses, the Greatest Commandments of which are to love God and your neighbor.

Actually it's not love if you doing so in order to be saved. So in vain do salvation by works Christians try to obey to law of moses to be saved while their own attitude disqualifies them from attaining it. For love is without self-interest.​

Furthermore as Paul says in Gal 3:10-12 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." (Lev 18)

And what do you "these things" refer to? Surprise! The list he's referring includes "love your neighbor as yourself". (Lev 19:18)

So good luck with that!
You don't love in order to be saved, rather you're saved because you love, with a love God has wrought in you. Without that love we are nothing. 1 Cor 13. Thats the gospel, properly understood.

When God justifies, He make man just, a new creation.
 
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GodsGrace101

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As long it is understood that "believe" includes obedience. Belief void of obedience is dead. Abraham's faith included obedience and he was justified by his faithful, obedient work.
Amen.
When God told Abraham to leave Ur....he believed and he obeyed...we didn't even have to wait till the Isaac part.
 
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bcbsr

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You don't love in order to be saved, rather you're saved because you love, with a love God has wrought in you. Without that love we are nothing. 1 Cor 13. Thats the gospel, properly understood.

When God justifies, He make man just, a new creation.
So you're saying that salvation is not contingent upon loving others?
 
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fhansen

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So you're saying that salvation is not contingent upon loving others?
No, that's not what I'm saying-and it's an interesting question. Because it's not either/or but both/and. It's both a command -that man is obligated to obey-(man is never freed from his obligation to be righteous), and yet, the command is a contingency that only God can fulfill in us.

The missing link in the Old Covenant was love. Man was just told to obey first of all: "This, the law, is what righteousness or justice "looks like"". That is to be "under the law", attempting to act righteous without actually being righteous. It's to be self-righteous, depending on myself for any "righteousness" I may perform while still spiritually apart from God, rather than possess the "righteousness of God" that man was made for.

But there's a catch. Man must come to know, believe in, and be subjugated to God as is the right order of things. Man must turn back to God first of all. Then He does the work in us-He justifies man. Only God can cause us to love as we should, as we enter communion with Him. That is to be "under grace", to live by the Spirit rather than by the letter of the law. Faith establishes this communion, in response to grace. This is only made possible by the reconciliation that Jesus won for us. Man's only role is to say yes rather than no. "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5), is the mantra of the New Covenant.
 
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