What then do you make of Paul's testimony in Rom 7"8-25?
Yes I understand what you're trying to do. What value dod Paul place on that righteousness obtained by the law? And what does Jesus say about righteousness obtained the same way? 20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Please consult Romans 7:8-25.
What then is thise self abtained righteousness that you said we need to stand before God with in version 3? Doesn't it come from the law? There are only 2 kinds of righteousness that I know of. One I just mentioned and the other is an outright gift coming only from God.
I don't know how you read Romans 7:8-25, but this is what I read.
Paul was telling us that through the law do not covet he came to know what sin is, and this knowledge brought him to a realization that he was under condemnation to death for his sins.
Naturally, men are self centered, and live with their carnal mind. This carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God (Romans 8:7), therefore, however he wants to do good, but evil what he did.
He has no power of his own to perform what good is that he wants to do (Romans 8:18), which conforms to the demands of the law, because previously he said that the law is spiritual, holy, just and good, but he is carnal (Romans 7:12-14). This self centered attitude is the sin in him, because this is against the unselfish love of God, which is the principle of His law, the Ten Cs. This self centered heart is the carnal mind, which is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God.
21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (KJV)
This carnal mind is the law of sin in him, although from his inward man, Paul delights in the law of God, but he has no power to perform it, what he did, is what he dont want to do, which is evil. He cried: Who will safe him from the death? Thanks to Jesus Christ.
25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
The converted Paul now could serve the law of God with the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit that shed the love of God in his heart, his mind now is made subject to the law of God.
In short, an unbeliever is ruled by his carnal mind, which is the nature of man. This mind is not subject to the law of God, is enmity against God. Although he knew the law of God, and may have the desire to obey it, but he has no power to perform what he desire, on the contrary, all what he did were only deeds of the flesh, which is evil. The only way to be saved from this slavery is through Jesus Christ. Being a new man, he could now perform what the law demands for his mind is no longer the carnal mind, but the mind of Christ, his heart is shed by the love of God through the Holy Spirit, now the law of God is being written in his heart and put in his mind, he can serve the law of God and fulfills it demands.