Joseph Righteous By Law or Faith?

[Mr. M]

Matthew 1:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

Avoiding the possible judgment of the Law, what is implied by 'sending her away secretly'?
Was Joseph righteous by Law or Faith?
James 2:13. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.

 

[mkgal1]

Was Joseph righteous by Law or Faith?

Was it *ever* possible to be righteous according to the Law?

Romans 3:20, NLT: "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."​

 

[Dkh587]

Was it *ever* possible to be righteous according to the Law?

Romans 3:20, NLT: "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are."​

Yes:

Luke 1:5-6

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judah, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abiah: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of YHWH blameless.

it says they were righteous and obeying all of God’s commandments blamelessly.

 

[Mr. M]

Yes:

Luke 1:5-6


it says they were righteous and obeying all of God’s commandments blamelessly.

And Joseph?
19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

 

[1213]

...
Was Joseph righteous by Law or Faith?
....

I think person is not righteous by law or faith. Righteousness means wisdom of the just, right understanding that comes visible in actions. Joseph had righteous mind and because of that he was loyal (faithful) to God and acted also righteously.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Matthew 1:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

Avoiding the possible judgment of the Law, what is implied by 'sending her away secretly'?
Was Joseph righteous by Law or Faith?
James 2:13. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.

This is a different kind of righteousness than what is meant by justification. Justification is righteousness before God. Joseph is described as a righteous man and therefore did not wish to disgrace Mary, that is, he did not want to put her through shame which is what the public opinion would have been seeing as she was with child before marriage, and in that society this would have brought shame to her; and so Joseph being honorable chose to preserve her reputation by sending her away quietly so she would not be publicly humiliated. In the end, an angel explains to Joseph everything, and that doesn't happen. But this demonstrates that Joseph was a man of integrity and honor, this is what would be described as righteousness coram mundus or "righteousness before the world", that is how we act in regard toward others in our relationships; this is different than righteousness coram Deo or "righteousness before God" which pertains to our standing before God.

No one is righteous before God according to the Law, as the Law cannot make one righteous; the Law can only compound sin with sin, condemning us in our sin. The only righteousness there is before God is the righteousness which is by grace through faith--the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ which is a pure and free gift from God.

Joseph, by the description here, is righteous coram mundus by his being honorable, kind, and a man of integrity in his concern for Mary's reputation. But this does not mean that he was not a sinner in need of the very salvation which would come through the very Child in Mary's womb--because he very much was.

-CryptoLutheran