Righteousness is both a declarded standing with God and an outward act.
Listen closely to both sides of righteousness.
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
He who IS RIGHTEOUS will practice righteousness. No one is declared righteouse by any outward act done outside of belief in Jesus. But one who is righteous, through faith in Jesus, will practice righteousness.
Righteousness, as a declared standing with God, comes only through the blood of Christ but the definition of righteousness is defined by the Law, which not only points out our need for the Savior, but also, sets the standard that allows for the outward practice of righteousness.
If one practices the outward acts of righteousness without first receiving the declaration of righteousness those outward acts of RIGHTEOUSNESS are considered as filthy rags. I capitalized the word (righteousness) because God does call them righteous acts but it's a righteousness that is unacceptable to God not because they are not rigtheous acts, but rather, because of the standing the person has with God. Two men can be keeping the same Law yet, only one is accepted.
The declaration of righteousness, in other words, standing justified before God, comes only through God's grace through the shed blood of Christ. If it could come through the righteous acts we do then Christ died in vain.
Galatians 2:21 "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.''
Now the problem...
When a person keeps the Law in such as way as to think it's a means to his justification, rather than, through a greatfull heart for being justified already, that person has fallen from grace.
Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
One of the symptoms of this is an unloving, legalistic attitude to others around him.
Don't be DECEIVED...he who is born of God will love and practice righteousness through that love.
1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Let's sum it all up in this...
Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery,'' "You shall not murder,'' "You shall not steal,'' "You shall not bear false witness,'' "You shall not covet,'' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love (BY DEFAULT) is the fulfillment of the law.
Listen closely to both sides of righteousness.
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
He who IS RIGHTEOUS will practice righteousness. No one is declared righteouse by any outward act done outside of belief in Jesus. But one who is righteous, through faith in Jesus, will practice righteousness.
Righteousness, as a declared standing with God, comes only through the blood of Christ but the definition of righteousness is defined by the Law, which not only points out our need for the Savior, but also, sets the standard that allows for the outward practice of righteousness.
If one practices the outward acts of righteousness without first receiving the declaration of righteousness those outward acts of RIGHTEOUSNESS are considered as filthy rags. I capitalized the word (righteousness) because God does call them righteous acts but it's a righteousness that is unacceptable to God not because they are not rigtheous acts, but rather, because of the standing the person has with God. Two men can be keeping the same Law yet, only one is accepted.
The declaration of righteousness, in other words, standing justified before God, comes only through God's grace through the shed blood of Christ. If it could come through the righteous acts we do then Christ died in vain.
Galatians 2:21 "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.''
Now the problem...
When a person keeps the Law in such as way as to think it's a means to his justification, rather than, through a greatfull heart for being justified already, that person has fallen from grace.
Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
One of the symptoms of this is an unloving, legalistic attitude to others around him.
Don't be DECEIVED...he who is born of God will love and practice righteousness through that love.
1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Let's sum it all up in this...
Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery,'' "You shall not murder,'' "You shall not steal,'' "You shall not bear false witness,'' "You shall not covet,'' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love (BY DEFAULT) is the fulfillment of the law.
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