BY EDWARD O’HARA
I want to get one thing out of the way right off the bat. We should know from a simple search in any concordance that the root word in Greek for righteousness and the Greek word for justified is the same word. It is transliterated dikaioo and means both justified and righteous.
And several descriptions for this are given in scripture. But, only one leads to life. And this is what we are going to learn today. One is where Isaiah tells Israel that their belief in works righteousness it is filthy rags. This is the same righteousness being described in Rom.7 that Paul says leaves them the wretched man still in need of deliverance.
Another is the righteousness seen in Rom.2:14 achieved by gentiles who from experience become a law unto themselves. A sharp poke in the eye teaches a man he doesn’t want to be poked again. So he learns not to poke others. It still refers to works but this time it is in the way Jesus meant when He said “do unto others as you would have them do to you.”
This righteousness will not lead to life. But, it does serve as a means to keep people civil in their behavior toward one another. And is the same reason for which God gave Israel the law.
But, the righteousness we want to focus on is the righteousness that is the sole means for eternal life. This righteousness is what Paul writes about in Gal.2:16 when he says that a man is “justified by the faith of Christ”. And again where he says that there was never a law given that could make a man righteousness in Gal.3:21.
He is saying that both righteousness and justification are by the faith of Christ. We will return to this later. The scripture makes it clear that it is our relationship with Jesus that is righteousness.
But, sadly even though it is clearly taught in scripture pastors and the seminaries from which they derive their education do not teach this. Because it does not fit in their original sin/sin nature paradigm.
Instead they are busy teaching the false doctrine of original sin and sin nature. And the false works righteousness that results from these doctrines that lead men away from the truth of the gospel rather than into it.
This is seen in their belief that Jesus did the work to make men righteous in our place. By His perfect law keeping and death. Making
in Gal.2:16 and 3:21. Where Paul tells us that it is “the faith of Christ” that justifies us for eternal life. And that if righteousness comes through works then eternal life must also come by works. Adding that there was never a law given that could give life.
The reason Paul says there was never a law given that could give life is given by Jesus in John17:3 where He explains what it really is that can give a man eternal life. He says, “This is eternal life. That ye may know the one true God and His son whom he hath sent.”
And we again have Jesus as our witness to this fact when He proclaimed to the Jews, “13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Here Jesus has confirmed for us that workers of iniquity are those who have believed that works have anything to do with being acceptable to God. And that because they believed this Jesus never knew them.
And who are these ravening wolves Jesus speaks of? They are teachers who will tell you that righteousness is achieved by works. And their subtlety is revealed when they attribute those works to Jesus instead of the man himself. And your faith for that works righteousness to be what makes Jesus’ works righteousness to be imputed to you.
These ravening wolves say things like “we are saved by the work of Christ.” And “Jesus lived the perfect life in our place so His righteousness could be imputed to us.” These sayings are the subtlety of the serpent. And have no place in the faith of the believer for righteousness unto eternal life.
Because as Paul clearly says in Rom.4:1-5 righteousness unto eternal life is not imputed, it is reckoned. Which means that God considers us to actually be righteous by our believing in Jesus and His resurrection.
Because when we do this we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus. Because this shows we have also believed He has conquered death for us through His resurrection.
Again as I said earlier referencing Gal.2:16 this righteousness/justification is ours by the faith of Christ. This does not mean His faith for righteousness is imputed to us when we believe in Him. What this actually means is that when we believe in Jesus the same way Jesus trusted the Father we are righteous in every way that Jesus was.
So we are justified/righteous by simply believing in Jesus for eternal life. And believing in Jesus is to know and trust in Him. Just as He knew and trusted in the Father. This is the faith of Christ by which man is justified/righteous.
This is why our relationship with Jesus is our righteousness. And has nothing to do with our own works. Or the works of the law that Jesus did while living as a man under the law that false teachers say are imputed to us.
If then you want to be righteous to have eternal life you must trust in Jesus and His resurrection. You must believe that what His justification of the ungodly really means is that when an ungodly man comes into relationship with Him by confessing the Lord Jesus and believing in his heart that He has raised from the dead he is a justified man. He is righteous.
Do this and you will be saved. If you will do this then you will be made a child of God by the second birth Jesus spoke of in John3:1-8 and heir to His kingdom. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!
This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v7go960-churches-dont-teach-it-because-thier-belief-system-wont-allow-it-gal.321.html
