FAITH IS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS… WORKS ARE FOR WAGES- Rom.4:1-4

HNewsWire: In my last message studying in Romans detailing Paul’s statement regarding his teaching about what it means to be “a doer of the law”, I explained in the context of ch.1, 2, and 3 that being a doer of the law is to trust God and love as God does. And has nothing to do with keeping the letter of the law. Or said another way, righteousness has nothing to do with works. In Paul’s letter to the Romans this is exactly what he wants us to find. That the Jews who were given the law that began to think keeping it equated to righteousness, needed to know that righteousness has nothing to do with works. And that if they did not get this they would never have eternal life. Let me repeat that. If people do not come…

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Rom.10–CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW ON RIGHTEOUSNESS’ BEHALF–VS.4

It’s true. Christ brought an end to the law to make the righteousness that is of faith without works the focal point no one can miss. So it was on behalf of the righteousness that is by faith that Jesus died. In this 10th ch of Romans Paul begins by again letting us know who he is writing this letter to. Saying to his believing Israelite brethren, 10 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Just as he told them at the beginning of ch.9. This is his pattern throughout this letter. And in vs.2 he says he sees their zeal for God saying, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God.” But, there is a problem. Because Paul says their zeal for God is “not according to knowledge.”…

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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DOER OF THE LAW- ROM.2:13

Did you know that the Bible shows that even when keeping the law you may still be a transgressor of the law? And did you know that virtually all of the churches have fallen into this transgression of the law by “the deceitfulness of sin”? It’s true. So the Jews that heard did not enter in because of unbelief. And because many now believe that the reason Jesus had to die was to pay a penalty for sin, so that they still need to continually confess sin. Because they have been deceived to believe this is the reason that they are going to hell. By this they do the same thing many Jews did while under the law. Creating a form of Judaism for gentiles. Where men look to the law, rather than the one who gave the law, for…

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OUR DEFINITION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS INCLUDES WORKS?

How do you attain righteousness. By works? Or by faith? Let’s do an examination and see, ok? Do you believe when Paul taught none are righteous it was because all fall short of God’s perfect standard of law keeping? If you do then you have missed the mark as surely as anyone who says there is no God.   In Rom.4 Paul taught that righteousness is only attained by faith. He says that Abraham was righteous because he believed God. And that if it were by works, and in this case Paul is not referring to works of the law because Abraham was before there was law, Abraham would have grounds to boast.   In John17:3 Jesus said eternal life is knowing God. In Gal.3:21 Paul said life and righteousness are synonymous. In John6:28,29 Jesus said the work they must…

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A LIBERATING SERVITUDE

By Edward O’Hara… In Rom.6 and 2Cor.3 Paul speaks of the liberty that is only found in Christ. Saying in Rom.6 that, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”. But, how is it possible that we can be free while being a servant? Can a servant be truly free? As contrary as this may sound to our natural mind the answer is yes he can. And Paul shows us how this happens by showing us that we are only truly free when we are servants of righteousness. Because it is by righteousness that we are no longer subject to mortality and it’s natural desires. And righteousness is knowing God. So being a slave to righteousness is to know God.  Jesus showed us this when He said in John17:3 “This is eternal life. That ye might know Him…

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THE WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN THAT LEADS TO DEATH

Edward O’Hara… Proverbs14:12 says are the ways of death. Isaiah told Israel that their righteousness’ were as filthy rags in Isaiah64:6. Paul told them that know the law that they be joined with Christ when they are dead to the law. And that only when they are joined to Christ  can they bring forth fruit unto God in Rom.7:4. There is a clue in this verse that will help us understand why God accepted Abel’s offering. But, not Cain’s. It also helps us to understand why in Rom.9 Paul says that God hated Esau but loved Jacob.  It is because Cain and Esau represents the righteousness of works, and Abel and Jacob represents the righteousness of faith. Check it out. I am sure it will be a blessing to you. Paul also said that the law is not made for the righteous…

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ISAIAH’S FILTHY RAGS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY WORKS

Edward O’Hara… When Paul spoke of his righteousness that came from his blameless law keeping in Phil.3:6 he said that it was both “dung” and “loss” compared to knowing Jesus. And when Isaiah spoke of the righteousness of the Israelites as “filthy rags” he was not speaking of bad behavior as some have been led to believe. He was speaking of their keeping the law blamelessly just as Paul did. It was because they thought that the righteousness they gained from it was the righteousness that made them acceptable to God that it was filthy rags to God. Because works have never been the means for the righteousness that makes men acceptable to God. Righteousness unto eternal life has always been by grace through faith. Even though while under the Old Covenant it was also necessary that Israel keep the…

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WHY DOES DEATH STILL REIGN EVEN AFTER MEN ARE CLEANSED FROM ALL SIN?

Edward O’Hara Mon 2/10/2020 1:14 PM… In 1John1:9 John says that when Israelites confess their sins Jesus is faithful and just to forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness. In Heb.9:15 we read that Jesus “is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” And in 2 Cor.5:21 we read “For he hath made him be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” So the question is since for those who have believed in Jesus all sin has been forgiven and cleansed, and the transgressions under the law were all redeemed by the death of Christ, and we are righteous in Christ, why do…

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