Why Righteousness is Attained Simply by Faith and not by Law.

[crossnote]

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. Romans 9:30-32

Some of you who insist that righteousness before God comes through Law-Keeping, had better rethink.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

When Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth and told them the end of the age has come upon them (1 Corinthians 10:11), this should cause us to realize that we are running on fumes at this very moment. Many have come in by Way of the Cross, but have gone out through the many other ways offered by Satan, the world and the lust of their flesh (2 Peter 2:21). They have abandoned the Cross for other things. Phil. 3:17-18

As I stated before, when I talk about placing your Faith in Christ, 100% understand that. When I talk about placing your Faith in the Cross, 99% on this form don’t have the foggiest idea what you are talking about. They think you are talking about a wooden beam, or they will say, we must go beyond the Cross (the Blood of Jesus), or add to it...it is the same with most who say I am a Christian.

 

[Dino246]

When Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth and told them the end of the age has come upon them (1 Corinthians 10:11), this should cause us to realize that we are running on fumes at this very moment. Many have come in by Way of the Cross, but have gone out through the many other ways offered by Satan, the world and the lust of their flesh (2 Peter 2:21). They have abandoned the Cross for other things. Phil. 3:17-18

As I stated before, when I talk about placing your Faith in Christ, 100% understand that. When I talk about placing your Faith in the Cross, 99% on this form don’t have the foggiest idea what you are talking about. They think you are talking about a wooden beam, or they will say, we must go beyond the Cross (the Blood of Jesus), or add to it...it is the same with most who say I am a Christian.

Maybe if you stopped quoting Jimmy Swaggart's aberrant ramblings and started focusing on the plain biblical text, you would find that far more people know what you're talking about. The cross never did anything for me, but Jesus Christ did everything.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

The Apostle Paul clearly states in Romans 2:16 these words, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Let me repeat this because this is very, very, important! Paul said the person will be judge by his gospel! Which is the "Message of the Cross." Christ Crucified! In other words, was your Faith placed and maintained exclusively in Christ and the Cross of Calvary where the victory was won. No other way will God award Righteousness to the Believer.

 

[Mii]

The Apostle Paul clearly states in Romans 2:16 these words, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Let me repeat this because this is very, very, important! Paul said the person will be judge by his gospel! Which is the "Message of the Cross." Christ Crucified! In other words, was your Faith placed and maintained exclusively in Christ and the Cross of Calvary where the victory was won. No other way will God award Righteousness to the Believer.

I don't understand why you think most Christians would disagree with the propitiation (which I presume is what you mean with the cross).

Like if you mean Christ was crucified, died, and rose and is now seated in heavenly places at the right hand of the father...that makes sense. I don't know many believers that would say otherwise (if any) although the focus may be different in how someone understands and to what degree of each element and some would disagree on components in general and suggest that it must all be viewed as a whole and cannot be understood piecemeal. I myself do not know, I find the Lord allows for viewing components of an equation (like a math teacher) but that some people just "get the math". Does that make any sense?

 

[oyster67]

The Message of the Cross is the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. This is not complicated at all. Jesus is the only Way because He is God and his perfect Atonement is the only Way. Everything meshes perfectly.

 

[crossnote]

When Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth and told them the end of the age has come upon them (1 Corinthians 10:11), this should cause us to realize that we are running on fumes at this very moment. Many have come in by Way of the Cross, but have gone out through the many other ways offered by Satan, the world and the lust of their flesh (2 Peter 2:21). They have abandoned the Cross for other things. Phil. 3:17-18

As I stated before, when I talk about placing your Faith in Christ, 100% understand that. When I talk about placing your Faith in the Cross, 99% on this form don’t have the foggiest idea what you are talking about. They think you are talking about a wooden beam, or they will say, we must go beyond the Cross (the Blood of Jesus), or add to it...it is the same with most who say I am a Christian.

I agree in part, as many will start at Mt. Calvary but quickly revert to Mt. Sinai. IOW, they start crucified with Christ but in no time are running the race in their own strength.

 

[Guojing]

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. Romans 9:30-32

Some of you who insist that righteousness before God comes through Law-Keeping, had better rethink.

Using Hebrews 11 as examples,

If Abel had faith but did not offer the correct blood sacrifice, would God have accepted him?

If Noah had faith that a flood was coming but did not build an ark, would he have been saved?

If Abraham had faith that God was speaking to him, but he did not leave the land he came from, would he have been saved?

 

[Nehemiah6]

Some of you who insist that righteousness before God comes through Law-Keeping, had better rethink.

Romans 4 is another good place for this teaching.

 

[GracethroughfaithinChrist]

Romans 1:17
For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

 

[p_rehbein]

Faith, belief, trust.............interchangeable, and what Gods Salvation Plan expects from man. These MUST be continuous and not just a one time thing. The Law can never save, it was never meant to save, but to instruct and to reveal the sin of man and his need for Gods saving grace.

Those who choose to live by the Law shall be judged by the Law according to Scripture. Sadly, that will not serve them well on that day of Judgement.

 

[crossnote]

Using Hebrews 11 as examples,

If Abel had faith but did not offer the correct blood sacrifice, would God have accepted him?

If Noah had faith that a flood was coming but did not build an ark, would he have been saved?

If Abraham had faith that God was speaking to him, but he did not leave the land he came from, would he have been saved?

Abel's faith moved him to offer the correct sacrifice. This and your other two are just hypotheticals built on contradictory premises.

 

[crossnote]

Romans 4 is another good place for this teaching.

As well as Galatians 3.

 

[Guojing]

Abel's faith moved him to offer the correct sacrifice. This and your other two are just hypotheticals built on contradictory premises.

So faith required works then, before the mystery that was revealed to Paul that, BUT NOW, the righteousness thru faith apart from works is finally revealed to mankind.

 

[crossnote]

So faith required works then, before the mystery that was revealed to Paul that, BUT NOW, the righteousness thru faith apart from works is finally revealed to mankind.

Faith requires a promise from God. Once the promise is believed it motivates a person to good works. But we are never reckoned righteous by those works (OT or NT) but only by that initial faith.
No, faith, just as Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday and today. Hebrews 11 only repudiates those who try to make a case that reckoned righteousness involved works in the OT but not the NT.

 

[JaumeJ]

Nothing is gained from the law by any other than Jesus/Yeshua except frustration,. I have always posted to this understanding but it seems to land on deaf, dumb and blind ones.

 

[BlessedCreator]

I don't think anyone is debating if we are under the law of Moses. At least I havent seen it being preached but rarely.

We are not under the law or 10 commandments given to Moses but we under the law of liberty.

James 2:12 KJB
"So speak you, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."

"On the phrase, "the law of liberty," see the notes at James 1:25. Compare the notes at James 4:11. The meaning is, that in all our conduct we are to act under the constant impression of the truth that we are soon to be brought into judgment, and that the law by which we are to be judged is that by which it is contemplated that we shall be set free from the dominion of sin. In the rule which God has laid down in his word, called "the law of liberty," or the rule by which true freedom is to be secured, a system of religion is revealed by which it is designed that man shall be emancipated not only from one sin, but from all. Now, it is with reference to such a law that we are to be judged; that is, we shall not be able to plead on our trial that we were under a necessity of sinning, but we shall be judged under that law by which the arrangement was made that we might be free from sin. If we might be free from sin; if an arrangement was made by which we could have led holy lives, then it will be proper that we shall be judged and condemned if we are not righteous. The sense is, "In all your conduct, whatever you do or say, remember that you are to be judged, or that you are to give an impartial account; and remember also that the rule by which you are to be judged is that by which provision is made for being delivered from the dominion of sin, and brought into the freedom of the gospel." The argument here seems to be, that he who habitually feels that he is soon to be judged by a law under which it was contemplated that he might be, and should be, free from the bondage of sin, has one of the strongest of all inducements to lead a holy life."-Barnes commentary on James 2:12

We are saved by faith. Faith means to have trust and confidence in God. To be able to trust in God you must have a good conscience toward Him. To have a good conscience toward God you must obey Him.

Obeying God is what is being spoken of in James 2:26 when it says faith without works is dead. The works are not any righteous or holy works of our own but keeping the commandments of God so we can have a good conscience toward Him allowing us to truly be able to trust in Him. Because He tells us that those that disobey Him cannot trust in Him. As proven in verses such as Matthew 25:30 & Revelatipn 21:8.

It's all about obedience to God. Want His Spirit? Obey Him. Want faith? Obey Him. Want grace (His favor)? Obey Him.

Acts 5:32 KJB
"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him."

Marthew 7:14 KJB
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

1 John 2:17 KJB
"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

 

[Guojing]

Faith requires a promise from God. Once the promise is believed it motivates a person to good works. But we are never reckoned righteous by those works (OT or NT) but only by that initial faith.
No, faith, just as Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday and today. Hebrews 11 only repudiates those who try to make a case that reckoned righteousness involved works in the OT but not the NT.

Going back to Abel, let's see how Hebrews 11 described his faith

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

God did not testify of his belief, his right attitude, etc. He testified of the sacrifice he offered. Going back to the original story of what happened, look at what God spoke to Cain in Genesis 4

6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him

You cannot escape what God literally told Cain. God did not tell Cain to "believe well", he told Cain to "do well", meaning do the same as Abel and bring the correct sacrifice, and Cain will be accepted just like Abel.

Faith without works was dead, until Christ came and revealed to Paul the mystery of the grace dispensation.

I totally agree with you, we are living in the BUT NOW period, yes, we are righteous by faith in Jesus's finished work alone. But there is no need to anticipate revelation and assume that must also be the case before the cross.

 

[crossnote]

Going back to Abel, let's see how Hebrews 11 described his faith

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

God did not testify of his belief, his right attitude, etc. He testified of the sacrifice he offered. Going back to the original story of what happened, look at what God spoke to Cain in Genesis 4

6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him

You cannot escape what God literally told Cain. God did not tell Cain to "believe well", he told Cain to "do well", meaning do the same as Abel and bring the correct sacrifice, and Cain will be accepted just like Abel.

Faith without works was dead, until Christ came and revealed to Paul the mystery of the grace dispensation.

I totally agree with you, we are living in the BUT NOW period, yes, we are righteous by faith in Jesus's finished work alone. But there is no need to anticipate revelation and assume that must also be the case before the cross.

In Heb 11:4 God testified of Abel’s faith (reckoned him righteous on account of his faith), not the sacrifice he offered. His sacrifice was acceptable on the basis of faith.

this may clear it up for you from the Amplified...

Hebrews 11:4 AMPC
[4] [Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous [that he was upright and in right standing with God], and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet [through the incident] he is still speaking.

 

[Guojing]

In Heb 11:4 God testified of Abel’s faith (reckoned him righteous on account of his faith), not the sacrifice he offered. His sacrifice was acceptable on the basis of faith.

this may clear it up for you from the Amplified...

Hebrews 11:4 AMPC
[4] [Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous [that he was upright and in right standing with God], and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet [through the incident] he is still speaking.

If what you are saying is the critical point, then what God told Cain would make no sense.

If Abel believed God but offered vegetables just like Cain, he would have been rejected. The sacrifice was "better and more acceptable" as the AMP stated. You are adding your own interpretation by saying "His sacrifice was acceptable on the basis of faith."

God did not tell Cain to believe right, but to do right.