| E-MAIL SERVICE | Sign me up to receive the daily Word of Righteousness free via my E-mail address! ( ONLY AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH ) | |
| ARCHIVES | I want to check out the daily Words of Righteousness for any of the last fourteen days or from previous weeks. ( ENGLISH ONLY ) | |
| FEEDBACK | I have a question or comment about today's Word of Righteousness. ( ENGLISH AND SPANISH ONLY ) | |
| BOOK LIST | I would like to see the complete book list of the Words of Righteousness author Robert B. Thompson. (SOME SPANISH TITLES AVAILABLE ) |
The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Third Way
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:16-21)
In the early chapters of the Book of Romans and in the Book of Galatians the Apostle Paul tears his hair out trying to convince Jewish believers that God can count a person righteous apart from the works of the Law of Moses. Paul used Abraham as his example. He could have used Noah. God deemed Noah righteous long before the giving of the Law of Moses.
In fact, on the basis of Noah's building the Ark, Hebrews tells us Noah was a recipient of the righteousness that comes by faith. Isn't that interesting?
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was deemed righteous because of his faith in God.
I am disgusted with Dispensationalism because it teaches that righteousness by faith is something new God has added!
Righteousness is not an ideal we reach someday. To be righteous merely means to please God—nothing more than this.
God did not require of Noah that he believe in Jesus Christ, or take up His cross and follow Christ, or present his body a living sacrifice, or keep the Law of Moses. Noah was righteous because he loved God and feared God. He did his best to please God. Noah pleased God. Noah was righteous!
This is all Paul was saying about Abraham. Paul did not mean Abraham did nothing but believe. Paul was stressing that righteousness is possible entirely apart from the Law of Moses. Nothing more than this!
As far as righteous behavior is concerned, Paul in several passages of his epistles insisted that if we the believer serves his fleshly impulses he will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Paul was telling the Jews that they could turn away from the Law and receive Christ, because this action is pleasing to God. They can be righteous and ignore the Law of Moses.
We Gentiles think Paul was saying that God saves us because we believe and moral change is not an essential part of salvation. The truth is, it is the moral change that is salvation. There is no salvation apart from moral change. This does not mean we have to change morally to be saved. It means that it is the change that is salvation.
To be continued.