A Righteousness By Faith

[Sue J Love]

“What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” (Romans 9:30-33 NIV)

I believe that, for us who did not grow up as Jews under the Old Covenant law, this subject of law and grace, and law and faith, can be a somewhat confusing subject. And I find that there appear to be two extremes which are taught as the truth of the matter. On one end is legalism in which people feel that they have to do a certain amount of what they term “good works” in order to earn their salvation. And on the opposite extreme are those who believe erroneously that no works are required under grace and faith.

But the truth lies in the middle of those two extremes. And here is the thing. It is true that when Jesus Christ died on that cross, and he was resurrected from the dead in victory over sin and death, that he did away with the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions, which included the requirement of the circumcision of all males. But when he died he died to deliver us out of our slavery to sin so that we will now serve him with our lives in walks of obedience to his commands.

So he did away with the Old Covenant Law, but he did not do away with all law and all commands, and with obedience to him and death to sin under the New Covenant. For we still have to submit to God’s law under the New Covenant, and we still have to obey his commandments. But we don’t do “good deeds” just hoping that will get us into heaven. We do the good deeds which God requires of us because, by faith in Jesus Christ, we have died with him to sin and we now love him and we want to obey and serve him.

But love and obedience to our Lord, and dying with him to sin, are not optional, either. They are commanded of God of all who profess faith in the Lord Jesus. For faith, which comes from God, and which is persuaded of God, is not just lip service. By faith we obey our Lord and we do what he says and we die with him to sin and we now follow him where he leads us. For faith = obedience, and disobedience = unbelief (1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Romans 6:1-23; Luke 9:23-26; 1 John 2:3-6).

So, here’s the deal. No amount of works of our own choosing coming from our own flesh will ever get any of us saved from our sins and heaven as our eternal destiny. And “works” are usually things which are external and which have no impact on our minds, souls, and behaviors. A modern day example might be teachings which say we have to attend an institutional church building every Saturday or Sunday, and we have to perform certain religious rituals tied to certain denominations or we will be regarded as heathen.

But just because you build a building and you call it “church” it does not make it “the church,” the universal body of believers in Jesus Christ. And it does not mean that it is operating as the biblical church at all. Many of so called “churches” are nothing more than businesses of men incorporated (partnered with) under the state being marketed to the world just like other businesses. And many of them have become very worldly in order to attract the people of the world to their gatherings. This is not biblical “church.”

But legalism says we have to be inside the doors of one of these “churches” every week or we are in disobedience to the Lord. Not true! What the Bible teaches is that we are to gather daily with the body of believers in Christ Jesus, but for the purpose of mutual edification. This is a time spent with other Christians where we should all be given opportunity to use our Spiritual gifts in the areas of ministry given and assigned to us by God. And we should be exhorting one another in our walks of faith and obedience.

And both faith and obedience involve works, but they are the works of the Spirit (of God) which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them as his workmanship (Ephesians 2:10; cf. Titus 2:11-14). We are not saved by our works, but we are saved to do the good works which God prepared for us to do, which engages us walking in obedience to his commands and us no longer living in sin, according to our sinful flesh. And God will judge us by our works, too (Romans 2:6-8; Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4-10).

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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A Righteousness By Faith
An Original Work / February 18, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love