An interesting fact about Abraham being declared righteous by God Himself is that he was declared to be righteous by God because Abraham "believed God " - 15 years before he "offered up Isaac".
His faith was completed as a result of already being declared righteous by God. Knowing the truth about what God says about us releases true faith to grow and be manifested.
As his faith is being continually applied towards God by believing in Him.
True righteousness which comes only from God's work in Christ always comes when we believe what God says is true. There are "fruits of righteousness" as James talks about which shows up in helping our fellow man in need but they do not create righteousness.
Being righteous in Christ comes first because of His work on the cross and resurrection. Getting this backwards creates a religion of self-righteousness and actually denies the work of Christ Himself.
Preach and teach the good news that Christ alone is our righteousness ...........
But herein is the crucible; what happens when saved believers preach receiving the Holy Spirit separate from salvation with the evidence of tongues? Or what if they preached "another" baptism with the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues?
Is this not a departure from this faith in Jesus Christ that we had received the promise of the Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ at our salvation?
Is this not a departure from the faith as if preaching Christ alone of what He has done on the cross is not enough? That saved believers have to seek this promise by the sign of tongues? And yet Paul says that tongues were never to serve as a sign to believers, but as a sign to the unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 14:[SUP]20 [/SUP]Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.[SUP] 21 [/SUP]In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord
.[SUP]22 [/SUP]Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Can seeking an extra work by a sign of tongues be denying the promise of the Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ at our salvation?
Is that not denying the work of Christ at the cross just to receive the Spirit apart from salvation for any other sensational sign in the flesh?
As you have said
Being righteous in Christ comes first because of His work on the cross and resurrection. Getting this backwards creates a religion of self-righteousness and actually denies the work of Christ Himself.
Preach and teach the good news that Christ alone is our righteousness........
Romans 8:[SUP]9 [/SUP]But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
John 7:[SUP]38 [/SUP]He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.[SUP]
39 [/SUP]
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Either we believe Him that we had received the promise of the Spirit at our salvation by faith in Him or we depart from that faith in Him in seeking to receive that promise by a sign of tongues which has separated them from other saved believers by a sign of tongues as an extra work apart from salvation that denies Him. Something to prayerfully reconsidered by praying normally at that throne of grace to the Lord Jesus Christ for wisdom & discernment on this.