Something which many Christians forget is that (1) when we are JUSTIFIED we receive the righteousness of Christ but (2) while we are being SANCTIFIED it is God the Holy Spirit who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12,13)
Which means that none of us can produce our own righteousness at any point, and when God sees our righteousnesses, they appear as "filthy rags".
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12,13)
Which means that none of us can produce our own righteousness at any point, and when God sees our righteousnesses, they appear as "filthy rags".
Amen Nehemiah. I believe when we believers walk in our self righteousness (and many of us have done it for years until we learn about the grace of God that teaches us otherwise) we dismiss the grace of God and put ourselves under the law. We do it ourselves. I believe God always sees us in the righteousness of Christ but when we as Christians believe we are "due" because of our own good works, we walk outside of grace here on earth and miss the blessings Jesus died to give us in the here and now because we try to get it by our works.
That is why many are weak and sickly among us and many sleep. (die) Giving Jesus the honor by acknowledging Him and not "our" worthiness via our works... then allows God to direct our paths. If I don't acknowledge Jesus in all my ways., He won't be able to direct my paths. Not that He doesn't WANT to but He requires the obedience of faith in this new covenant of grace we New Testament believers live under .
When so many of us have tried to live by the "obedience of the law or flesh" we couldn't understand why God didn't direct our paths. We wonder why we were not blessed in learning and teaching and healing and answered prayer etc.... it's because we went to God thinking He would honor us for our works of the flesh and pay us back for our works in the flesh...giving us our 'due' When what is required of us in this new covenant is OBEDIENCE of FAITH...believing and having faith in Christ and His righteousness we received as a GIFT., Having our eyes opened to the truth that it is because of Christ we have all things pertaining to life and Godliness....not our self righteousness and the fruit of that.
Fruits of the flesh look good and even feels good. It looks good and feels good to our flesh when we tithed or when we worked at church or donated our car or were in church when the doors were open., or when we taught Sunday School .. or when we were elders or deacons or pastors... it all looked good and right when we obeyed the 10 commandments.
But many of us have done those things in our own strength and thought it counted and we would be rewarded for "our" hard work. Romans 4:14-15
For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified for the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is their violation.
And yet., new covenant believers are living under the old covenant of law and teaching the 10 Commandments (teaching death) when they should be teaching about the grace and truth and righteousness that Jesus brought freeing us from the law of sin and death. The reason it is death is because to follow it and believe 'it' is getting us points with God will nullify grace.
If we only had known it is because of Christ that we are righteous., His righteousness is what we need to walk in and not our own when we sit or stand.
I've discovered it is because of Jesus I have anything., can do anything or be anything. It's that acknowledgment God sees and God blesses. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. The righteous shall live by faith., We obey the law of faith.., I've been learning God is not pleased with anything but faith in the finished work of His Son.
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