Hi - I hear so many people talk of righteousness. They say I am righteous by faith. This following verse takes the mystery out of righteousness.
There is a problem with the concept of righteousness. First I must start by quoting this verse ---
1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous.
Doing the right thing makes a person righteous. This is the concept of righteousness.
The problem with the misunderstanding of righteousness is the word "imputed".
If you do a study on the word translated "imputed" (strongs 1. Hebrew word # 2803, 2. Greek word # 3049, 3. Greek word # 1677), a person will find that it comes from 3 different Hebrew and Greek words. The Hebrew and Greek languages are translated using the word "Imputed" but this concept is better understood by the modern reader as referring to the concept by using the word "reckoned" or recognized.
The word is better translated as the word "Recognized" as the concept would be understood in the 21st century. As in recognizing a trait that already existed instead of conferring something upon a person that they did not possess already.
The popular and modern misunderstanding of the word "imputed" carries the idea of conferring something upon someone. Whereas the actual verses that use this word that is translated as "imputed" suggest that the concept is not one of conferring an attribute of right standing upon a person, but one of recognizing that the person has done what is necessary to be in right standing.
There are only nine verses in the KJV which translate a word as "imputed" so it is not a very lengthy study.
What this means and how this pertains to the conversation is this -- If someone is recognized as having done the right thing then there is a standard for that right thing. To use another word there is a standard for righteousness. There is a standard for doing what is right as can be understood from 1 Jn 3:7.
This standard is of course the Law.
Now I know it is very popular to say we cannot keep the Law. But that is not so as Deut 30:11 tells us.
De 30:11 (ASV) For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.
Just as an experiment, and along these same lines, try telling a person or for that matter a preacher that it is possible to be blameless before God. Many people were blameless or just as you will find with study. The reason for this is that the Law (even the Law of the Old Testament) told a person how to be forgiven if they transgressed the Law or sinned, 1 Jn 3:4.
So after a person offers the appropriate sacrifice they are forgiven and blameless according to the law of God. They can then be scripturally referred to as righteous by faith. In other words the person who made the appropriate sacrifice had faith that in so doing they would be doing the right thing as God had mandated.
Faith is believing that God exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Jesus said that nothing had passed away from the Law - He also summarized all of the Law in two commands. Love God and neighbor.
The only thing that changed from the Ot to the Nt was the sacrifice that a person offered to God in order to obtain forgiveness.
Many of the Ot Laws are allegorical in nature, but not understanding the Laws allegorical nature does not negate the reality it symbolizes. We may not understand the allegorical nature of many Ot laws and call it legalism when we try to follow them.
Jesus however understood all of the allegorical statement contained in the Ot. Law and He said personally that all the Law and the prophets admonitions are fulfilled when we Love God and Neighbor, Matt 22:36-40 and Rm 13:9.
Mt 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mt 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mt 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mt 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Ro 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
(ASV)
Summed up as in - all the commandments added together equal love for your neighbor.
Respectfully - Brian