[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]UnderGod, we are not saved by our works, we are saved by our love for Himand each other.[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Micah6:8 may say, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what doesthe LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, andto walk humbly with your God?” But these things are a matter ofworks, which reflect the Law that God gave to Moses. Galatians 2:16makes it clear as to what is required to be saved, when it says, “yetwe know that a person is not justified by works of the law butthrough faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in ChristJesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by worksof the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”Similarly, we ask God through Psalm 143:2 to “Enter not intojudgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous beforeyou.”[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Micah6:8 tells us to do the works that God has prescribed in the Law, butit isn't until we are justified by our faith in God through Jesus,that we may be judged to be righteous. Faith in God through Jesusrequires that we abide by the two great commandments that Jesus putforth in passages like Matthew 22:37-40 in which he says, “Youshall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all yoursoul and with all your mind. This is the great and first [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]commandment.And ha second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Whatis the Law but a matter of works. But it is the two greatcommandments that God looks to see have accepted with their minds andhearts. Having done so, they may be deemed to be righteous. [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Soif the Law is a matter of works upon which our righteousness is notto be judged, than what is its purpose? It's purpose, I tell you, isto enable us to stay out of trouble while we are on earth. We may notbe deemed righteous if we abide by the Law, but if we don't abide bythe Law it's a very good indication that we have no desire to loveGod and each other. [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]TheBible may say that if you love God you will keep His commandments,but that is only the first step. God won't judge you to be righteousuntil you genuinely love Him and each other. 1 John 4:16 says, “Sowe have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. Godis love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides inhim.” John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gavehis only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but haveeternal life.” Who would have eternal life but those that havefaith in God through Jesus' love of Him? And what is righteousnessbut a matter of maintaining one's faith in God through the love ofHim and each other?[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Ourlove of God and each other is the prevailing factor in ourrighteousness. It may encompass things like our works, but it willnot be our works alone that will determine our righteousness and ourbeing saved. [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Micah6:8 may say, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what doesthe LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, andto walk humbly with your God?” But these things are a matter ofworks, which reflect the Law that God gave to Moses. Galatians 2:16makes it clear as to what is required to be saved, when it says, “yetwe know that a person is not justified by works of the law butthrough faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in ChristJesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by worksof the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”Similarly, we ask God through Psalm 143:2 to “Enter not intojudgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous beforeyou.”[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Micah6:8 tells us to do the works that God has prescribed in the Law, butit isn't until we are justified by our faith in God through Jesus,that we may be judged to be righteous. Faith in God through Jesusrequires that we abide by the two great commandments that Jesus putforth in passages like Matthew 22:37-40 in which he says, “Youshall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all yoursoul and with all your mind. This is the great and first [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]commandment.And ha second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Whatis the Law but a matter of works. But it is the two greatcommandments that God looks to see have accepted with their minds andhearts. Having done so, they may be deemed to be righteous. [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Soif the Law is a matter of works upon which our righteousness is notto be judged, than what is its purpose? It's purpose, I tell you, isto enable us to stay out of trouble while we are on earth. We may notbe deemed righteous if we abide by the Law, but if we don't abide bythe Law it's a very good indication that we have no desire to loveGod and each other. [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]TheBible may say that if you love God you will keep His commandments,but that is only the first step. God won't judge you to be righteousuntil you genuinely love Him and each other. 1 John 4:16 says, “Sowe have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. Godis love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides inhim.” John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gavehis only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but haveeternal life.” Who would have eternal life but those that havefaith in God through Jesus' love of Him? And what is righteousnessbut a matter of maintaining one's faith in God through the love ofHim and each other?[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri, sans-serif]Ourlove of God and each other is the prevailing factor in ourrighteousness. It may encompass things like our works, but it willnot be our works alone that will determine our righteousness and ourbeing saved. [/FONT]