Because as Katy correctly pointed out to Chris, "He who practices righteousness IS (already) righteous. This is confirmation, not a condition. Those who are born of God (saved) WILL practice righteousness (this is the evidence), not that one practices righteousness in order to be saved."
Those who are born of God practice righteousness BECAUSE they are righteous and not in order to become righteous. Certain people get this backwards and confuse descriptive passages of scripture with prescriptive passages of scripture. Practicing righteousness is not forced or legalistic for those who are born of God.
NO!
It is NOT a confirmation.
GOD HAS CONDITIONS.
There are conditions to belonging to the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 6:33 ESV / 117 helpful votes
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
John 18:36 ESV / 83 helpful votes
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Romans 14:17 ESV / 79 helpful votes
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Mark 1:15 ESV / 74 helpful votes
And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Luke 17:20-21 ESV / 64 helpful votes
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
1 Corinthians 6:9 ESV / 44 helpful votes
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
Matthew 6:9-13 ESV / 41 helpful votes
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Revelation 21:1-4 ESV / 37 helpful votes
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Matthew 16:19 ESV / 36 helpful votes
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Acts 28:31 ESV / 31 helpful votes
Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Romans 2:6-8 ESV / 28 helpful votes
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.Matthew 25:34 ESV / 28 helpful votes
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Psalm 103:19 ESV / 27 helpful votes
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Daniel 7:27 ESV / 26 helpful votes
And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’
Luke 13:28-29 ESV / 25 helpful votes
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:10 ESV / 22 helpful votes
Nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
John 14:6 ESV / 21 helpful votes
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 11:25-26 ESV / 19 helpful votes
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
1 Corinthians 15:50 ESV / 18 helpful votes
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Revelation 21:3-4 ESV / 16 helpful votes
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Acts 28:23 ESV / 16 helpful votes
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
Matthew 5:8 ESV / 16 helpful votes
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Psalm 115:16 ESV / 16 helpful votes
The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.
Galatians 3:27-29 ESV / 14 helpful votes
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
Galatians 1:8-9 ESV / 14 helpful votes
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Romans 5:8 ESV / 14 helpful votes
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 6:50-71 ESV / 14 helpful votes
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ...
Matthew 5:5 ESV / 14 helpful votes
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
2 Peter 3:13 ESV / 13 helpful votes
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
James 2:20-24 ESV / 13 helpful votes
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV / 13 helpful votes
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Romans 14:17-19 ESV / 13 helpful votes
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
John 6:67-71 ESV / 12 helpful votes
So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
John 5:24 ESV / 12 helpful votes
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 3:13 ESV / 12 helpful votes
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
Matthew 18:4 ESV / 12 helpful votes
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 13:47-50 ESV / 12 helpful votes
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Romans 4:13 ESV / 11 helpful votes
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Acts 2:34 ESV / 11 helpful votes
For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,
Luke 17:21 ESV / 11 helpful votes
Nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Acts 19:8 ESV / 10 helpful votes
And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
Amos 9:11 ESV / 10 helpful votes
“In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,
Isaiah 45:18 ESV / 10 helpful votes
For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Revelation 3:21 ESV / 9 helpful votes
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
1 Peter 2:1-25 ESV / 9 helpful votes
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...
2 Samuel 7:12-16 ESV / 9 helpful votes
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
Acts 1:6 ESV / 8 helpful votes
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
John 3:1-36 ESV / 8 helpful votes
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ...
Luke 6:20 ESV / 8 helpful votes
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Ezekiel 36:24-28 ESV / 8 helpful votes
I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Psalm 37:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes
For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Revelation 1:5-6 ESV / 7 helpful votes
And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Jude 1:7 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Hebrews 12:28 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Hebrews 12:22 ESV / 7 helpful votes
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
Romans 1:24-27 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ...
John 17:24 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Mark 10:25 ESV / 7 helpful votes
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark 9:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Matthew 13:11 ESV / 7 helpful votes
And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Matthew 11:28 ESV / 7 helpful votes
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 7:13-14 ESV / 7 helpful votes
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 5:20 ESV / 7 helpful votes
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 4:17 ESV / 7 helpful votes
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Genesis 13:14-15 ESV / 7 helpful votes
The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.
Revelation 21:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
James 2:25-26 ESV / 6 helpful votes
And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Titus 3:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one ano
