Scripture appears to say we are righteous because of our faith.
Paul says righteousness cannot come through obeying the law.
It seems we link righteous to being a good person, not having sin, being perfect.
It has the feeling of being isolated, self contained, self sufficient.
Some say talking about behaviour is just supporting the idea of independence.
In this thinking dependence is salvation, and only exists because we cannot to the
right things and fail, and without this failure we would not need God.
A different view has grown in my thinking. Love and righteousness is about mutual
dependency and interaction. It is about acknowledging mutual giving and receiving
and taking joy in the process and its reality.
So one can obey the law 100% but not actually be loving or connected with others.
So God is saying when we acknowledge our dependency on God, our needs being met
by Him, that independence is the illusion of this world, the denial of what is and how it
all works, it is independence, an identity that is also dependent through love to others
and from others.
Right behaviour reflects this reality when understood from the heart.
We need Christ, the cross, life, food, sun, sleep, shelter, comfort, support, care.
We are integrated, every moment of every day, yet our hearts want to say, I am
important and matter, so I must snatch, steal, struggle, fight, demand, have.
So what does scripture say and how is this expressed.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.
Psalm 40:10
One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.
Proverbs 22:11
I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
John 5:42
just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 5:21
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours
1 Peter 2:2
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Rom 3:25-26
We are made righteous by accepting the atonement of Christ through faith.
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
Acts 10:43
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Heb 10:14
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:10
We are made perfect, we are made holy through Christ and his sacrifice.
This sounds very different from we are sinners continually sinning and defeated
without hope of the slavery being broken until we have a new body at the resurrection.
So who are we believing? Scripture or man? Our struggles or the resurrection of Christ?
Paul says righteousness cannot come through obeying the law.
It seems we link righteous to being a good person, not having sin, being perfect.
It has the feeling of being isolated, self contained, self sufficient.
Some say talking about behaviour is just supporting the idea of independence.
In this thinking dependence is salvation, and only exists because we cannot to the
right things and fail, and without this failure we would not need God.
A different view has grown in my thinking. Love and righteousness is about mutual
dependency and interaction. It is about acknowledging mutual giving and receiving
and taking joy in the process and its reality.
So one can obey the law 100% but not actually be loving or connected with others.
So God is saying when we acknowledge our dependency on God, our needs being met
by Him, that independence is the illusion of this world, the denial of what is and how it
all works, it is independence, an identity that is also dependent through love to others
and from others.
Right behaviour reflects this reality when understood from the heart.
We need Christ, the cross, life, food, sun, sleep, shelter, comfort, support, care.
We are integrated, every moment of every day, yet our hearts want to say, I am
important and matter, so I must snatch, steal, struggle, fight, demand, have.
So what does scripture say and how is this expressed.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.
Psalm 40:10
One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.
Proverbs 22:11
I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
John 5:42
just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 5:21
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours
1 Peter 2:2
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Rom 3:25-26
We are made righteous by accepting the atonement of Christ through faith.
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
Acts 10:43
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Heb 10:14
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:10
We are made perfect, we are made holy through Christ and his sacrifice.
This sounds very different from we are sinners continually sinning and defeated
without hope of the slavery being broken until we have a new body at the resurrection.
So who are we believing? Scripture or man? Our struggles or the resurrection of Christ?