Our Standard of Righteousness

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Red33

Red33

Banned
#1
Jun 24, 2010
3,822
19
0
#1
2Pt 1:1-4

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This is guaranteed to ruffle some feathers because of the sacred cows and golden calves that we have set up in our culture and countries around the world. From God's viewpoint the standard of righteousness that God has given to man is not according to how it treats its people but by how it treats the call and promises of God that have been freely given for sinful man and to raise him up to live by these through faith. Every form of morality and active righteousness that does not come from God' call and the promises of God is a righteousness that does not exceed the moral and religious righteousness that has been set up by man and for man, and is unacceptable by God (Mt 5:20).

God says that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lk 10:27, Rom 13:9, Gal 5;14, Jm 2:8). Do we love our neighbor the same way that we love ourself? If not, then we are living in a moral and ethical righteousness that limits just how far we will go to love our neighbor. How does God test the kind of moral love that we have reigning in our hearts. One way is to locate us near a neighbor that we don't care to associate with, or we have problems relating to or just flat out don't want in our neighborhood or living next door or across the street.

I won't even begin to define the kind of neighbors I am speaking of, but let's just say that they are sinners that have been rejected by others according to the moral standards that society has adopted as to what is good and what is bad. Think of this. All things are of God (1Cor 5:18) and for our sake (1Cor 4:15). Either all things are or they are not. If all things are of God and for our sake, then those living in your neighborhood are of God, even those that live right next door. Are are we going to love them AS we love ourselves or are we going to reject them based upon a standard of moral righteousness that has been adopted by society for community living.

I can see people getting upset already because they have children and they want to live in a safe environment and community that is free from certain elements and kinds of people that are too risky to be around. Look at what (1Cor 1:26-29) says in relationship to the kinds of people that God has called and chosen by His grace and for what purpose they have been chosen...

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men (according to human estimates and standards) after the flesh, not many mighty (having ability and influence), not many noble (born into the higher standards of respected culture), are called:
27 But God hath chosen (deliberately) the foolish (the godless that have no wisdom) things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak (feeble minded) things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (boisterous and heady);
28 And base (insignificant and godless) things of the world, and things which are despised (branded and treated with contempt), hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not (those considered to be nothing in the eyes of others), to bring to nought (cause to cease and be done away) things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Here's the list of those that God choses by His grace. Do any of the following sound like some of your neighbors? Well if it does then these are the ones that God is looking for to chose by His grace so that no flesh can glory in His presence.

God choses...

1- the foolish (the ungodly that have no wisdom) things of the world
2- the weak (feeble minded that have no restraints) things of the world
3- the base (insignificant and godless that know nothing) things of the world
4- things which are despised (those branded and treated with contempt because of their lifestyle)
5- things which are not (those considered to be absolutely nothing in the eyes of others)

I am convicted in my heart because of the scriptures and the written record that we have been given, that these are the ones that God gives to us as neighbors so that He can minister His grace through us and call them unto Himself. Is there mercy in your heart for those that you believe to be most despicable and are despised in your eyes? Jesus Christ was a friend to sinners (Lk 7:34) of these kinds and because of His friendship with them He was accused of the same, but this is whom He came to call (sinners) and not the righteous (Lk 5:32). When God gets to them with His grace and makes them new creatures in Christ through His mercy and the new birth, maybe then you won't have to be afraid of them and think you need to keep protecting your family from them. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, Jesus said.
 
L

Laodicea

Guest
#2
#2
Psalms 119:172
(172) My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
 
C

Crossfire

Guest
#3
#3
Red33 said:
2Pt 1:1-4

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This is guaranteed to ruffle some feathers because of the sacred cows and golden calves that we have set up in our culture and countries around the world. From God's viewpoint the standard of righteousness that God has given to man is not according to how it treats its people but by how it treats the call and promises of God that have been freely given for sinful man and to raise him up to live by these through faith. Every form of morality and active righteousness that does not come from God' call and the promises of God is a righteousness that does not exceed the moral and religious righteousness that has been set up by man and for man, and is unacceptable by God (Mt 5:20).

God says that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lk 10:27, Rom 13:9, Gal 5;14, Jm 2:8). Do we love our neighbor the same way that we love ourself? If not, then we are living in a moral and ethical righteousness that limits just how far we will go to love our neighbor. How does God test the kind of moral love that we have reigning in our hearts. One way is to locate us near a neighbor that we don't care to associate with, or we have problems relating to or just flat out don't want in our neighborhood or living next door or across the street.

I won't even begin to define the kind of neighbors I am speaking of, but let's just say that they are sinners that have been rejected by others according to the moral standards that society has adopted as to what is good and what is bad. Think of this. All things are of God (1Cor 5:18) and for our sake (1Cor 4:15). Either all things are or they are not. If all things are of God and for our sake, then those living in your neighborhood are of God, even those that live right next door. Are are we going to love them AS we love ourselves or are we going to reject them based upon a standard of moral righteousness that has been adopted by society for community living.

I can see people getting upset already because they have children and they want to live in a safe environment and community that is free from certain elements and kinds of people that are too risky to be around. Look at what (1Cor 1:26-29) says in relationship to the kinds of people that God has called and chosen by His grace and for what purpose they have been chosen...

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men (according to human estimates and standards) after the flesh, not many mighty (having ability and influence), not many noble (born into the higher standards of respected culture), are called:
27 But God hath chosen (deliberately) the foolish (the godless that have no wisdom) things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak (feeble minded) things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (boisterous and heady);
28 And base (insignificant and godless) things of the world, and things which are despised (branded and treated with contempt), hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not (those considered to be nothing in the eyes of others), to bring to nought (cause to cease and be done away) things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Here's the list of those that God choses by His grace. Do any of the following sound like some of your neighbors? Well if it does then these are the ones that God is looking for to chose by His grace so that no flesh can glory in His presence.

God choses...

1- the foolish (the ungodly that have no wisdom) things of the world
2- the weak (feeble minded that have no restraints) things of the world
3- the base (insignificant and godless that know nothing) things of the world
4- things which are despised (those branded and treated with contempt because of their lifestyle)
5- things which are not (those considered to be absolutely nothing in the eyes of others)

I am convicted in my heart because of the scriptures and the written record that we have been given, that these are the ones that God gives to us as neighbors so that He can minister His grace through us and call them unto Himself. Is there mercy in your heart for those that you believe to be most despicable and are despised in your eyes? Jesus Christ was a friend to sinners (Lk 7:34) of these kinds and because of His friendship with them He was accused of the same, but this is whom He came to call (sinners) and not the righteous (Lk 5:32). When God gets to them with His grace and makes them new creatures in Christ through His mercy and the new birth, maybe then you won't have to be afraid of them and think you need to keep protecting your family from them. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, Jesus said.
Click to expand...


It helps when you understand that the righteousness of Christ is not a 'what' but rather, a 'who', that 'who' being the Holy Spirit. If that same (Holy) Spirit which resided in Christ now resides in you, both working in and through you, then yes you possess the righteousness of Christ despite your own weaknesses.

HOWEVER, the righteousness of Christ is not a license to sin, never was, never will be. For if we walk / abide in the righteousness of Christ, who is (Holy) Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

Over the centuries, Antinomian teachers have emasculated the Holy Spirit in their theology by stripping Him of His divine qualities (both the fruit and the giftings of the Spirit). They have reduced Him down to an inanimate object, a bunji chord of sorts tied to the feet, keeping one from falling into hell as they willingly indulge in the lusts of their sinful, selfish flesh. Nothing is further from the truth.

If you truly want to understand the righteous of Christ then you first learn to understand the Divine attributes (nature) of the Holy Spirit.
 
Red33

Red33

Banned
#4
Jun 24, 2010
3,822
19
0
#4
In (Rom 1:16,17) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith...

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The righteousness of God is not concerned with sin because the One who put our sin away is our righteousness (1Cor 1:30), but is concerned with the gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation. Through the promise of the gospel of Christ we have become the righteousness of God in Him (1Cor 5:21) and through His words of righteousness we have His faith (Is 45:23, Ps 119:123,172, Rom 10:6-8). Our standard of righteousness is revealed through the promises of faith that have been given to us as adopted sons of God. These promises of faith are all yea and amen and through them we escape the corruption that is in the world and become a partaker of God's divine nature (2Pt 1:4, 2Cor 1:20, 2Cor 7:1).

The righteousness of God is revealed from faith and through faith in God's promises. The just that lives by faith and reveals the righteousness of God are those that live by and inherit the promises of God. To become skillful in the words of righteousness is to be skillful in the promises of God's righteousness (Heb 5:13). We have embraced the gospel of Christ for salvation but have we as believers really learned to embrace all the promises of God to see the righteousness of God revealed through them as we live by them through faith? Many believers still live in fear because they have never embraced the promise of God's love toward, to be perfected in us and casting out all fear (1Jn 4:18). Many do not have peace ruling their mind and emotions because they have never embraced Christ as our peace through the blood of the cross (Eph 2:14,17,6:23, Col 1:20) that goes beyond understanding (Phil 4:7) that keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
C

Crossfire

Guest
#5
#5
Red33 said:
In (Rom 1:16,17) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith...

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The righteousness of God is not concerned with sin because the One who put our sin away is our righteousness (1Cor 1:30), but is concerned with the gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation. Through the promise of the gospel of Christ we have become the righteousness of God in Him (1Cor 5:21) and through His words of righteousness we have His faith (Is 45:23, Ps 119:123,172, Rom 10:6-8). Our standard of righteousness is revealed through the promises of faith that have been given to us as adopted sons of God. These promises of faith are all yea and amen and through them we escape the corruption that is in the world and become a partaker of God's divine nature (2Pt 1:4, 2Cor 1:20, 2Cor 7:1).

The righteousness of God is revealed from faith and through faith in God's promises. The just that lives by faith and reveals the righteousness of God are those that live by and inherit the promises of God. To become skillful in the words of righteousness is to be skillful in the promises of God's righteousness (Heb 5:13). We have embraced the gospel of Christ for salvation but have we as believers really learned to embrace all the promises of God to see the righteousness of God revealed through them as we live by them through faith? Many believers still live in fear because they have never embraced the promise of God's love toward, to be perfected in us and casting out all fear (1Jn 4:18). Many do not have peace ruling their mind and emotions because they have never embraced Christ as our peace through the blood of the cross (Eph 2:14,17,6:23, Col 1:20) that goes beyond understanding (Phil 4:7) that keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Click to expand...


You have yet to answer the question. What or who was / is the righteousness of Christ? I almost certain that you and I both believe in the duality of Christ, that he was both 100% man yet 100% divine. So which part of him was righteous? Was it his earth born flesh or his Spirit which originated from the heavenly father? Considering Jesus was tempted just as all men are tempted, the righteousness of Christ could not have originated with his flesh. That leaves only one other option.

The righteousness of Christ was the Spirit given to him by his heavenly father. In Matthew, scripture states that Mary became with child of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit being the seed which conceived Jesus. Christ was the Holy Spirit adorn (wrapped) in human flesh. It was the indwelling Holy Spirit which allowed Christ access to the heavenlies, to both communicate with the Father and access His miracle working power. It was also the Holy Spirit which raised Christ from the dead on the third day. The righteousness of Christ is the Holy Spirit.

When a believer is saved, he or she receives a portion of the Holy Spirit living inside of them. What is the primary function of the Holy Spirit? To bring us into spiritual maturity (Christ likeness) through the power / process called sanctification. Does sin grieve the Holy Spirit? Oh yes, you better believe it does. Why? Because sin hinders the work (purification process) of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Holy Spirit is the imputed righteousness of Christ. For centuries, bad theology concerning imputed righteous has led many to believe that a person can be 'saved in sin and to sin'. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.