Let's not read too much into 1Cor1:30--"And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption." The righteousness of Jesus is Jesus'. You do not have the righteousness of one who died for His neighbor. It is not our's! Rev19:8 reveals that there is such a thing as "the righteous acts of the saints." Those who had genuine love, did them.
And Paul's statement "I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10) is basically modesty on the part of Paul, who was struggling to impress upon the Pharisees the merits of faith in Jesus, who did the first work of sanctifying us as children of God, born-again. Paul is very clear in Rom6:18 (and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness) and Rom6:22 (But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life) that "the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He [Jesus] is righteous (1Jn3:7).
The imputed righteousness of Christ was good in so far as it was necessary to wipe away all our sins up until the time we are born again, is concerned. The work of belief (John 6:29) in faith, that we mustered at that time is only diaper righteousness; it is a righteousness (Rom5:19) that we cannot boast about (Eph2:8).
As for the Imputed righteousness of Christ Himself, it is spent as an atonement for wiping away "sins previously committed" (Romans 3:25; 2Pet1:9).
We need imparted righteousness from then on to "further clothe" ourselves "so that what is mortal will be swallowed up with life" (2 Corinthians 5:4 ESV). Imparted righteousness is simply the works that the Holy Spirit tells us to do or not to do. These are good works that the Bride of Jesus should adorn herself with (1 Timothy 2:9-10). In the final analysis, these righteous acts are the fine linen, bright and clean that the saints will wear (Revelation 19:8). He who does not have these wedding garments on, will be thrown into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13).
So the question to ask yourself is: Are you in your first birthday dress or your wedding dress?
Added after 3 hours 47 minutes:
John oxios wrote: | Quote: |
caleb.motupalli wrote: | Quote: | You see, we have to do God's work God's way, otherwise it is no good at all.
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And what pray tell is God's way? To give freely, expecting Nothing in return.
Whatever adds to the Love relationship IS Gods' Will;
whatever breaks the Love relationship is NOt Gods' Will.
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That is precisely why i said the Catholics are pursuing a righteousness as if it were by works. For works of righteousness to be counted at all, they have to be imparted works of righteousness. Works are imparted when they are the will of God in regard to a given matter. What you have said is the general will of God, which no doubt we find in scripture. But often times God's will can be hazy and there are critical decisions to make. We mustn’t lean on our own understanding. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 16:25). Therefore we have to make sure it is God's will. What is more, we have to ask only what is in God's will (1 John 5:14).
Many wrote about how to find the specific will of God for a given matter. But i find George Mueller's (as found in "Answers to Prayer") aligning more with how God wants us to find His will.
Again as Brother Bakht Singh says, "The greatest privilege for man is to know God's will and to do it."
We have to do what we know from God to be right and not do what we know from God to be wrong. Only then in the final analysis we will be labelled, "Justified" in God's sight.
| Quote: | | How do you DO anyhting? without working at it?? |
Whoever is talking about doing anything without working at it? In fact i believe we have to “strive through the narrow gate!” But strive we must in faith, leaning on the Holy Spirit to direct our path. Otherwise our works are no better than those of the Pharisees.
So it is a collaborative work. Note:
"I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10 NASB).
Caleb Motupalli
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