THE BELIEVER'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN GOD [Pt 3] - Awe Hilary

THE BELIEVER'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN GOD [Pt 3]

- Awe Hilary  

Leviticus20:8

[8]And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

The Law is righteous because it was given by God, which depicts His standards. The children of Israel were to perform it in obedience to their calling in God, but they missed a simple detail, which was in the fact that, the Law was not what sanctified them, but God Himself. This made the Jews to pursue the Law through their performance as a means for their righteousness, rather than having faith or submitting to the righteousness of the God through Whom the Law was given.

Romans 10:3

[3]For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

This became a stumbling block to the Jews, because no matter how much they tried to keep the Law by their works, they were not justified, because it was not done in faith to God.

Romans 9:31-32

[31]but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.

[32]Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

They relied on the Law, rather than putting their faith on God, Who has the power to justify and make righteous, hence, whenever they tried by their efforts, they stumbled over the stumbling Stone. This is to say that they fell short of the righteousness of God, Who is the tested Stone as prophecied by prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 28:16

[16]Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

This stone which was prophecied by Prophet Isaiah is Jesus Christ, hence anyone who tries to use the Law as a means of justification will fall short or stumble before the righteousness of God, Who is Jesus Christ. Unfortunately they are many today who seek the righteousness of God through the Law, just like the Jews, and they keep stumbling, because it is written as this concerning the Law;

Galatians 3:10

[10]For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

THINGS TO NOTE:

1. The righteousness of God is obtained through faith. It's also important to note that the Gentiles obtained the righteousness of God first, through faith, because the Jews were trying to attain the righteousness of God through the Law. 

2. He who believes and submits to the righteousness of God, is he or she who is made righteous by God.

3. No one can be justified by the Law, for he or she who omits one section of the Law, omits all.

.... TO BE CONTINUED.

Min. Awe Hilary 

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