What is Righteousness by Faith?

• Bible
• Bible study
• Christian Evidences
• Christian Living
• Christianity
• Cross
• Faith
• Gospel
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus
• Righteousness
• Tom Durst

Jan 28, 2015 4188

by Tom Durst

. . .and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:9 NKJV).

The righteousness that we need to be acceptable to God must be absolutely perfect, without stain or blemish. That righteousness has been provided absolutely and fully in Jesus Christ Who IS our righteousness.

Jesus Christ embraced the entire human race in His work of redemption and now is our High Priest who represents those who believe in Him before the Father as perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Paul says this righteousness is “through faith in Christ” and that it is “from God by faith.” Faith is the hand by which we reach out and lay hold of the righteousness of Christ but even the faith to believe is the gift of God and not of human will power or origin.

Righteousness (right standing with God; perfection) is by faith alone. Our good works show forth the reality of our faith but are never the basis of our salvation. Even our very best works as believers are not acceptable in and of themselves but are fully acceptable through Jesus Christ our Substitute and Representative.

It is our privilege as believers to live each day in the sunshine of God’s love and know that regardless of how well we are doing we are fully accepted and perfect in Christ. Other people may find fault with us but God views us as perfect through His Son. Can we not praise God for such a great salvation and strive to live for His honor and glory?

What I’m saying above is an attempt to concisely summarize what “righteousness by faith” means. Whole books have been written expounding on this topic and related themes. They are most fully developed in the writings of Paul but are found throughout the entire Bible. Study for yourself. The message of “righteousness by faith” is rarely presented today with power and clarity but it is needed even more than ever.

– Tom Durst (Used with permission from the Union with God Devotional Forum)

John

Dec 8, 2019

In the New Testament the Greek work for "faith" is Strongs G4102 which means: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it relating to God the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ relating to Christ a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God the religious beliefs of Christians belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same fidelity, faithfulness the character of one who can be relied on So when one has Faith they must also be FAITHFUL. The question to ask yourself is faithful to what and in what manner does one display their faith? Hint the answer is in the book of James.