Righteousness in the Old Testament was only achieved by means of keeping God's law, and performing well in life. We read about this in Deuteronomy 6:25, and several other passages. But this all changed at the cross, and the righteousness of God (being right with God) was given to those who were committed to believing God as a free gift.
What Is Righteousness?
A person is righteous when they do right, and live in a just and upright manner. This is what Webster's Dictionary says. This is a good definition. But what the Old Testament revealed was that no one could live to the righteousness that God demanded.
Paul gives the verdict in Romans: "None are righteous, no not one." You see, the law demands that we either keep all of it perfectly, or we are judged as failing totally (Jam 2:10, Gal 3:10). That's too high of a standard for anyone to live by.
The New Testament Gospel Changed This!
At the cross, Jesus took our sin, and gave us his righteousness (II Cor 5:21). Now the only requirement is that we believe in him and the power of his finished work. Now our job is to receive the free gift of God's grace and righteousness (Rom 5:17).
Does this now mean that observing God's law and standards is not important? No, it doesn't mean this. All of God's ways and means are beneficial to us. We are told that if we live by them we'll have better success and prosperity in life, and we'll probably have a longer, fuller life. But the Old Testament way no longer gains us righteousness " or being right with God.
How Do We Get to Heaven? How to Be Right with God!
We must be righteous to get to heaven. This is the Bible standard. But here is where the beauty of the gospel comes in. In the Old Testament everyone failed as Paul says in Romans. But in the New Testament all can succeed.
God had to make it easy so everyone has an equal change. God is an equal opportunity employer. The Old Testament demanded what it could not produce. But the New Testament produces for us what it does not demand. All we have to do is believe in the gospel and receive it to be right with God and have the benefit of heaven (Heb 4:2).
It sounds so simple and easy, and you've undoubtedly heard this before. But it's true. It's just the mind of man that complicates things and makes things difficult. Jesus says, "My way is easy" (Matt 11:28). Thus Paul talks about 'the simplicity of Christ.' More than once Jesus asked people, "Why do you reason in your hearts?" Human reasoning and skepticism is what kills belief. Belief is our main work (John 6:29).
The Ways of the World vs. the Ways of God
The ways of the world are important. We live here, and we must abide by them to succeed in this world, or even to just survive. The world is a place of principles and precepts that we must live by " or get sick, divorced, fired, jailed, or killed. "Do good, and get promoted, -- do bad and get fired." But we can't take the ways of the world and apply them to the Kingdom of God.
God's ways are based on his righteousness, and who we are as a person. It has more to do with our identity in him, than with principles and precepts. It has more to do with the belief in our hearts than the work of our hands. This is because God knows that the gospel in our hearts will produce good things from us (Col 1:5-6).
Most Christians (including most preachers and pastors) can't understand how we can be made righteous " without doing everything right. Their definition of righteousness is by the Old Testament law, not the New Testament gospel of grace. They will never understand until they first understand that Jesus was made sin, " without doing anything wrong (II Cor 5:21).
"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). The law defined the Old ways, but grace and gospel truth define the New. They are two entirely different systems, and we can't mix them (Heb 9:9-10, Heb 10:9). Jesus said very plainly: "Don't pour New wine into Old bottles." Don't mix the Old with the New.
How Do We Get to Heaven? How to Be Right with God!
It all just sounds too simple to us! But Paul says it is believing God, living gospel truth, and receiving God's grace and GIFT of righteousness that gets the job done.
Don't muddle this up with a bunch or worldly precepts and principles, or with theological and religious gobbledygook. Believing should be so easy, but we make it so hard because we do mix it with gobbledygook.
The world is the world, and the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of God. Both are important, but both must be lived separately and distinctly.
What Is Righteousness?
A person is righteous when they do right, and live in a just and upright manner. This is what Webster's Dictionary says. This is a good definition. But what the Old Testament revealed was that no one could live to the righteousness that God demanded.
Paul gives the verdict in Romans: "None are righteous, no not one." You see, the law demands that we either keep all of it perfectly, or we are judged as failing totally (Jam 2:10, Gal 3:10). That's too high of a standard for anyone to live by.
The New Testament Gospel Changed This!
At the cross, Jesus took our sin, and gave us his righteousness (II Cor 5:21). Now the only requirement is that we believe in him and the power of his finished work. Now our job is to receive the free gift of God's grace and righteousness (Rom 5:17).
Does this now mean that observing God's law and standards is not important? No, it doesn't mean this. All of God's ways and means are beneficial to us. We are told that if we live by them we'll have better success and prosperity in life, and we'll probably have a longer, fuller life. But the Old Testament way no longer gains us righteousness " or being right with God.
How Do We Get to Heaven? How to Be Right with God!
We must be righteous to get to heaven. This is the Bible standard. But here is where the beauty of the gospel comes in. In the Old Testament everyone failed as Paul says in Romans. But in the New Testament all can succeed.
God had to make it easy so everyone has an equal change. God is an equal opportunity employer. The Old Testament demanded what it could not produce. But the New Testament produces for us what it does not demand. All we have to do is believe in the gospel and receive it to be right with God and have the benefit of heaven (Heb 4:2).
It sounds so simple and easy, and you've undoubtedly heard this before. But it's true. It's just the mind of man that complicates things and makes things difficult. Jesus says, "My way is easy" (Matt 11:28). Thus Paul talks about 'the simplicity of Christ.' More than once Jesus asked people, "Why do you reason in your hearts?" Human reasoning and skepticism is what kills belief. Belief is our main work (John 6:29).
The Ways of the World vs. the Ways of God
The ways of the world are important. We live here, and we must abide by them to succeed in this world, or even to just survive. The world is a place of principles and precepts that we must live by " or get sick, divorced, fired, jailed, or killed. "Do good, and get promoted, -- do bad and get fired." But we can't take the ways of the world and apply them to the Kingdom of God.
God's ways are based on his righteousness, and who we are as a person. It has more to do with our identity in him, than with principles and precepts. It has more to do with the belief in our hearts than the work of our hands. This is because God knows that the gospel in our hearts will produce good things from us (Col 1:5-6).
Most Christians (including most preachers and pastors) can't understand how we can be made righteous " without doing everything right. Their definition of righteousness is by the Old Testament law, not the New Testament gospel of grace. They will never understand until they first understand that Jesus was made sin, " without doing anything wrong (II Cor 5:21).
"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). The law defined the Old ways, but grace and gospel truth define the New. They are two entirely different systems, and we can't mix them (Heb 9:9-10, Heb 10:9). Jesus said very plainly: "Don't pour New wine into Old bottles." Don't mix the Old with the New.
How Do We Get to Heaven? How to Be Right with God!
It all just sounds too simple to us! But Paul says it is believing God, living gospel truth, and receiving God's grace and GIFT of righteousness that gets the job done.
Don't muddle this up with a bunch or worldly precepts and principles, or with theological and religious gobbledygook. Believing should be so easy, but we make it so hard because we do mix it with gobbledygook.
The world is the world, and the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of God. Both are important, but both must be lived separately and distinctly.
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