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Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 76 - Winter (Jun-Aug) 2023 > Righteousness by Faith (by Dr Brian Hammond)

Righteousness by Faith

by Dr Brian Hammond

 
For years I have wondered what righteousness by faith meant.  It was just religious jargon and cliché.  I searched books, magazines, the proceeds of Waggoner and Jones (1888), listened to lectures and sermons, watched videos and you tube, but never found a satisfactory answer.  It remained a mystery.

I then recently researched for myself using the Bible and Adventist Bible Commentaries as well as the writings of Ellen G. White (particularly useful was "Our High Calling", a small daily devotional book.)

I found the subject to be both simple and deeply complex.

Understanding the Terminology of Paul was critical to my research.  I have simplified my findings below.

Examples of phrases while being "in the flesh".

Examples of phrases while being "in the Spirit"

The law means the ten commandments.

Without the law means no law at all. ie: The gentiles are ignorant of the ten commandments.

It is through the spirit that men are to enter into salvation by faith.

What is faith?

Answer:- trust, confidence

What is the meaning of righteousness?

Answer:- Godly (it comes from God as a favour)

"The Christian keeps the decalogue not to gain salvation but because he is saved.  Indeed, only a saved man can keep it for Christ lives within hum.  That is a warning and applies to those who think to attain a higher level of righteousness before God by meticulously adhering to man made regulations regarding standards of Christian living, such as diet and dress.  Thus, they make the same mistakes as the Jews of Christ's day.  Others pay tithe, attend church, even observe the Sabbath under the delusion that they thereby can earn merit in the sight of God.   True, the Christian will faithfully abide by all divine requirements but he will do so not in the hope of gaining favour in the sight of God, but because it is supreme joy and happiness to order his life in harmony with the expressed will of God." (Bible Commentary Vol 6, Pg 934)

Salvation can be obtained in no other way than by the simple faith in the merits of Christ.  "Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth Jesus is the son of God."  (1 John 5:5, KJV)

How do you acquire faith?

Answer:- "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17, KJV)

There is a danger today of adhering to the letter of the decalogue (i.e.: with scrupulous attention) without entering into the spirit.  This is not a new problem.  It involved the Galatians who were afflicted by Judaizers who called themselves Christians but maintained the necessity if a strict fulfilment of the ceremonial law in order to be free of sin.  They substituted works for faith, confusing and distorting the simple truth of the gospel that salvation is by faith alone.  If this substitution was correct why be a Christian at all?

Righteousness by Faith

Many, many do not grasp it's meaning and significance.

The Rabbis had 613 commands. 248 positive, 365 negative. 

They were classed as heavy or small and light.

Jesus and Circumcision

Without Righteousness by faith we have:-No love, No delight, No faith

Resulting in:- Misery, pain, guilt, horror and sexual sins.

Experience of the Galatians.

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you?"  (Galatians 3:1, KJV)  They started with righteousness by faith, then changed to salvation by works.

Bewitched means cast a spell, charm, sorcery, which results in being shut out from God's presence (see Revelation 21:8)

"… Entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1, KJV)  If they now sought salvation by the works of the law (ie: in the flesh) they would forfeit the grace of Christ they hitherto enjoyed.

What is grace?

Answer from dictionary- That which gives joy or pleasure.  It conveys the idea of beauty, gracefulness and loveliness, and brings peace.

The Galatians traded grace for evil fruits These works of the flesh were:-  "Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (i.e.: unbridles lust), idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance (ie: hostility), emulations (i.e.: envy and jealousy), wrath, strife, sedition (ie: factions or politics), heresies, envyings, murder, drunkenness, revellings, and such like …  They which do such things shall not inherit he Kingdom or God" (Galatians 5:19-21)

I ask you a question. Bearing in mind that the Galatians were Christians, has our church today followed the example of the Galatians?  Only you can answer that question, reflecting by what is eagerly watched and listened to TV, and radio, read in magazines, newspapers, novels of fiction and other forms of entertainment.

"Few realize that it is a duty to exercise control over their thoughts and imaginations. It is difficult to keep the undisciplined mind fixed upon profitable subjects. But if the thoughts are not properly employed, religion cannot flourish in the soul. The mind must be preoccupied with sacred and eternal things, or it will cherish trifling and superficial thoughts. Both the intellectual and the moral powers must be disciplined, and they will strengthen and improve by exercise."

(Our High Calling, April 15,  https://whiteestate.org/devotional/ohc/04_15/  ) 

"Satan will be baffled and defeated when he finds the heart preoccupied with the truth of God." (Our high calling, Jan 8 https://whiteestate.org/devotional/ohc/01_08/ )

From the Bible Commentary note this.

"Without obedience a profession of love is sheer hypocrisy.  Obedience to known duty is an inevitable result of the righteousness that comes by faith and is the supreme test of its genuineness."

If you could indeed earn salvation, what need have you of Christ at all?

"For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ … [we have] faith which worketh by love. " (Galatians 5:5-6, KJV)

Jesus is the key to righteousness

" … Without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, KJV)

"… A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven." (John 3:27, KJV)

What are the works God wants from us?

Answer:- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (i.e. no condemnation)"  (Gal 5:22-23, KJV)

Note this: Works cannot be separated from faith.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5, KJV)

Good works are the gift of God (Ephesians 2:10)

"Through faith in Him, receive power to do the works of righteousness. " (Ellen G White, Desire of Ages,  Pg 608)

Righteousness by Faith is a Mystery

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness…" (1 Timothy 3:16, KJV)

The mystery is:-

To understand Jesus is to understand love

To understand Love is to understand Jesus

This mystery explains how Paul and Silas sang hymns (they were joyful) at midnight in the Philippian gaol. They were innocent doing God's word.  They were locked into stocks and their backs were bloodied, and striped from a severe flogging but they had Jesus living in them.  Their love was genuine and converted the gaoler and his family.  (still stirs us 2000 years later)

One of the scribes came to Jesus (Mark 12:29-34).  and asked Him "which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus replied love God supremely and your neighbour as yourself.  Then in verse 34 Jesus said to the scribe "Thou are not far from the Kingdom of God".  What did Jesus mean by that?

Answer - Jesus knew that the scribe would realise that he had found heavenly treasure when he entered into his rest.    "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God … for he that entered into his rest he also ceased from his own works." (i.e.: righteousness by faith)

You must know for certain that you know Jesus.  There must be NO surmising, imagining, speculating, acting or guessing.  Be honest with yourself.  Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.  The kingdom of heaven is likened to hidden treasure.  i.e.: The pearl of great price.

Parable:- Jesus said "The Father's kingdom is like a merchant who had a supply of merchandise and found a pearl.  That merchant was wise and prudent, he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself.  So also with you, see, His treasure that is unfailing.  That is enduring. Where no moth comes to eat and worm destroy.:

The key to righteousness by faith is- Jesus, He must live in you continually.

Two beautiful texts.

" … If anyone loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23, KJV)

"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." (i.e.: displease or hurt your feelings) (Psalm 119:165, KJV)

How do you achieve this?

Answer - "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of the mystery which is CHRIST IN YOU the hope of Glory. " (Colossians 1:27, NIV)

"It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending wholly upon Him, that you are transformed into His likeness"  That is "Righteousness by Faith.

" I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." (Proverbs 8:17, KJV)

The greatest test of the working of Saving faith is this- it works by love.

What have I learned?

To understand Righteousness by Faith

read 1 Cor 13

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. . And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13, KJV)

Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 76 - Winter (Jun-Aug) 2023 > Righteousness by Faith (by Dr Brian Hammond)