TWO WAYS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

There are two ways of righteousness according to the scriptures - That which is of the law and that which is of faith.

Paul speaks of Moses writing of the righteousness which is of the law, referring to all the commandments and precepts which he gave. Romans 10:5

BUT, He says, "the righteousness which is of faith speaks in this way - (Romans 10:6)

THAT - "If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9)

'If you believe with your heart' (not just your mind, remember the demons believe) 'that God raised him from the dead' (i.e. that all God's requirements for sin's penalty was met in Yeshua)

If you confess Yeshua as your Lord (Master) on that basis, of being the substitute lamb for the payment of your sin - your shortcomings before God, then you will be saved from the penalty of your sin, which is death - spiritual and eternal!

For it was on the basis of sin's penalty having been met in the sacrifice of Yeshua, that Yahweh was able to raise him from the dead, in that, he was without sin and therefore death could not hold him.

SO, IF YOU BELIEVE (trust and rely upon) what Yeshua did for you on the torture stake for yourself, you will be saved from sin's penalty.

THAT IS THE BASIS OF SALVATION --- and that means being saved out of your fallen sinful state of separation from Yahweh. Being saved experientially! i.e. experiencing a reunion into fellowship with Him.

"For with the HEART one believes unto RIGHTEOUSNESS" and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" Romans 10:10

By believing in the efficacy of Messiah's atonement for you, you are MADE RIGHTEOUS.

That is, you come into right standing with God. You have no righteousness of your own to justify this new position you have obtained of being reconciled to God. It is not even to your own merit that you did make the choice to believe. For although you have been saved by the exercise of your faith, that even is not of yourself, but an imparted gift which He gave you.

Scripture says it is not your own doing so that you have no grounds for boasting - i.e. no grounds for self acclaim or pride in having done the 'right thing'. See Ephesians 2:8-10

From being in a sinful state, separated from Yahweh, you have been made righteous and brought into fellowship with Him AND it is all His doing and none of your own works. He graciously imparted to you the faith to act upon His promises. The righteousness which we have inherited is entirely then a result of Yahweh's undeserved favour toward us.

He made a bridge for us to pass over from unrighteousness to righteousness and He chose to do it that way because of fallen man's natural inclination to commend himself on some point and in so doing fall from grace.

The fallen human nature very quickly seeks to rise its ugly head and establish its own ego.

BUT, the righteousness which is of faith gives no place for human effort, whereas, the righteousness which is based on keeping the law originates in one's own effort to do the 'right' thing. See Romans 10:5 You have 'life' by keeping the law.

One the result of God's mercy, the other the result of human effort.

So we have - 1. The righteousness which is of the law 2. The righteousness which is of faith

The Law shows no mercy. You have to keep it completely to avoid its penalty. "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in ALL things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." Colossians 3:10 See also Lev.18:4,5 & Deut.27:26

You have life only by keeping the law perfectly.

Then we have Grace God's impartation of enabling to believe in His Son's free gift of righteousness

"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Yeshua the Messiah" John 1:17

TWO WAYS 1. a written code of ethics, principles and commands 2. a divine enabling to live the life exemplified by Yeshua

But with both, you only have life while you walk in it.

To continue in Yahweh's righteousness you have to stay rightly related in a place of union with Him, submitted to His will, living to please Him. That is, doing moment by moment those things He desires you to do. So, in obedience to Him, following His direction, you will do the 'right' things. You will walk in righteousness - which is keeping the law. And that, as an outcome of relationship, by Him living His life out through you. (This of course requires death to the strong self nature, the "I" in us that wants to think its own thoughts and do its own thing)

This outflow of righteousness is as a result of being in union with Him as a branch is joined to a vine (John 15:5-8) and therefore what ever is produced on the branch is not one's own effort. It is the result of the branch being joined to the vine. The sap flowing through the vine produces the fruit.

Whereas to keep the commandments in one's own strength takes a lot of effort. The dilemma of the effort to keep the law, or as we often think of it, to do the right thing, or act in a godly and righteous way (however we think of it), is that we always fall short. If not in our standards, we do fall short of His. In ourselves, we are not righteous - as Paul quoted, "there is none righteous, no not one!" Romans 3:10

All fall short of God's standard of righteousness - of His glorious person (Romans 3:23), and because of our shortfall - our fallen nature, we are unable from our own resources to keep the law. That is, to live up to Yahweh's standard of holiness. The absolutely pure, holy glorious state of being which is His in which there is only perfect love and truth.

And so, "by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight" - see also Galatians 2:16 The law only gives a knowledge of our shortfall (Romans 3:19-20) It exposes our wrong motivation, self-seeking, lustful desires.

For that reason, knowing it was impossible for man to rise to that standard and keep them He ordained a way of righteousness apart from the law. That is, it has nothing to do with keeping the law, it is by Yahweh completely passing over sins committed, and justifying those who have faith in Yeshua Romans 3:21-26 So, Yahweh made what was impossible for man, possible by doing it all for him.

Firstly, by Yeshua coming into human flesh and becoming a man, although perfect - He was completely limited to the resources of all mankind. Then, as a man standing in for man (as a second Adam) and gaining back for mankind what Adam lost as the head of the human race and becoming, through his perfect sinless life under many tests and trials, a substitute sacrifice for mankind, He was able to initiate our redemption.

Then, secondly, Yahweh extends His power to enable us to believe so we may receive the free gift of His salvation, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit. How wonderful is Yahweh's mercy and grace toward His creation!

And this way of righteousness was revealed to the Old Testament saints and prophets. It is not something that began in the New Testament. See Romans 3:21 They received the gift of righteousness and justification for their sin on the promise of a Saviour to come, we on the One who has been.

Their righteousness was on the same basis of faith as ours.

Going back to Abel, who through faith 'worked righteousness' i.e. he believed and received the righteousness that is by faith, 'he obtained witness that he was righteous' (Hebrews 11:4) and as David testified "Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh does not impute sin" (Romans 4:6)

Abraham was the proclaimed 'father' of faith and all the true children of Abraham are the children of 'promise' i.e. the children of faith. "Abraham believed Yahweh and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Romans 4:3 He was not justified by his 'works' but by his faith. (Rom.4:2, 4-5)

"Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace" Romans 4:16

The way of righteousness is a way of faith, dependant on the life of the Son of God who has brought us into union with our heavenly Father, that we might walk in a manner which is acceptable and pleasing unto Him. 'Bold text'