Believers stay righteous by practicing righteousness

[Senior]

Scripture teaches that one’s righteous standing before God can be lost. Believers must be sanctified unto holiness progressively – for salvation is a process!

“… let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil … Whoever has been born of God does not sin (habitually) … In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:7-10)
Notice who “the children of God” are vs. who belongs to Satan. Believers who are “faithful” will be obedient to Jesus’ commandments and practice righteousness … and will have a standing of righteousness before the Lord.

“… you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1 John 2:29)
But, do all believers who are born of God practice righteousness?

“… who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35)

“All Scripture … is profitable for … instruction in righteousness
(i.e. instruction in the practicing of righteousness)” (2 Timothy 3:16)

“… we, having died to sins, should live for righteousness
(i.e. live for the practicing of righteousness)” (1 Peter 2:24)

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness and a godly life …
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living”
(1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 2:22)

“… you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living … Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.” (Romans 6:16-19)
“holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously” (Matthew 6:33)
Yes, we need to seek to live like Jesus lived, which is righteously!

“But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness
God has promised to us.” (Galatians 5:5)
Living by the Spirit (practicing righteousness) results in continuing to be righteous!

“I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation –
the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:10-11)
The fruit of being saved is a lifestyle of righteousness!

“Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin … Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning … We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning” (1 John 3:6, 3:9, 5:18)

“For it would have been better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.” (2 Peter 2:21)

“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth (by living) in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18)

Of course, this is all a continuation of what God demanded in the old covenant:
“Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright
(i.e. by practicing righteousness) I will show the salvation of God.” (Psalms 50:23)

This multitude of Scripture verses should convince us that “works righteousness”
is ALSO required for salvation.

 

[billybalke]

Scripture teaches that one’s righteous standing before God can be lost. Believers must be sanctified unto holiness progressively – for salvation is a process!

“… let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil … Whoever has been born of God does not sin (habitually) … In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:7-10)
Notice who “the children of God” are vs. who belongs to Satan. Believers who are “faithful” will be obedient to Jesus’ commandments and practice righteousness … and will have a standing of righteousness before the Lord.

“… you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1 John 2:29)
But, do all believers who are born of God practice righteousness?

“… who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35)

“All Scripture … is profitable for … instruction in righteousness
(i.e. instruction in the practicing of righteousness)” (2 Timothy 3:16)

“… we, having died to sins, should live for righteousness
(i.e. live for the practicing of righteousness)” (1 Peter 2:24)

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness and a godly life …
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living”
(1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 2:22)

“… you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living … Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.” (Romans 6:16-19)
“holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously” (Matthew 6:33)
Yes, we need to seek to live like Jesus lived, which is righteously!

“But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness
God has promised to us.” (Galatians 5:5)
Living by the Spirit (practicing righteousness) results in continuing to be righteous!

“I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation –
the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:10-11)
The fruit of being saved is a lifestyle of righteousness!

“Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin … Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning … We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning” (1 John 3:6, 3:9, 5:18)

“For it would have been better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.” (2 Peter 2:21)

“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth (by living) in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18)

Of course, this is all a continuation of what God demanded in the old covenant:
“Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright
(i.e. by practicing righteousness) I will show the salvation of God.” (Psalms 50:23)

This multitude of Scripture verses should convince us that “works righteousness”
is ALSO required for salvation.

AMEN!!

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Scripture teaches that one’s righteous standing before God can be lost. Believers must be sanctified unto holiness progressively – for salvation is a process!
.

No, it doesn't teach that and no, it isn't a process!
It really drives me crazy when people make Christ's sacrifice on the cross pointless because of false doctrines like this. Salvation isn't a joint effort. Jesus doesn't need our help to save us. In fact, any righteousness I exhibit is because I'm saved and the Holy Spirit works in me (when I let Him). So I couldn't lay claim to earning any righteousness on my own even if I wanted to.
The only reason any of us will get to Heaven is through Christ alone.

Acts 16:30-31 (KJV)
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

 

[billybalke]

No, it doesn't teach that and no, it isn't a process!
It really drives me crazy when people make Christ's sacrifice on the cross pointless because of false doctrines like this. Salvation isn't a joint effort. Jesus doesn't need our help to save us. In fact, any righteousness I exhibit is because I'm saved and the Holy Spirit works in me (when I let Him). So I couldn't lay claim to earning any righteousness on my own even if I wanted to.
The only reason any of us will get to Heaven is through Christ alone.

Acts 16:30-31 (KJV)
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Read the rest of the text. Contex is everything.

 

[JLB]

This multitude of Scripture verses should convince us that “works righteousness”
is ALSO required for salvation.

If the “works” are the “work” (action) of the obedience of faith, which is another way of saying being led by the Spirit, then I would tend to agree.


I think it would be good to clarify “works righteousness” as being something apart from the law of Moses, as well as good works that earn a right standing with God.


Can we discuss this principle of faith?



JLB

 

[JLB]

It really drives me crazy when people make Christ's sacrifice on the cross pointless because of false doctrines like this.

Can we please discuss what he is saying before we just label it as false doctrine.

Please.



JLB

 

[lisa-in-FL]

I read the verses and I see no merit in what Senior is trying to say here. There is none righteous without Jesus Christ so how could we possibly earn our way to Salvation. It is a gift, not a rewards program.


Galatians 2:16
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

 

[JLB]

There is none righteous without Jesus Christ so how could we possibly earn our way to Salvation. It is a gift, not a rewards program.

He is not saying we do anything apart from Christ.

He is not saying we earn our way to salvation.


His thread title says -

Believers stay righteous by practicing righteousness.


After we are born again, we have a nature of righteousness that is compatible to receive and contain the Holy Spirit that empowers us to do what we can not do with it, which is practice righteousness.


Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
1 John 3:7



Do you believe a born again Christian who lives in unrighteousness by practicing the works of the flesh, is still somehow righteous?


If we sin, then we confess our sin to God, and are cleansed of all unrighteousness.


If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9


If we live in open sin, such as living with someone in fornication, who we are not married to.

Going to bars and getting drunk, doing drugs, lying, stealing, living in resentment, covetousness, and hating people, then we are certainly not righteous.


In we are living in these conditions, we are lost.

We have wandered from the truth, and need to repent.



JLB

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Can we please discuss what he is saying before we just label it as false doctrine.

Please.



JLB

Its false teaching. If anyone could earn their salvation through works than why did Christ die on the cross?
Seriously . . please really think about this! In heaven we aren't going to praise Jesus for partly saving our souls and giving us the Holy Spirit so we could do the rest.
Its a lie that plays on our pride.

 

[JLB]

Its false teaching. If anyone could earn their salvation through works than why did Christ die on the cross?

Why do you keep saying “earn salvation”?

We are not saying we can earn our salvation.

After we are saved by faith, born again, regenerated, we are to practice righteousness by His life within us, desiring to manifest himself through us by walking in love, righteousness and truth.


Do you believe people who live in sin openly without repenting are righteous?




JLB

 

[JLB]

Seriously . . please really think about this! In heaven we aren't going to praise Jesus for partly saving our souls and giving us the Holy Spirit so we could do the rest.
Its a lie that plays on our pride.

The lie was established in the garden by Satan, when he deceived Eve.

You shall not surely die.

He said, go ahead Eve, disobey God, you won’t die.


Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21


Please, we must allow the scriptures to teach us the truth.



JLB

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Um for the simple reason that Senior started out his post by saying that salvation can be lost if we don't let the "process" complete.
Scripture teaches that one’s righteous standing before God can be lost. Believers must be sanctified unto holiness progressively – for salvation is a process!

When Paul and Silas told that jailer how to be saved there was a period at the end of their sentence. They didn't say
'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house . . . for now." We don't lose our salvation when we sin and get it back when we repent.

 

[Senior]

So I couldn't lay claim to earning any righteousness on my own even if I wanted to.

I never claimed we need to earn righteousness on our own.
We can only be successful by co-operating with the precious Holy Spirit.
What are you going to do with the verses in the OP?
Ignore them? or reject them?

 

[Senior]

If the “works” are the “work” (action) of the obedience of faith,
which is another way of saying being led by the Spirit,
then I would tend to agree.

Yes, these works are only the works of obedience!

 

[Senior]

There is none righteous without Jesus Christ so how could we possibly earn our way to Salvation. It is a gift, not a rewards program.

IMO, you don't see that ...
We get everything (including Jesus' righteousness) when we first
believe sufficiently for the Lord to give us His precious Holy Spirit.
Then, we need to co-operate with Him as He tries to fully sanctify us,
which is a process. Remember the parable about counting the cost
before building your tower? There are many parables and other
teachings about the need to die to self, pick up your cross, etc. etc.
Most pastors have relinquished their responsibilities to be true
shepherds of Jesus' sheep, and the sheep are dying on the vine
without the necessary water of the word.

 

[Senior]

'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house"

That one disastrous English word "believe" in the NT
really means "believe, have faith in, trust, and obey".
There is just no one word that covers all of this.
Spirit-filled 5-fold-ministry people (Ephesians 4:11)
have concluded this correctly.

 

[JLB]

Yes, these works are only the works of obedience!

His great power, love and righteousness working in us, inspiring and motivating to love people the way He loves.

These are just a few examples of practicing righteousness.




JLB

 

[chessman]

This multitude of Scripture verses should convince us that “works righteousness”
is ALSO required for salvation.

Why? Not a single verse mentioned works righteousness being required for salvation. Rather, they are talking about salvation being required for works righteousness.

Everyone having been born from God is not doing sin— because His seed is abiding in him, and he is not able to be sinning because he has been born from God. By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are evident. Everyone not doing righteousness is not from God— and the one not loving his brother!​

1 John 3:9-10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1 John 3:9-10&version=DLNT

The title of an OP built on 1 John 3, etc. should be;
Believers stay righteous “because” he has been born from God!

not

“Believers stay righteous by practicing righteousness”

 

[JLB]

Believers stay righteous “because” he has been born from God!

Can a believer practice the works of the flesh?



JLB

 

[JLB]

not “Believers stay righteous by practicing righteousness”

The other choice would then be

Believers stay righteous by practicing unrighteousness.


I don’t think you really believe that.


Why would a Spirit filled Christian, want to practice unrighteousness?




JLB