Romans 9:31
‘Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.’
Israel pursued the law of righteousness under the law of Moses under the Old Covenant, but could not attain the law of righteousness outside of Christ. Righteousness is unattainable in our own strength or by our own works. No religion, no philosophy and no act of self-purification or set of rules or discipline can ever achieve righteousness or fulfill the law of righteousness.
Romans 5:17 says that ‘If by the one man’s sin death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.’ The gift of righteousness is a gift to all that receive the abundance of grace in Christ through the New Covenant. It cannot be earned, only received.
The bible says that the law was introduced into God’s plan to bring the reality of human sinfulness out of hiding, and yet, wherever sin increased, there was more than enough of God’s grace to triumph all the more! And just as sin reigned through death, so also this sin-conquering grace will reign as king through righteousness, imparting eternal life through Jesus, our Lord and Messiah! (Romans 5:20-21 The Passion Translation) Grace reigns through righteousness and righteousness is a free gift in Christ.
Romans 10:3 says that people can be ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seek to establish their own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God. This is breaking the New Covenant law of Righteousness in Christ.
Everything in the New Covenant is received by grace through faith and not of works that any man should boast. 1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that we are in Christ, Who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. You are righteous in Christ, and living according to the law of righteousness in Christ is knowing that you are in right-standing with God, embracing it and living like it. Living by the law of righteousness is abandoning all self reliance, all dead works, all condemnation and all unworthiness and instead embracing the Father’s free gift and walking in it, - Selah
We will continue our study of New covenant laws in tomorrow’s teaching…
