How can we pursue righteousness through faith, not by works, as Romans 9:31 suggests? The Problem of Human Effort • Romans 9:31: “but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.” • The nation zealously kept rituals, yet the standard of perfect holiness eluded them. • Works-based pursuit relies on personal merit; one failure nullifies the entire attempt (James 2:10). • The law exposes sin, not removes it (Romans 3:20). The Divine Pattern of Faith • God credits righteousness apart from works (Romans 4:5). • Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3). • Christ fulfilled the law for us (Matthew 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21). • In Him we receive a righteousness that is “by faith from first to last” (Romans 1:17). Practical Steps to Walk by Faith 1. Look to Christ, not self – Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith (Hebrews 12:2). 2. Rest in the finished work of the cross – “It is finished” (John 19:30). Nothing can be added. 3. Confess and believe – “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). 4. Daily depend on the Spirit – “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). 5. Let obedience flow from gratitude – “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17), yet works are fruit, not the root, of righteousness. Scripture Connections • Romans 3:22 – Righteousness comes “through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” • Philippians 3:9 – A righteousness “not of my own…but that which is through faith in Christ.” • Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy.” • Ephesians 2:8-9 – Salvation “is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” A Portrait of Faith-Filled Righteousness • Confidence in God’s promise, not personal performance. • Humility that acknowledges complete dependence on grace. • Obedience energized by love, not fear. • Joyful assurance that Christ’s righteousness eternally covers every believer (Romans 8:1). |
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