Does God require repentance? Yes, repentance of our righteousness.

[Mercy_Shown]

Most people agree that we should repent from our sins and shortcomings and they never include repenting of their own righteousness. Our own righteousness, unless repented of, will hinder our entrance into the Kingdom of God because we cannot enter the Kingdom of God with our righteousness. We cannot enter The Kingdom of God with Christ's righteousness and our own mixed to any degree.

Our righteousness is like filthy menstrual rags. Throw something like that in a basket of fresh laundry and you will redo the entire load. Likewise, our righteousness is so offensive to God that He likened it to that filthy icon. We will only get into the Kingdom on Christ's righteousness alone. Behold it and it will transform you.

If you spend time with people concerned with their own righteousness, you will not find pleasant people. Our righteousness hardens us and turns us into the soil of the hardened path. No weeds, but also no plants; no fruit. Yet, even God can reach those if they have something in them that responds to God.

May God Bless All Who Seek Him.

 

[Soyeong]

Most people agree that we should repent from our sins and shortcomings and they never include repenting of their own righteousness. Our own righteousness, unless repented of, will hinder our entrance into the Kingdom of God because we cannot enter the Kingdom of God with our righteousness. We cannot enter The Kingdom of God with Christ's righteousness and our own mixed to any degree.

Our righteousness is like filthy menstrual rags. Throw something like that in a basket of fresh laundry and you will redo the entire load. Likewise, our righteousness is so offensive to God that He likened it to that filthy icon. We will only get into the Kingdom on Christ's righteousness alone. Behold it and it will transform you.

If you spend time with people concerned with their own righteousness, you will not find pleasant people. Our righteousness hardens us and turns us into the soil of the hardened path. No weeds, but also no plants; no fruit. Yet, even God can reach those if they have something in them that responds to God.

May God Bless All Who Seek Him.

The Bible consistently calls for us to repent from our disobedience to God's law and never calls for us to repent from our obedience to it. Every righteous action in obedience to God's law testifies about Christ's righteousness, so there is no such thing as righteousness of our own apart from Christ's righteousness. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of God in contrast with saying that he will tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him, so doing God's will by obeying His law is the way to enter the Kingdom of God. In Isaiah 64:6, it is not God speaking, but rather it is the people hyperbolically complaining because God was not coming down and making His presence known. The reality is that God does not command filthy rags, but rather the righteous deeds of the saints are like fine white linen (Revelation 19:8). The Bible never treats righteousness as being a negative thing.

 

[Mercy_Shown]

The Bible consistently calls for us to repent from our disobedience to God's law and never calls for us to repent from our obedience to it. Every righteous action in obedience to God's law testifies about Christ's righteousness, so there is no such thing as righteousness of our own apart from Christ's righteousness. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of God in contrast with saying that he will tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him, so doing God's will by obeying His law is the way to enter the Kingdom of God. In Isaiah 64:6, it is not God speaking, but rather it is the people hyperbolically complaining because God was not coming down and making His presence known. The reality is that God does not command filthy rags, but rather the righteous deeds of the saints are like fine white linen (Revelation 19:8). The Bible never treats righteousness as being a negative thing.

You are not considering the words of Paul when he wrote about wanting to be found “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” So here is a righteousness that Paul wants no part of. He goes on to write to Titus these words, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness…”

So the Bible does indicate that their is a righteousness that in ineffectual and useless to us.

 

[EarlyActs]

The Bible consistently calls for us to repent from our disobedience to God's law and never calls for us to repent from our obedience to it. Every righteous action in obedience to God's law testifies about Christ's righteousness, so there is no such thing as righteousness of our own apart from Christ's righteousness. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of God in contrast with saying that he will tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him, so doing God's will by obeying His law is the way to enter the Kingdom of God. In Isaiah 64:6, it is not God speaking, but rather it is the people hyperbolically complaining because God was not coming down and making His presence known. The reality is that God does not command filthy rags, but rather the righteous deeds of the saints are like fine white linen (Revelation 19:8). The Bible never treats righteousness as being a negative thing.

This is where the verb 'imputed/credited' is so important, and that it should be connected to justification. To miss both the verb and the general meaning of salvation is to be ambiguous.

The righteousness of Christ can only be imputed. Rarely does the NT speak of it as something we eventually do, and it certainly does not confuse an inner result with what Christ did historically.

The reason it can only be imputed is because it is a finished historic work; it is not ongoing. Think of a huge account of money that has been found in a Swiss bank, marked for you. That is completely different from money you will earn as a wage earner. It will simply be credited to your account. This is what Rom 4 is saying when distinguishing works from grace 'incomes.'

There are many examples of the term 'impute' around in English literature that came through the Reformation, to clarify this--Shakespeare, Austen, even Capt. W. Cody and modern real estate documents use the term. It is always about a feature that is against the facts or impossible. "God calls things that are not as though they were, and gives life to the dead." Rom 4.

This is not at all to minimize our moral obligation to good works from a sincere heart for our neighbor through Christ, it is simply to say that words mean distinct things. Likewise justification and transformation are not the same thing.

 

[EarlyActs]

You are not considering the words of Paul when he wrote about wanting to be found “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” So here is a righteousness that Paul wants no part of. He goes on to write to Titus these words, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness…”

So the Bible does indicate that their is a righteousness that in ineffectual and useless to us.

Keep in mind that it may be hard for the irreligious person to understand this because it is rare to meet a religious zealot replete with traditions kept and practices observed.

But even Phil 3 is meant in the sense of justification, not of ongoing necessary transformation.

A couple chapters before Christ taught 'unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom,' he had been baptized by John 'to fulfill all righteousness.' It is fair to say that he meant to refer to justification in this. Such a person is then all set to do things that matter (see the 7 contrasts with the Pharisees in the following chapters). It eventually will cover both questions.

 

[Mercy_Shown]

Keep in mind that it may be hard for the irreligious person to understand this because it is rare to meet a religious zealot replete with traditions kept and practices observed.

But even Phil 3 is meant in the sense of justification, not of ongoing necessary transformation.

I don't think that is apropos to the specific verse because no one is saved by their righteousness. That is a fundamental teaching of the bible.

A couple chapters before Christ taught 'unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom,' he had been baptized by John 'to fulfill all righteousness.' It is fair to say that he meant to refer to justification in this. Such a person is then all set to do things that matter (see the 7 contrasts with the Pharisees in the following chapters). It eventually will cover both questions.

We must be as perfect as The Father. Nothing unclean will enter the Kingdom and indeed cannot. What fellowship has light with darkness? This is the highest of standards and the reason why Christ died for us.

 

[Soyeong]

You are not considering the words of Paul when he wrote about wanting to be found “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” So here is a righteousness that Paul wants no part of. He goes on to write to Titus these words, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness…”

So the Bible does indicate that their is a righteousness that in ineffectual and useless to us.

The purpose of doing what is righteous in obedience to God's law is to testify about God's righteousness, not to establish our own. It is not the case that we need to do works first in order to earn our salvation as the result, but that doing good works is the content of God's gift of saving us from not doing good works. The Bible doesn't say anything about righteousness that is ineffectual or useless to us, but rather Paul stated that our righteousness does not come from the law.

 

[Mercy_Shown]

The purpose of doing what is righteous in obedience to God's law is to testify about God's righteousness, not to establish our own. It is not the case that we need to do works first in order to earn our salvation as the result, but that doing good works is the content of God's gift of saving us from not doing good works. The Bible doesn't say anything about righteousness that is ineffectual or useless to us, but rather Paul stated that our righteousness does not come from the law.

Of course, it does. Paul's righteousness of his own was useless to him. Righteousness that is like filthy rags is useless to us. Any righteousness that is not God's righteousness is useless to us. And self-righteousness is deadly.

 

[EarlyActs]

I don't think that is apropos to the specific verse because no one is saved by their righteousness. That is a fundamental teaching of the bible.

We must be as perfect as The Father. Nothing unclean will enter the Kingdom and indeed cannot. What fellowship has light with darkness? This is the highest of standards and the reason why Christ died for us.

Look again at the 2 things you just said: they contradict.

There is something else besides his death for sins Christ did for us and it does not come into us, bc it is infinite. Instead it must be imputed or credited. He fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf.

 

[Soyeong]

Of course, it does. Paul's righteousness of his own was useless to him. Righteousness that is like filthy rags is useless to us. Any righteousness that is not God's righteousness is useless to us. And self-righteousness is deadly.

God's law was straightforwardly given by God, so it was given to instruct us about His righteousness, not as instructions for how to establish our own. Self-righteousness straightforwardly does not involve relying on anyone other than the self, so it is contradictory to think that we can become self-righteous by relying on God's instructions. God does not instruct filthy rags, rather:

(Psalms 19:7-11)
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules[d] of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

In Isaiah 64:6, it is not God speaking about how He views our obedience to Him, especially when all throughout the Bible, God wants His people to repent and return to obedience to Him, but rather it is the people hyperbolically complaining about how God was not coming down and making His presence known. The reality is that the righteous deeds of the saints are like fine white linen (Revelation 19:8). God is righteousness, so there is not righteousness other than the nature of who He is and every righteous act testifies about the nature of who He is.

 

[Mercy_Shown]

Look again at the 2 things you just said: they contradict.

There is something else besides his death for sins Christ did for us and it does not come into us, bc it is infinite. Instead it must be imputed or credited. He fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf.

It appears that way but the truth lies in the crack between the righteous requirements of salvation and our righteousness. It is a bridge too far for us, so how to we become perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect?

 

[EarlyActs]

It appears that way but the truth lies in the crack between the righteous requirements of salvation and our righteousness. It is a bridge too far for us, so how to we become perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect?

If the distinction between justification and sanctification/ongoing transformation is not made, then nothing will make sense. The first point being, that justification is not an experience like other life experiences. But it sure affects them!

 

[Ghada]

Most people agree that we should repent from our sins and shortcomings and they never include repenting of their own righteousness. Our own righteousness, unless repented of, will hinder our entrance into the Kingdom of God because we cannot enter the Kingdom of God with our righteousness. We cannot enter The Kingdom of God with Christ's righteousness and our own mixed to any degree.

Repenting of our unrighteousness, is how we turn from doing our own righteousness. Man's righteousness is doing both good deeds and bad intermixed together.

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

God's righteousness is doing good and right with Him at all times.

Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that is doing righteousness at all times.

While you make a good point about how our righteousness does not fulfill the righteousness of God, there is no Bible commandment by God to 'repent' of our righteousness.

God's commanded repentance is of our sins, trespasses, transgressions, iniquity, and unrighteousness.

'Repenting' of doing our own righteousness, is de facto by repenting of doing our own sinning and trespasses. When we are dead to our own past sinning for Jesus' sake, then all that remains is His righteousness that we now do through Him.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God,

Like purifying gold from all dross of uncleanness, the gold is become pure.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Our righteousness is like filthy menstrual rags.

Correct. There are two ways for our deeds to be our own righteousness, and not God's true holiness.

By doing outward righteousness with an unclean heart of lust.

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

By doing deeds with good will at times, but also doing evil deeds willingly.

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Once we commit any iniquity against God, then we are now doing our own righteousness of both good and evil. We are no more doing God's righteousness, which is at all times.

When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Trusting in our righteousness is by trusting our past righteousness to justify us with God, even when turning to do iniquity.

It's the old religious saw of good deeds outweighing the bad. Man's judgment of man's own righteousness is of doing more good than evil.

God's judgment is of His righteousness is of always doing good at present. God judges our works being done now, not in the past.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that is doing righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that is gooding is of God: but he that is doing evil hath not seen God.

Only those doing righteousness are righteous as the Lord is, and if we turn to doing unrighteousness works of the flesh, then all our past is forgotten as having never known God at all.

Therefore, only those doing righteousness at the end, are judged as His righteous sons forever.

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Throw something like that in a basket of fresh laundry and you will redo the entire load.

Exactly. It's not those doing more good than bad, that are righteous with God, but only those doing His will always.

And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

If you spend time with people concerned with their own righteousness, you will not find pleasant people.

True. Their righteousness becomes their own standard to judge others by, as well as becoming their own justification, while continuing to do unrighteousness.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Most people agree that we should repent from our sins and shortcomings and they never include repenting of their own righteousness.

Hair splitting. WHEN you are CONVICTED OF SIN, then you can repent of what The Holy Spirit SHOWS YOU, and then as a Born again Christian, you take HIS YOKE upony and LEARN OF HIM, because as a spitiutually dead sinner, YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!

As you grow in the FAITH, there'll be other things to repent of.

 

[Mercy_Shown]

Hair splitting. WHEN you are CONVICTED OF SIN, then you can repent of what The Holy Spirit SHOWS YOU, and then as a Born again Christian, you take HIS YOKE upony and LEARN OF HIM, because as a spitiutually dead sinner, YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!

As you grow in the FAITH, there'll be other things to repent of.

Like your own righteousness and rightness.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Like your own righteousness and rightness.

Among other things -