Righteousness

[Soyeong]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the basics of what it means to attain character trait, what it means to have a character trait, and then to understand what the Bible specifically says about the trait of righteousness in a way that does not depart from the simplicity of that framework.

Character traits are not earned as the result of our works but rather they are embodied through our works. The one and only way to attain a character trait is through faith apart from being required to have first done enough works in order to earn it as the result, but what it means to attain a character trait is to become a doer of works that embody that trait, so it would contradictory for to attain a character trait apart from becoming a doer of that trait. More specifically, the faith by which a character trait is attained is the belief that we ought have our lives directed at being a doer of works that embody that trait.

We embody what we believe to be true about who God is through our works, such as with James 2:18 saying that he would show his faith through his works. In other words, the way to believe in God is by believing that we ought to have our lives directed at embody His likeness through being a doer of His character traits. For example, by being a doer of good works in obedience to God we are embodying His goodness, which is why our good works bring glory to Him (Matthew 5:16), and by embodying God's goodness we are also expressing the belief that God is good. Likewise, the way to believe that God is compassionate is by being compassionate, the way to believe that God is a doer of justice is by being a doer of justice, the way to believe that God is holy is by being a doer of His instructions for how to be holy as He is holy, and so forth. This is exactly the way to believe in the Son, who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact likeness of His character (Hebrews 1:3), which he embodied through his works by setting an example for us to follow of how to walk in obedience to God's law, and it is by that faith alone that we attain the character traits of God.

While it is true that Abraham believed God, so he was declared righteous (Genesis 15:6), it is also true that he believed God, so he was a doer of righteous works (Genesis 18:19), so the faith by which he was declared righteous was also embodied through his works, but he did not earn his righteousness as the result of his works (Romans 4:1-5). In James 2:21-24, it quotes Genesis 15:6 to support saying that Abraham was declared righteous by his works when he offered Isaac, that his faith was active along with his works, and his faith completed his works, so he was declared righteous by his works insofar as they embodied his faith but not insofar as they were earning a wage. In 1 John 3:7, everyone who is a doer of righteous works is righteous even as they are righteous, so while we do not earn our righteousness as the result of our works, there is is no such thing as someone being righteous apart from being a doer of righteous works, but rather the content of the gift of being imputed with the righteousness of God is getting to become a doer of righteous works.

 

[Josheb]

Character traits are not earned as the result of our works but rather they are embodied through our works.

I disagree and consider that statement something of a false dichotomy. persistent behavioral changes change a person. When those changes become part of who someone is, instead of merely something he or she does, then a change in character has occurred.

 

[Josheb]

The one and only way to attain a character trait is through faith apart from being required to have first done enough works in order to earn it as the result....

I, again, disagree.

Some traits are simply a function of genetics. Others are the effect of social learning and/or societal programming. When it comes to righteousness, it is important to realize the righteousness of the redeemed and regenerate is credited to the individual, not something inherent in their being (or something obtained through the process of and following the transformation that occurs in our resurrection from the grave. As long as an individual remains corruptible, he also remains unrighteous. Complete characterological righteousness would necessarily mean completely unable to ever become corrupt. As long as the possibility for any corruption to occur exists, so too does some degree of unrighteousness. That is why righteousness had to be credited to us. On our own, in and of ourselves alone, we have none.

 

[Soyeong]

I disagree and consider that statement something of a false dichotomy. persistent behavioral changes change a person. When those changes become part of who someone is, instead of merely something he or she does, then a change in character has occurred.

Still, persist behavioral changes are not done in order to earn a character trait but rather they are about embodying a trait through faith.

 

[Arial]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the basics of what it means to attain character trait, what it means to have a character trait, and then to understand what the Bible specifically says about the trait of righteousness in a way that does not depart from the simplicity of that framework.

Character traits are not earned as the result of our works but rather they are embodied through our works. The one and only way to attain a character trait is through faith apart from being required to have first done enough works in order to earn it as the result, but what it means to attain a character trait is to become a doer of works that embody that trait, so it would contradictory for to attain a character trait apart from becoming a doer of that trait. More specifically, the faith by which a character trait is attained is the belief that we ought have our lives directed at being a doer of works that embody that trait.

We embody what we believe to be true about who God is through our works, such as with James 2:18 saying that he would show his faith through his works. In other words, the way to believe in God is by believing that we ought to have our lives directed at embody His likeness through being a doer of His character traits. For example, by being a doer of good works in obedience to God we are embodying His goodness, which is why our good works bring glory to Him (Matthew 5:16), and by embodying God's goodness we are also expressing the belief that God is good. Likewise, the way to believe that God is compassionate is by being compassionate, the way to believe that God is a doer of justice is by being a doer of justice, the way to believe that God is holy is by being a doer of His instructions for how to be holy as He is holy, and so forth. This is exactly the way to believe in the Son, who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact likeness of His character (Hebrews 1:3), which he embodied through his works by setting an example for us to follow of how to walk in obedience to God's law, and it is by that faith alone that we attain the character traits of God.

While it is true that Abraham believed God, so he was declared righteous (Genesis 15:6), it is also true that he believed God, so he was a doer of righteous works (Genesis 18:19), so the faith by which he was declared righteous was also embodied through his works, but he did not earn his righteousness as the result of his works (Romans 4:1-5). In James 2:21-24, it quotes Genesis 15:6 to support saying that Abraham was declared righteous by his works when he offered Isaac, that his faith was active along with his works, and his faith completed his works, so he was declared righteous by his works insofar as they embodied his faith but not insofar as they were earning a wage. In 1 John 3:7, everyone who is a doer of righteous works is righteous even as they are righteous, so while we do not earn our righteousness as the result of our works, there is is no such thing as someone being righteous apart from being a doer of righteous works, but rather the content of the gift of being imputed with the righteousness of God is getting to become a doer of righteous works.

Good thread. I would also add that this is being conformed to the image of Christ, which is what God predestines us, the believer, to become, so it is God at work in us though the indwelling Holy Spirit, and by/through his word. It is in his word that we learn what righteousness is. Christ's righteousness is imputed to us right now and keeps us safe while we await the fullness of our redemption. He is the Righteous one who perfectly bears the Father's image and this is what we are being transformed into, and in Him, only in Him.

 

[Josheb]

...the way to believe in God is by believing....

That is circular reasoning.

• The way to jump is by jumping.
• The way to think on whatever is good or noble is to think.
• The way to sin is sinning.

Is what I'm saying understood? It does not matter what follows the "by believing....." because the predicate condition of believing is asserted circularly. While it can accurately be said that faith begets faith (and faithfulness) increases by exercising whatever faith currently exists, the foundation of all faith pertaining to righteousness is that it is a gift from God. It does not exist in a sinful human apart from its giftedness.

 

[Josheb]

Still, persist behavioral changes are not done in order to earn a character trait but rather they are about embodying a trait through faith.

Those are not mutually exclusive conditions. A person can (and often does) change their behavior solely for the purpose of changing their character, becoming a better person, and they do so by faith (either in God or in their flesh, or both).

 

[Soyeong]

I, again, disagree.

Some traits are simply a function of genetics.

Can you please give an example?

Others are the effect of social learning and/or societal programming.

Societal programming has a likeness that it wants us to be in and the way to attain those traits is by having faith in it.

When it comes to righteousness, it is important to realize the righteousness of the redeemed and regenerate is credited to the individual, not something inherent in their being (or something obtained through the process of and following the transformation that occurs in our resurrection from the grave. As long as an individual remains corruptible, he also remains unrighteous. Complete characterological righteousness would necessarily mean completely unable to ever become corrupt. As long as the possibility for any corruption to occur exists, so too does some degree of unrighteousness. That is why righteousness had to be credited to us. On our own, in and of ourselves alone, we have none.

For example, the only way for someone to credited as courageous is through faith apart from being required to have first done enough courageous works in order to earn it as the result. No character traits are gained on our own apart from faith.

That is circular reasoning.

• The way to jump is by jumping.
• The way to think on whatever is good or noble is to think.
• The way to sin is sinning.

Is what I'm saying understood? It does not matter what follows the "by believing....." because the predicate condition of believing is asserted circularly. While it can accurately be said that faith begets faith (and faithfulness) increases by exercising whatever faith currently exists, the foundation of all faith pertaining to righteousness is that it is a gift from God. It does not exist in a sinful human apart from its giftedness.

It is a little bit vague to say that we should believe in God. How exactly does someone go about doing that? What exactly should we believe about Him? I'm. not using circular reasoning, but rather I am more fully defining what it means to believe in God. The content of a gift can be the experience of getting the opportunity to do something and the content of the gift of righteousness is getting the opportunity to experience of being a doer of righteous works.

Those are not mutually exclusive conditions. A person can (and often does) change their behavior solely for the purpose of changing their character, becoming a better person, and they do so by faith (either in God or in their flesh, or both).

Changes in someone's character are not uncaused. Whatever it is that someone considers to be a better person is a likeness that they are putting their faith in, which is why it is important for God's likeness to be our goal.

 

[Josheb]

For example, by being a doer of good works in obedience to God we are embodying His goodness, which is why our good works bring glory to Him (Matthew 5:16), and by embodying God's goodness we are also expressing the belief that God is good.

That is true. I wholeheartedly affirm that statement, but the same thing said about a non-believer wouldn't be true. An unregenerate person can be a doer of good works but none of those good works effects a soteriological righteousness. They might (maybe) foster a certain legal rightness, but that is not a characterological righteousness. It's not state of commuted righteousness based on faith in Christ, either. Lots of folks are going to stand up and say they were doing good works only to be told to leave.

Likewise, the way to believe that God is compassionate is by being compassionate...

There is a fundamental distinction between be a person who does compassion and being a person who is compassion. You are I might act compassion because we believe it the right thing to do or because of any number of alternative motives. That would not make us characterologically compassionate people. If I understand the op correctly, you mean to say a compassionately acting person acts that way because they are characterologically compassionate people. Thier conduct is a "natural function and outcome of who and what they are. That part is true, but that does not mean a person lacking a compassionate character cannot act compassionately, and it does not mean such a person could not become characterologically compassionate.

Ultimately, I will say the work is done by God, although perhaps not without our regenerate and Spirit-led participation. I used to be a criminal addict. Having come to Chrost 40+ years ago I am a MUCH different person. I could say I worked hard at changing but as I look back on all of it, I do not believe any of it would have occurred without God at work within me to affect every single one of those changes. It is somewhat of a paradox. Do I give God all the glory? If I do that and never credit my own work, then I am not fully glorifying God because part of His work was making me able to work in concert with Him. In and of myself I am nothing. My character is utterly lacking. In Christ I can be and do all things God desires of me. One of my favorite passages is 2 Peter 1:3-9.

2 Peter 1:3-11 NIV
3His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We already have everything we need to live a godly life (including all the characterological necessities). We can participate in the divine nature! Extraordinary claims. Challenging to believe. I believe that is the very reason Peter immediately says, "For this very reason make every effort to add to your faith..." We have everything we need but we must add to our faith. Everything we need but add to faith a pile of big stuff and above all else remember one very important fact:

You
have
been
washed
clean​

The person who has all of that characterologically stands out.

 

[Josheb]

While it is true that Abraham believed God, so he was declared righteous (Genesis 15:6), it is also true that he believed God, so he was a doer of righteous works (Genesis 18:19), so the faith by which he was declared righteous was also embodied through his works, but he did not earn his righteousness as the result of his works (Romans 4:1-5). In James 2:21-24, it quotes Genesis 15:6 to support saying that Abraham was declared righteous by his works when he offered Isaac, that his faith was active along with his works, and his faith completed his works, so he was declared righteous by his works insofar as they embodied his faith but not insofar as they were earning a wage. In 1 John 3:7, everyone who is a doer of righteous works is righteous even as they are righteous, so while we do not earn our righteousness as the result of our works, there is is no such thing as someone being righteous apart from being a doer of righteous works, but rather the content of the gift of being imputed with the righteousness of God is getting to become a doer of righteous works.

Yep.

 

[John Bauer]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the basics of what it means to attain character trait, [and] what it means to have a character trait, ...

Perhaps we should start with a definition of "character trait," then. For example, it seems plausible that the fruit of the Spirit is a list of character traits (formed by divine agency; Php 2:13; John 6:29).

Character traits are not earned as the result of our works but rather they are embodied through our works. ... [W]hat it means to attain a character trait is to become a doer of works that embody that trait. ... This is exactly the way to believe in the Son, who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact likeness of his character (Heb. 1:3) which he embodied through his works by setting an example for us to follow of how to walk in obedience to God's law, and it is by that faith alone that we attain the character traits of God.

I smell Roman Catholic theology. Intended or not, the scent is there.

While it is true that Abraham believed God, so he was declared righteous (Gen. 15:6), it is also true that he believed God, so he was a doer of righteous works (18:19), so the faith by which he was declared righteous was also embodied through his works ... [Abraham's] faith was active along with his works, and his faith completed his works, so he was declared righteous by his works insofar as they embodied his faith ...

As with Roman Catholic theology, I am detecting a conflation of justification ("declared righteous") and sanctification ("doer of righteous works").

... there is is no such thing as someone being righteous apart from being a doer of righteous works,

This is something captured in Reformed theology. Those whom God justifies he also sanctifies, so there is no such thing as justification apart from sanctification.

 

[Soyeong]

Perhaps we should start with a definition of "character trait," then. For example, it seems plausible that the fruit of the Spirit is a list of character traits (formed by divine agency; Php 2:13; John 6:29).

A character trait is quality that someone has the goal of embodying through their works. The character traits of God are the fruits of the Spirit. God's law is His instructions for how to be a doer of His character traits, which is why the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey it (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

I smell Roman Catholic theology. Intended or not, the scent is there.

I am not Roman Catholic, though there are things that Roman Catholics are correct about.

As with Roman Catholic theology, I am detecting a conflation of justification ("declared righteous") and sanctification ("doer of righteous works").

Is there anyone who is justified who isn't also being sanctified or vice versa?

This is something captured in Reformed theology. Those whom God justifies he also sanctifies, so there is no such thing as justification apart from sanctification.

Then why are you thinking that I am conflating justification with sanctification?

 

[John Bauer]

A character trait is a quality that someone has the goal of embodying through their works. The character traits of God are the fruits of the Spirit. God's law is his instructions for how to be a doer of his character traits, which is why the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey it (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

There are a lot of problems with this. I have to wonder if perhaps you want to take a mulligan here.

For example, you said a character trait is "a quality that someone has the goal of embodying" through works, and then described God as having character traits. But God doesn't have the goal of embodying anything. His divine attributes are perfections intrinsic to his being; he simply is his perfections. His love, righteousness, mercy, etc., are not acquired or expressed through process, they are identical with his essence; they are not "traits" that God "has" and we "imitate," they are divine perfections that the Spirit communicates to believers as he conforms them to Christ's image. To say that God has character traits is to imply that he possesses dispositional qualities, stable habits or tendencies toward certain kinds of actions—which is incompatible with divine simplicity, immutability, and aseity.

Anyway, I will allow you to revisit this before diving into it.

I am not Roman Catholic, though there are things that Roman Catholics are correct about.

Fair enough. But justification is not one of them.

Is there anyone who is justified who isn't also being sanctified or vice versa?

No. That was my point.

Then why are you thinking that I am conflating justification with sanctification?

While the Reformed faith holds that the justified are necessarily sanctified, it denies that justification consists in sanctification. Your statement—"his faith was active along with his works, and his faith completed his works, so he was declared righteous by his works insofar as they embodied his faith"—echoes that latter idea, which is the Roman Catholic conflation (fides caritate formata), as if faith's justifying efficacy depends on its outworking. Your statement suggests a kind of moralistic, almost quasi-Pelagian anthropology, where salvation becomes a teleological project of imitating divine traits, rather than a redemptive participation in the life of the crucified and risen Christ.