Not made righteous by your own works

 You CANNOT Be Made Righteous
​ By Your Own Works

Although some preachers may want us to believe that there was a time (in the Old Testament) when man was made righteous by doing the works of the law, this teaching is far from the truth. No man has ever been and is justified by his own works. Abraham, David, Paul…Martin Luther- the renowned German Reformer, understood this.
In Romans 4, Paul outlines how impossible it was for Abraham to be justified before God by the deeds of the law. “…for if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God…Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:1- 5). Abraham received justification (God in the heart) when he believed the faith of YHWH. He could do no work whatsoever to make himself righteous. In verse 7 of the same chapter, the apostle tells us that “David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness WITHOUT WORKS” (emphasis supplied). This shows that God esteems us to be righteous when we accept His faith and not when we do the works of the law with an unregenerate heart.

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The plain and emphatic truth here is that no one can be changed in heart (justified) by doing the deeds of the law. The person who attempts this, would become formalistic, overbearing and pharisaical- using himself or the amount of works he does as the standard. The example of the Jews is before us. They sought to be justified by performing the deeds of the law. Obviously, they failed- miserably. They stumbled. In fact, they killed Jesus, the Author of that same law that they were claiming to keep! Thankfully, Paul, who himself was trapped in that falsehood, was rescued by Jesus Christ. He clearly explained what the problem of the pharisaical Jews was. They went about seeking to establish their own righteousness. And they did not “attained to the law of righteousness.” Why?  “Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law…”  (Romans 9: 31-32).  
Jesus warns against the danger of the doctrine of righteousness by works (as held by the Scribes and Pharisees) –doing the deeds of the law as a means of bringing righteousness to oneself. He taught the disciples “…except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:20. You see, we can only be converted to enter God’s kingdom by having God Himself dwelling in our minds through faith, NOT by doing the deeds of the law.  “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto {into} all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” Romans 3:22.  
It is only by having Righteousness-God Himself (Jeremiah 23: 5 and 6) in our heart that we can have strength and motivation to do the works of the law, pleasing God. In other words, “….We establish the law” (Romans 3:31).
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW” Romans 3:28. (Emphasis supplied). To you, who believe the false doctrine of righteousness by works, I call on you to repent of it and believe the true Gospel which teaches justification by faith alone. Let God justify you through His faith that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in you- that you may be able to keep all of His Commandments (Law) including His holy seventh-day Sabbath. Amen.

Ann-Marie Ballantyne