What kind of life is pursuing righteousness?

 

What kind of life is pursuing righteousness?

 

During their sermons, church pastors say, “Salvation comes by the grace of God, not by the law.” A person who believes in Jesus “has his sins imputed to Jesus Christ, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer.” So, although he was a sinner before, he became righteous because of Christ. It's not wrong.

What is the problem?

First, most pastors do not say to believers, "In order for believers' sins to be transferred to Jesus through Jesus' atonement death, they must become dead in union with Jesus Christ who died on the cross." Since pastors say that sins are transferred by believing in Jesus, they think that all they have to do is believe in Jesus.

Second, most pastors do not say that “those who died in union with Jesus on the cross are now resurrected with Jesus.” Those who are currently resurrected with Jesus are recognized as holy by God's grace. Because they do not know the meaning of the present resurrection, the words sanctification, a life that resembles Christ, and a life that pursues holiness appear among pastors.

Present resurrection means that one has gained heavenly life by believing that one died with Christ and was resurrected. Those who have heavenly life are called holy by God. Those who think that the body will die and be resurrected someday are still in sin.

Resurrection means returning to what was before. He was originally a person with heavenly life, but was born as a human in the world and became a prisoner, but thanks to Jesus Christ, he returns to heavenly life. Jesus spoke about resurrection in Luke 20:36, “They cannot die anymore, for they are equal with the angels and, as children of resurrection, they are children of God.” Those who have resurrection life are already children of God and angels. It is equivalent to .

However, pastors cause confusion among believers. People who believe that righteousness has been passed on to them from Jesus cannot live carelessly. Those who realize grace are destined to become righteous, and righteousness is proven through fruits. Furthermore, if they say they believe in Jesus but do not pursue righteousness, they are not saved. Pastors say that these people can be seen in two cases: first, because they are constantly trying to accumulate righteousness, and second, because they do not believe in salvation by grace.

So what does it mean to pursue righteousness? They speak of it as living an honest and moral life and obeying God's commandments. Even if pursuing righteousness does not mean that one strives to continually accumulate righteousness, does it not mean that one seeks to maintain righteousness?

A life that pursues righteousness and a life that resembles Christ all have similar logic. According to their logic, a true believer leads a holy life. What God recognizes as holy and what believers pursue righteousness are of different quality. Man cannot attain righteousness, but through Christ, God calls sinners righteous. Therefore, those who say, “We must live a life that resembles Christ or pursue righteousness,” are once again subjecting themselves to the yoke of the law.

As Paul said, believers “die every day,” and there is no other way. Every day, you remember that you are physically dead. Although Jesus Christ died on the cross and took away my sins, we must realize that the Jesus who died was none other than “me.” It is to remember one's own cruel death on the cross. And he will have to think about what he will do while he is still alive in the world as a child of resurrection. God declares himself a child of resurrection, but how ridiculous would it be if humans were wondering what they should do to keep it?

The core of Christian faith is the death and resurrection of the cross. Ultimately, it becomes resurrection. Resurrection is God's promise to give life in heaven to humans who are in sin. The old dies with Jesus on the cross, and new life is born with Christ. God gives grace to those who believe in this.