Many people are ignorant of the real core center of the Gospel, they do not know in a nutshell what is the summary science at the heart of the Gospel that makes the Gospel what it really is, and what gives it the ability to save people away from sin. But Paul tells us that he was “… not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth …” Romans 1:16; and what gives it this “power”(Greek “dunamis”, meaning “dynamics”) to save people? He tells us that the “Righteousness of God” in the Gospel “out of Faith” is what makes the Gospel work to save sinners (Romans1:17).
However many people think that the “righteousness of God” is simply
only the law of the Ten Commandments. It is true that the righteousness of God is the Commandments of God, because we are told “all thy Commandments are righteousness” Psalms 119:172, and Paul tells us that “… the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us …” Romans 8:4. But we are also told of another Righteousness of God that is without the law of God, or “apart from” the works of the law. “… for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without [apart from] the law is manifested being witnessed by the law [the five books Moses wrote] and the prophets.” Romans 3:20,21.
What is explained in these verses to us by Paul is that, while the Law of the Ten Commandments gives us a knowledge of what is sin, there is a Righteousness of God that is different to the law of God, or different to the deeds of the Ten Commandments.
This Righteousness of God is testified of and found in the writings of Moses (the law) and in the writings of the prophets. Here is the clearest
presentation of this particular “Righteousness of God”. “Behold the days come, saith the LORD that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and prosper … In his days Judah shall be saved … and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:5,6. This Scripture clearly tells us that the LORD, YHWH in the original, (spelt Yahweh), is our Righteousness. God is not His Law of works, thus the only Righteousness of God that is different to the works
of the law, is God Himself, so that YHWH our Righteousness is YHWH
Himself. (See: Psalms 7:17; Psalms 143:11).
Now concerning this Righteousness of God which is God Himself, we
are further told regarding how the plan of salvation works: “Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto [the Greek text says “eis” which means “into”] all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference.” Romans 3:22. This Scripture therefore tells us that the Righteousness of God, God Himself, comes to dwell into us by Faith of Jesus Christ. The Righteousness of God, God Himself, comes to dwell in our hearts according to Psalms 40:10. This is the same as saying God dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. 1 John 4:12,13. It is only when God, as the Righteousness of God comes to dwell in us by Faith when we are justified, that we are then made to do the law of God, or the righteousness of the law is established in us according to Romans 3:28,30,31 and Romans 8:4. This then is the real core or heart of the Gospel in a nutshell that makes it the real Gospel that saves: The Righteousness of God, God Himself, must come to dwell in the heart by Faith, so that this Faith of Jesus and God Himself will motivate us to do the works or righteousness of the Law. This is the message of 1 John 3:24, and this is only what can give real glory to God. When our deeds of the law are done from the motivation of God
Himself (the Righteousness of God) dwelling in us, only God will then be glorified in us. This then is the real core of the Gospel, which, when a person has in his philosophy, he has the real Gospel. Amen.
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