Righteous without works

We are accepted unconditionally

Everywhere in this world we have to achieve something. In this world it goes like this: «Do something, then you get something. If you act the way I want, I will love you ». It is quite different with God. He loves everyone, although we have nothing to show that would even come close to meeting his comprehensive, perfect standards. He reconciled us with himself through the most precious thing in the universe, through Jesus Christ.

Bible translation "Luther 2017"

“Now when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, ‘The Lord has brought me in to possess this land because of my righteousness’—for the Lord is driving these nations out before you because of their wicked ways. For you are not entering to possess their land because of your righteousness and upright heart, but the Lord your God is driving out these nations because of their wicked ways, in order to keep the promise he made to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Know therefore that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.” (5. Mose 9,4-6).

“A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Since they could not pay, he forgave them both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged correctly.” Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Lukas 7,41-50).

“Now all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to him to hear him. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:1 and 24).

“He told this parable to some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on others: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, unjust, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner! I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’” (Lukas 18,9-14).

“And he entered Jericho and passed through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he desired to see who Jesus was, but could not, because of the crowd, since Jesus was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, for that was the way Jesus was due to pass. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today.’ And he came down quickly and welcomed him joyfully. When they saw this, they all grumbled and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner!’” (Lukas 19,1-7).

“We are rightly rewarded, for we receive what our deeds deserve; but this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Lukas 23,41-43).

Early in the morning Jesus came again to the temple courts, and all the people gathered around him. He sat down and taught them. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and they placed her in the midst of the crowd and said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. Moses commanded us in the Law to stone such women. What do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. When they pressed him about this, he stood up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard this, they went away one by one, beginning with the older men. Jesus was left alone with the woman standing in the midst of them. Standing up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” But she said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (Joh 8,1-11).

“Why then do you put God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Apostelgeschichte 15,10).

“For by the works of the law no one will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes knowledge of sin, but now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.” (Röm 3,20-21).

“Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Röm 3,27-28).

“This is what we say: If Abraham is justified by works, he may boast, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’” (1. Mose 15,6)But to the one who works, the reward is not credited as a gift, but as his due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. For David also proclaims blessed the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. (Röm 4,2-6).

“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did: He sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering, and so he condemned sin in the flesh.” (Röm 8,3).

“Not by works, but by him who calls—he said to her, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Why? Because they did not seek righteousness by faith, but as if it came by works. They stumbled over the stumbling block.”Röm 9,12 and 32).

“But if it is by grace, it is not because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” (Röm 11,6).

“But since we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, we too have come to faith in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no one will be justified.” (Galater 2,16).

“Does he who gives you the Spirit and works miracles among you do so by the works of the law or by the preaching of faith?” (Galater 3,5).

“For those who live by the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all that is written in the Book of the Law, to do them.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ The law, however, is not based on faith, but the person who obeys it will live by it.” (Galater 3,10-12).

“What? Is the law then contrary to God’s promises? By no means! For if a law had been given that could give life, would righteousness really come from the law?” (Galater 3,21).

“You who seek to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” (Galater 5,4).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast.” (Epheser 2,8-9).

“I may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God through faith.” (Philipper 3,9).

“He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” (2. Timotheus 1,9).

“He saves us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy, through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3,5).