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"

“If the Lord your God has cast them out before you, then do not say in your heart: The Lord has brought me in to take this land, for the sake of my righteousness - since the Lord is driving these peoples out before you for the sake of their ungodly doings. For you do not come in to take their land for the sake of your righteousness and your sincere heart, but the Lord your God drives these peoples out because of their wicked conduct, so that he may keep the word which he swore to your fathers Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. So now know that the Lord your God does not give you this good land to own for the sake of your righteousness, since you are a stubborn people »(5. Mose 9,4-6).

«One creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred silver groschen, the other fifty. But since they couldn't pay, he gave it to both of them. Which of them will love him more? Simon answered and said: I think he to whom he has given more. But he said to him, You have judged rightly. And he turned to the woman and said to Simon: Do you see this woman? I came to your house; you gave me no water for my feet; but she wet my feet with tears and dried them with her hair. You didn't give me a kiss; But she has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. You have not anointed my head with oil; but she anointed my feet with anointing oil. Therefore I say to you, her many sins are forgiven, for she loved much; but whoever is forgiven little loves little. And he said to her, Your sins have been forgiven you. Then those who sat at the table began and said to themselves: Who is this who also forgives sins? But he said to the woman, Your faith has made you well; go in peace! " (Luke 7,41-50).

«But all tax collectors and sinners approached him to hear him. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found. And they began to be happy »(Lukask 15,1 and 24).

“But he said this parable to some who were convinced that they were pious and righteous, and despised the others: Two people went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: I thank you, God, that I am not like other people, robbers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and tithe everything I take. The tax collector, however, stood far away and did not want to lift his eyes to heaven, but struck his breast and said: God, have mercy on me as a sinner! I tell you, this one went down to his house justified, not that one. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted »(Luke 18,9-14).

«And he went into Jericho and passed through. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, who was a chief of the tax collectors and was rich. And he desired to see Jesus who he was, and could not because of the crowd; for he was small in stature. And he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him; because that's where he should get through. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, get down quickly; because I have to stop at your house today. And he hurried down and received him with joy. When they saw this, they all grumbled and said, "He has returned to a sinner" (Luke 19,1-7).

“We are rightly so, for we receive what our deeds deserve; but this one did nothing wrong. And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Truly I say to you: Today you will be with me in Paradise »(Luke 23,41-43).

«But early in the morning Jesus came back into the temple, and all the people came to him, and he sat and taught them. So the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had committed adultery, and placed her in the middle and said to him, Master, this woman was caught red-handed in adultery. Moses commanded us in the law to stone such women. What are you saying? But they said so in order to try him, so that they would have something to sue him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the earth with his finger. When they persistently asked him this way, he sat up and said to them, "Whoever is among you without sin, let him throw the first stone on them." And he bent down again and wrote on the ground. When they heard this, they went out, one by one, the elders first; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing in the middle. Then Jesus sat up and said to her, Where are you, woman? Has nobody damned you? But she said: Nobody, Lord. But Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more »(Johannes 8,1-11).

"Why do you now try God by laying a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we could bear?" (Acts 15,10).

«For by the works of the law no man will be righteous before him. For by the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness, which is valid before God, is revealed without the help of the law, testified by the law and the prophets »(Romans 3,20-21).

«Where is the boasting now? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? No, but by the law of faith. So we now believe that man is righteous without the works of the law, only through faith »(Romans 3,27-28).

We say: if Abraham is righteous by works, he can boast, but not before God. Because what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and that was counted as righteousness to him."1. Moses 15,6) But to those who do works, the reward is not added out of grace, but because it is due to him. But he who does not do works, but believes in him who justifies the wicked, his faith is counted as righteousness. Just as David also blessed man, to whom God attributed righteousness without doing works ”(Romans 4,2-6).

"For what was impossible for the law, because it was weakened by the flesh, that God did: He sent his Son in the form of the sinful flesh and for the sake of sin and condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8,3).

"Not from works, but through him who calls - said to her:" The elder will serve the younger. Why this? Because it did not seek righteousness out of faith, but as if it came from works. They struck the stumbling block »(Romans 9,12 and 32).

“But if it is by grace, it is not by works; otherwise grace would not be grace »(Romans 11,6).

“But because we know that man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, we too have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law ; for by the works of the law no man is righteous ”(Galatians 2,16).

"He who now offers you the Spirit and works such deeds among you, does he do it through the works of the law or through the preaching of faith?" (Galatians 3,5).

«For those who live by the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all that is written in the book of the law, that he do it!" But it is evident that no one is righteous before God by the law; for "the righteous will live by faith". The law, however, is not based on faith, but: the person who does it will live by it. (Galatians 3,10-12).

"As? Then is the law against God's promises? Far be it! For only if a law had been given that could give life would righteousness really come from the law »(Galatians 3,21).

"You have lost Christ who wanted to be justified by the law; you have fallen out of grace" (Galatians 5,4).

"For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2,8-9).

"In him it will be found that I have not my righteousness that comes from the law, but that comes through faith in Christ, namely righteousness that comes from God through faith" (Philippians 3,9).

"He saved us and called us with a holy call, not according to our works, but according to his counsel and according to the grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus before the time of the world" (2. Timothy 1,9).

"He saves us - not for the sake of the works we would have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy - through the bath of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3,5).