JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

'...the commanding insistence of the Scripture is that in justification it is the righteousness of God which is revealed from faith to faith, and therefore a righteousness which is contrasted not only with human unrighteousness but with human righteousness. It is righteousness which is divine in quality.' 

John Murray, Redemption: Accomplished and Applied, p.120. 

PLEASING GOD

'Why do we imagine God to be so unmoved by our heart-felt attempts at obedience? He is, after all, our heavenly Father. What sort of father looks at his daughter's homemade birthday card and complains that the color scheme is all wrong? What kind of mother says to her son, after he gladly cleaned the garage but put the paint cans on the wrong shelf, "This is worthless in my sight"? What sort of parent rolls his eyes when his child falls off the bike on the first try? There is no righteousness that makes us right with God except for the righteousness of Chriost. But for those who have been made right with God by grace alone through faith alone and therefore have been adopted into God's family, many of our righteous deeds are not only not filthy in God's eyes, they are exceedingly sweet, precious, and pleasing to him.'

Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness, p.70.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

'It is a dangerous thing to ignore the Bible's asssumption, and expectation, that righteousness is possible. Of course, our righteousness can never appease God's wrath. We need the imputed righteousness of Christ. More than that, we cannot produce any righteousness in our own stregth. But as born-again believers, it is possible to please God by his grace. Those who bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God are fully pleasing to God (Col.1:10). Presenting your body as a living sacrifice pleasees God (Romans 12:1). Looking out for your weaker brother pleases God (14:18). Obeying your parents pleases God (1 Thess. 2:4). Praying for the governing authorities pleases God (1 Tim. 2:1-3). Supporting your family members in need pleases God (5:4). Sharing with other pleases God (Heb. 13:16)). Keeping his commandments pleases God (1 John 3:22). Basically, whenever you trust and obey, God is pleased.'   

Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness, p.69.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

'The righteous are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community; the wicked are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves.'

Bruce Waltke in Timothy Keller, Center Church, p.323.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

'...the righteous...are willing to disadvantage themsleves to advantage the community; the wicked are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves.'

Bruce Waltke in Timothy Keller, Generous Justice, p.90.