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But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, \u201cwho will ascend into heaven?\u201d ” (that is, to bring Christ down<\/span> from above<\/em><\/span>)<\/strong><\/p>\n Even the greatest of works does not produce righteousness.<\/p>\n \u201cThe righteousness of faith<\/span>\u201d is from h\u0113 ek piste\u014ds dikaiosun\u0113<\/em><\/span>, which literally means \u201cthe out of faith righteousness.\u201d It refers to the true righteousness, that which can only come by faith, and Paul uses a personification of that faith here to let it speak for itself.<\/p>\n The expression \u201csay in your heart<\/span>\u201d is a Hebraism (a Hebrew expression) which means \u201cto think or say to oneself.\u201d<\/p>\n In the previous verses Paul talked about the Jews who have a zeal for God but who try to obtain the righteousness of God by keeping the Law. He then quoted a passage from Leviticus 18:5<\/strong><\/span> which says, You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: <\/span><\/span>I<\/span> am<\/em><\/span> the LORD.<\/span><\/p>\n Now, since Paul is contrasting the righteousness which comes from obeying the Law with the righteousness which is a result of faith, he makes a statement about the righteousness of faith. This is roughly taken from the book of Deuteronomy.<\/p>\n For this commandment which I command you today is<\/em> <\/span>not<\/span> too<\/em> <\/span>mysterious for you, nor is<\/em> it far off. It<\/span> is<\/em> <\/span>not in heaven, that you should say, \u201cWho will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?\u201d Nor<\/span> is<\/em> <\/span>it beyond the sea, that you should say, \u201cWho will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?\u201d But the word<\/span> is<\/em> <\/span>very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.<\/span> (Deuteronomy 30:11-14<\/strong><\/span>) <\/em><\/p>\n In this passage from Deuteronomy, Moses has just warned the Israelites what will happen to them if they turn from Jehovah and serve other gods. He then tells them that if they turn back to Jehovah, even while they are in the land of their captivity, He will once again bless them. The message Moses is giving is not one of \u201cobedience produces life and disobedience produces death,\u201d it is a message of \u201cfaithfulness produces life, leading to works of obedience and unfaithfulness produces death (spiritual), leading to works of disobedience.\u201d As Moses continues in Deuteronomy 30:15<\/strong><\/span>, he says: See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.<\/span> He does not say \u201cgoodness and life\u201d because goodness does not produce life, he says \u201clife and good\u201d because only spiritual life produces good.<\/p>\n The Israelites were confused. They thought that obedience could produce righteousness. Moses, on the other hand taught that faith produces righteousness. In today\u2019s verse, what the righteousness of faith is telling us is that works, even works as great as ascending into heaven to bring Christ\u2019s righteousness down to us, don\u2019t produce righteousness.<\/p>\n The Apostle Paul tends to hammer on a subject from every possible angle until there is absolutely no wiggle room for the critics to argue against him. That\u2019s what he has been doing with regard to righteousness. We cannot earn it; we can only receive it by faith.<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Application<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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