Comments on: The Jobian Take on Righteousness http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/ Conversations in Theology and its interaction with Culture Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:50:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jennifer in OR http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/comment-page-1/#comment-6337 Jennifer in OR Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:31:22 +0000 http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/#comment-6337 I just added this post to the Christian Carnival! Just landed in my email this afternoon, sorry it didn't go in with the initial posting. Great thoughts, thanks for this article. I agreed with your take on this. I see James' teaching on "faith without works is dead" as going along with this view of active righteousness. I just added this post to the Christian Carnival! Just landed in my email this afternoon, sorry it didn’t go in with the initial posting.

Great thoughts, thanks for this article. I agreed with your take on this. I see James’ teaching on “faith without works is dead” as going along with this view of active righteousness.

]]> By:   Christian Carnival CCXXXIII: The Hilarious Edition http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/comment-page-1/#comment-6336   Christian Carnival CCXXXIII: The Hilarious Edition Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:27:45 +0000 http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/#comment-6336 [...] Michael Imler presents The Jobian Take on Righteousness posted at Theology for the Masses. After the Christmas pageant, I asked my 6-year-old son if he [...] [...] Michael Imler presents The Jobian Take on Righteousness posted at Theology for the Masses. After the Christmas pageant, I asked my 6-year-old son if he [...]

]]> By: Henry Michael Imler http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/comment-page-1/#comment-6335 Henry Michael Imler Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:07:06 +0000 http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/#comment-6335 Hank, For the most part, I agree with you. This is not how we become righteous - we already are declared righteous by God. I wanna stress the next step - we are to be active in our righteousness, which is something I am pretty sure we agree on. Hank,

For the most part, I agree with you. This is not how we become righteous – we already are declared righteous by God. I wanna stress the next step – we are to be active in our righteousness, which is something I am pretty sure we agree on.

]]> By: Hank http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/comment-page-1/#comment-6332 Hank Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:06:46 +0000 http://www.masstheology.com/2008/07/12/the-jobian-take-on-righteousness/#comment-6332 "It is not our righteousness that needs protecting from sin – it should be sin (or injustice in the world) than need fear our righteousness!" I love that line because it is so true. But I think one has to be cautious with Job. While he was without blame, he was not without sin and transgression and iniquity (cf. Job 13:23; Job 14:16-17). I think that you must be very careful not to create legalism with this idea. The NT never put righteousness in this sense. The NT has a "be what you are" view of works of righteousness for the believer. We do works of rightouesness because we are made righteous by Christ. We work out from our justification. What <strong><em>can</em></strong> be taken from this post is that the basis for our righteousness is our righteous deeds. That simply is nowhere taught in the New Covenant. What <strong><em>can be inferred</em></strong> from this post is that if I put on righteousness by my deeds, I will be righteous. This has a very Pelagian tendancy to it. This can be burdensome when the inevitable failure comes. I find that it helps people to know that they are free from making these works the basis of their standing before God and so they can radically pursue the very same deeds. When failure comes, they know that they are not damned for it. They know that they can get back up and try again. I know that you are really trying to keep people from using the doctrine of imputation as an excuse to not be active in showing Christ to the world. But I don't think this is the way because of how dangerous it <strong><em>can</em></strong> be (I'm thinking Matthew 7:21-23). Those who have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to preach and to teach the Word must make it clear that we are saved to do good works (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10; James 1:22-27). The New Covenant is to enable it members to obey God's command to love your neighbor as yourself. But one must make it clear that we work from our justification, not for it. But don't misunderstand me here. I have heavy leanings towards a postmillennial eschatology. Postmillennialism strives to create a "golden age of righteousness" here on earth. I have a lot of simpathy with this desire to see the kingdom of God on earth before it is consumated at Christ's return. I do believe that we must minister with a view of Matthew 25:31-40. “It is not our righteousness that needs protecting from sin – it should be sin (or injustice in the world) than need fear our righteousness!” I love that line because it is so true. But I think one has to be cautious with Job. While he was without blame, he was not without sin and transgression and iniquity (cf. Job 13:23; Job 14:16-17).

I think that you must be very careful not to create legalism with this idea. The NT never put righteousness in this sense. The NT has a “be what you are” view of works of righteousness for the believer. We do works of rightouesness because we are made righteous by Christ. We work out from our justification. What can be taken from this post is that the basis for our righteousness is our righteous deeds. That simply is nowhere taught in the New Covenant. What can be inferred from this post is that if I put on righteousness by my deeds, I will be righteous. This has a very Pelagian tendancy to it. This can be burdensome when the inevitable failure comes. I find that it helps people to know that they are free from making these works the basis of their standing before God and so they can radically pursue the very same deeds. When failure comes, they know that they are not damned for it. They know that they can get back up and try again.

I know that you are really trying to keep people from using the doctrine of imputation as an excuse to not be active in showing Christ to the world. But I don’t think this is the way because of how dangerous it can be (I’m thinking Matthew 7:21-23). Those who have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to preach and to teach the Word must make it clear that we are saved to do good works (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10; James 1:22-27). The New Covenant is to enable it members to obey God’s command to love your neighbor as yourself. But one must make it clear that we work from our justification, not for it.

But don’t misunderstand me here. I have heavy leanings towards a postmillennial eschatology. Postmillennialism strives to create a “golden age of righteousness” here on earth. I have a lot of simpathy with this desire to see the kingdom of God on earth before it is consumated at Christ’s return. I do believe that we must minister with a view of Matthew 25:31-40.

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