The righteousness of God

The righteousness of God The righteousness of God emphasizes the perfection of His divine character while exposing the fallen nature of man. Romans 3:10 says There is no one righteous, not even one. Verse 11 goes on to say that there is no one who understands, and no one who seeks God. Mankind is fallen, and doomed to eternal damnation if not for the righteousness of God. The thesis of this study will demonstrate that Pauls epistle to the Romans more than any other book of the Bibleprovides profound insight into the free gift, and meaning of the righteousness of God. Gods righteousness is attained by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness is a relationship word, and at the foundation of its meaning is the idea of being right with the other person; doing what is called for to preserve and continue the relationship. God has placed us in right relationship to Him through Christ. Gods righteousness demands He condemn sin, and judge sinners (1:18-3:20). In lieu of that condemnation and judgment, He has provided forgiveness of sin for all who believe in Christ Jesus (justification; 3:21,5:21), and power for living a holy life in right relationship to Himself (sanctification; 6:1, 8:39). Righteousness is the position commanded by God, in which we put on the new self that is created to be like God (Eph. 4:24; 2 Cor. 3:9; 6:14). Its conformity to all He commands or appoints. Since God Himself is the standard, the righteousness of God is the righteousness which belongs to God (Matt. 6:33; James 1:20). Righteousness is Gods standard for which people are expected to attain. Righteousness is what man should do, and righteous are those who do it. What does righteousness mean? The righteousness of God is a righteousness of faith (Rom. 4:11). A brief study of the word righteousness and faith, in their Greek and Hebrew form, will be necessary in order to fully comprehend the righteousness of God. Word Study Righteousness: Greek: (dikaiosune); (1) Pauline thought of the divine action by which God puts a person right with himself, and which then becomes a dynamic power in the believers life making righteous, or a state of having been made righteous (Rom. 1:17). Hebrew: (1) righteousness, justice, rightness, i.e., the state of doing what is required according to a standard (Ps 31:2); (2) justice (Is. 5:23); 3. innocence, i.e., the state of not having any sin or its associated guilt. Faith: Greek: (pistis), (eos), (he): a state of certainty with regard to belief (Ac 17:31); the state of complete dependability (Ro 3:3); Christian faith, belief in the Gospel (Ro 1:8; Eph 2:8; Gal 1:23; Jude 3). Hebrew: (emuwnah); 49 occurrences; AV translates as faithfulness 18 times, truth 13 times, faithfully five times; faithfulness, trustworthiness, steadiness, entrusted, i.e., a state or condition of being dependable to a person or standard. The message of Romans essentially says, we are made righteous because God puts a person in right standing with Him through the faith of the believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Righteousness of God expressed in the Old and New Testaments The idea of the righteousness of God is a fundamental biblical idea that encompasses both Testaments. In the Old Testament God says: Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone from My mouth in righteousness, and will not turn back (Isa. 45:22-23). I bring near My righteousness, its not far off: my salvation will not delay (Isa. 46:13; 51:5). In these passages the righteousness of God is conceived as going forth, as projected from the Divine essence, and realizing itself among men. In Is. 54:17 its expressly said, Their righteousness [which] is of Me; and in Is. 45:25 the process is described as one of justification (in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified. In close attendance on the righteousness of God is His salvation; where the one is, the other immediately follows. Pauls message to the Romans shines a new light on the righteousness of God. His righteousness flows forth and embraces man, when its met by faith. In Romans 3:21, Paul claims that this righteousness of God is attested to in the Old Testament. Paul makes clear that only those who believe will experience Gods righteousness. He reiterates the importance of faith with a quotation from Habakkuk 2:4, The righteous will live by faith.? No other New Testament book exposits the righteousness of God as thoroughly, and precisely, as the book of Romans. From the opening introduction to Pauls final exhortation, Gods righteousness is the pervasive topic. The Righteousness of God by Faith Its unlikely that one can find a passage in Scripture that concisely summarizes the message of salvation more effectively than Romans 1:16-17. The word righteousness occurs ninety-two times in the New Testament, and thirty-six times in the book of Romans. Paul states the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith (v. 17). Its difficult to know exactly what Paul had in mind with this phrase. He may be saying its a faith from first to last, indicating that faith must govern our approach to God throughout our walk with him. We never outgrow our need for faith, and God never changes that requirement. My view is that Paul is describing the faith that Gods people had in Old Testament times (Old Covenant), and the faith that is in Christ Jesus in the New Testament times (New Covenant). Its a continuation of faith from old to new, and first to last; from faith to faith. Righteousness is doing that which is expected within the Covenant relationship. Under the Old Covenant God gave the Law, and thereby demonstrated that man is under obligation to meet with his approval. Under the New Covenant; God gave His Son Jesus, and promises to give his approval if man responds to Christ in faith. Christ is now the object of our faith. Apart From the Law, the Righteousness of God is Manifested In this section (Rom. 3:21-26), Paul shifts to a more positive approach to the gospel. This passage restates the thesis of Romans 1:17, after elaborating its antithesis in 1:18-3:20. If 3:21- 26 is contrasted with all of 1:18-3:20, then its possible to say, As the wrath of God dominated the old era (1:18), so the righteousness of God dominates the new. Now but without Law rightness of God has been demonstrated having testified by the Law, and the spokesmen (Rom. 3:21). This translation shows the challenge of bringing the full meaning of one language into another, but in this verse we see the changing of the guard, so to speak, in relation to Gods righteousness. The fulfillment of the Law is in Christ Jesus: its in Him, and through Him that we obtain righteousness. In other words, according to Paul, God gave the Law not only to regulate the conduct of his people, but more importantly, to reveal their sin until the fulfillment of the promises in Christ. Righteousness came to man by way of proper behavior under the Old Testament Law. The Law reveals the righteousness of God, because the Law is holy, righteous, and good (Rom. 7:12). Through the Gospel righteousness comes by believing in the person, and work, of Jesus Christ. The righteousness of God refers to the manner in which God brings people into a right relationship with Himself. He does this apart from the Law, because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified (v. 20). If it were possible to keep the Law perfectly, where is righteousness to be found? That encapsulates Pauls theology of Justification. Righteousness is attained through faith (3:22). The cost of Justification is free to us; for God, the price is His Son. Gods wrath was poured out on Jesus as a ransom in order to purchase us for Himself. Through the sacrifice of his Son, God has demonstrated, and satisfied His righteousness (3:25, 26). Its the righteousness which proceeds from God (gen. auctoris), which personally appeared in Christ, who is our Righteousness,? and which is communicated to the believer for Christs sake in the act of justification by faith. This new method of acquiring righteousness does not rely upon works; but on faith, and devotion to Jesus Christ. Its therefore no longer confined to any particular people, but is thrown open without distinction to all, on the sole condition of believing; Jew or Gentile. As stated previously, Justification is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, its not enough to say, I believe, and go to church. Even demons have belief in God, yet they are not justified (James 2:19). A person must believe in the Person, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ; the source of justification. Justification is for all people. Its not what you have done or who you are, its what Jesus has done, and who He is. What mankind could not do for himself, God has done for him through Jesus Christ. All have sinned, and become unacceptable to a holy and righteous God (v. 23). Paul reminds us that the universal invitation to believe is the flip side of the universal need for salvation. There is no difference, he affirms at the end of verse 22, continuing in verse 23 with the well-known summary of 1:18-3:20: all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. Everyone stands condemned: in need of Justification. There is none who seek God; all have turned aside.there is none who does good, not even one (Rom. 3:11-12). Abraham Believed and Righteousness was Credited to Him Romans chapter four is one of the key chapters relating to the righteousness of God. Continuing his discussion on justification by faith from chapter three, Paul presents Abraham in chapter four to establish his argument for the righteousness of God, to all who believe (Rom. 4:3-5). Paul refutes the assumption of 4:1 by arguing in 4:9-12 that Abraham is not simply the father of the Jews but of all who believe (4:11b). Abraham was not justified by his works but rather by faith (4:2-3). Abraham; the father of us all, and the heir of the world, was credited with righteousness because he believed God through the righteousness of faith (4:13). No other chapter demonstrates Gods righteousness through faith as succinctly as chapter four of Romans because it ties together the old and the new Covenants. Jew is not superior to the Gentile because of their father Abraham. The faith of Abraham is the same faith that allows all nations to accept the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus (4:16-18). When we believe in Christ an exchange occurs, Christ allows our faith to be the incentive for forgiveness, and the bestowal of His righteousness on us. There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn this new position in Christ; its a gift of grace. The remainder of chapter 4 is quickly explained. Pauls remark in 4:16 concerning the faith of Abraham cues the description of Abrahams faith in 4:17-22. Then Paul makes the present day application of the Abraham example in 4:23-25. The Free Gift of Righteousness Where Adam inaugurated a solidarity in sin and death, Christ is presented as the inaugurator of a new, and immeasurably more powerful solidarity in righteousness and life. There is nothing in man that would give cause for God to save him. No person seeks God on his own (Rom. 3:11). That is what makes Romans 5:8 so amazingly incomprehensible. God demonstrates His love for us while we were yet sinners, and died for us. Everyone deserves condemnation unto death. Through Gods perfect love, He chose to provide everyone with the opportunity of receiving His free gift of grace that leads to the righteousness of salvation (5:8-9). Our righteousness is a gift from God, turning condemnation into justification (5:15-17). The disobedience of the one man, Adam, caused many to be made sinners, and the enemies of God (5:8;10). In contrast to the disobedience of Adam, the obedience of the one man, Jesus, made the free gift of righteousness possible through His atoning work on the cross (v. 16). Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul frequently uses the term righteousness in a paradoxical sense by showing how God offers righteousness to the unrighteous as a free gift by declaring them justified through Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24). In Romans 5:9, the ungodly of v.6, sinners of v.8, and enemies of God in v. 10 are now declared righteous. They become the recipients of the abundant provision of the gift of grace, and righteousness, through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). There is mercy in God, there is sufficiency in the satisfaction of Christ: the promise is free, and universal. Nothing is or ever can be goodness in man except for the spirit of Christ revealed in his soul. Christ in us is our only goodness, as Christ in us is our hope of glory. Christ in us is the pure free gift of God to us because the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). There are many things we will never fully understand this side of heaven. Gods love is one of those things. How can we comprehend the love He has for us? He laid down His life for His friends. (John 15:12-14). We are His friend if we love each other as He loves us. The origin of Gods justification is His grace; the historical basis of this gift is the redemption that came through Christ Jesus. Living Out the Righteousness of God The righteous requirements of the Law . . . fully met in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but of the spirit (Rom. 8:4). When Paul said that the righteous requirements of the Law are fully met in the believer, he was making an astonishing statement. Rightly understood, the Law does not just speak to what we do and say outside, it calls for us to be changed inside as well. Do not let sin reign in your body so that you obey its lusts (Rom. 6:12). Paul says we are to count ourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:11). The person once guilty, but now saved by grace, has been set right in relation to God. Christs work fulfils the need for sanctification. He made allowance for this in His atonement, and in the abundance of His grace. Its completed in Him, and must be accepted as the free and perfect gift through Christ alone. You are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from Godthat is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30). Does sanctification mean we are dead to the sinful self? That life has been crucified with Christ already, on the cross. We need only hand it over to Him. He will do away with it, and lay it to rest forever in His grave. Is sanctification a new life of purity, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit? Christ Himself must be our life, our peace, our purity, and our full and overflowing joy. We are to live as living sacrifices to Him, presenting our members to Him as instruments of righteousness (Rom. 6:13). The word Instruments (opla): properly signifies arms, or implements of war; but it also denotes an instrument of any kind which we use for defense or aid. Here, it means that we should not devote our members; hands, tongue, etc., as if under the direction of sinful passions, and corrupt desires, to accomplish purposes of iniquity. We should not make the members of our bodies the slaves of sin reigning within us. Christians must cultivate peace and harmony with each other. We are to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3), and be of one mind; live in peace (2 Cor. 3:11). The cultivation of unity and peace are derived from love. Love will lead us to bear one anothers burden, and so fulfill the Law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). That Law is freedom through grace, and faith in Christ Jesus. The slaves of sin can have no part in this freedom from the Law since they are still subject to the penalties of the Law, which are the necessary results of sin. In Romans 6:16, Paul is saying the one who is our master is the one whom we obey. If you obey sin, then that is your master. Do not say Christ is your master if you are living in sin; sin is your master. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36). Free to live for Him, and free to obey Him. Sin is our former master; grace through Christ is our new master. You have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to God (Rom. 6:22). As long as we are living on this earth, the flesh (the body) will cry out for attention, and that is the instrument by which Satan works to destroy our faith. Platonists frequently use metaphors relating to warfare, imprisonment, rule, and slavery to explain the relationship between the souls parts. Platonism is distinctive in appealing to a vision of the soul locked in a fierce struggle between reason and the emotions, the rational and irrational faculties, or the better and worse parts of the soul. In Romans 6:12-14, Paul sees a mind that has been formerly enslaved to sin, now liberated by Gods intervention. Sins rule still threatens, as Paul eloquently points out in chapter 7 of Romans. Roman 7 presents an extended monologue about the struggle with sin. Sin does the exact opposite of what the soul knows is just and good. The rule of sin, and the rule of God are developed as antithetical forms of enslavement. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom. 7:24-25). Conclusion This paper has clearly shown that the epistle of Romans describes Gods righteousness more thoroughly than any other book of Scripture. Pauls letter to the Romans takes the reader on a journey that outlines the sinfulness of man, the Good News of the Gospel, and application of the righteousness of God to daily life. God does not judge us on the basis of who we are, or on the basis of how much we know about Him, but on the basis of what we do with what we know. Paul begins in Romans 1:16 by stating he is not ashamed of the gospel because its the power of God unto salvation. Its the power of God unto salvation because the righteousness of God is revealed in it from faithfulness unto faith. Gods righteousness is the righteousness that belongs to God, and more specifically, the righteousness God gives when a person trusts Christ (Rom. 10:3-4). God righteousness is the theme that flows from the beginning to the end of the letter to the Romans.

Revenue Recognition Convergence

Holzmann, Oscar J. â€Å"Revenue recognition convergence: The contract-based model. † Journal Of Corporate Accounting & Finance (Wiley) 22, no. 6 (2011): 87-92. The article â€Å"Revenue Recognition Convergence: The Contract-Based Model† is all about revenue recognition. It begins by explaining the conceptual background information to give you an overview of what revenue recognition is both in the US and internationally. Part of this section also discusses what problems have been found with revenue recognition. Because of these problems, the international and US boards have proposed an adoption of the â€Å"contract-based revenue recognition model. This standard would apply to all contacts between companies and their customers, with some exceptions. There are five steps to this revenue recognition model. These steps are discussed individually within the article. The steps are (1) identify the contract, (2) identify the performance obligation(s), (3) determine the trans action price, (4) allocate the transaction price to separate performance obligations, and (5) recognize revenue. After the descriptions of each step, the article goes on to explain onerous performance obligations, contract cost, presentation, and disclosure.Each of these are important topics and will be on the re-exposure of the exposure draft in the coming years. The book for this class begins talking about revenue recognition in chapter five on page 197. The section of the book that more closely relates to this article starts on pages 203 and its called IASB-FASB Revenue Recognition Project. This explains a little about the joint exposure draft from the IASB and FASB. Also, like the article it discusses the five steps in recognizing revenue. These steps are listed in the above paragraph.It explains each of the steps just enough to understand what it is without confusing you. The section finishes by giving a little more information on the exposure draft. I was in the class group th at did our presentation over revenue recognition, so a lot of this information looked very familiar. It is good to see the same information in different reliable sources. Overall I find this article to be very informative and easy to read and understand. If I didn’t do the group project over the same topic, I would have still been able to understand and comprehend the information in the article.

The Moscow Theatre Hostage Crisis - 1411 Words

The coverage of Moscow theatre hostage crisis by the Russian media demonstrated how media coverage of terrorism can lead to government censorship and manipulation of the media. In the case of the Moscow theatre crisis, this censorship and manipulation included the shutdown of various independent media outlets, the creation of legislature that further diminished the possibility for a free and independent press in Russia, and the outright travel embargoes for journalists. These restrictions, created during and immediately following the hostage crisis, not only changed the state of the media in Russia to a dictatorship of the law, but also changed the perception of Russia’s control of the press around the world as well. The Moscow theatre hostage crisis, also known as the 2002 Nord-Ost siege was the takeover of the Dubrovka Theatre by 40 to 50 Chechens on the evening of the 23rd of October. The attackers were led by Movsar Barayev, a 23 year-old Chechen who claimed allegiance to the Islamist militant separatist movement in Chechnya, a republic situated in the southernmost part of Eastern Europe. Barayev’s and his followers’ motivation for the attacks laid in their demands for the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya and an end to the Second Chechen War. The three day long hostage crisis involved 850 hostages and ended with the death of at least 170 people, after the Russian Special Forces unit pumped an undisclosed chemical gas into the theatre’s ventilation system.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Putins Reputation as the Most Interesting Man in the World577 Words   |  3 PagesPutin joined his Government as an advisor. He then became the head of the committee for external relat ions. Putin almost lost his job over a scandal involving humanitarian aid. In 1994, he was named first deputy Mayor. Two years later, Putin moved to Moscow after Sobchack lost his re-election bid and joined Russian President Borist Yeltsin, whose Government at the Kremlin. By 1998, Yeltsin named Putin as the head of FSB which was successor agency to the KGB. Within a year he was head the influentialRead MoreHistory Elective Terrorism : Is An Act Done By An Individual Or A Group?1976 Words   |  8 Pages2001. Hijackings are when terrorists seize a moving vehicle, for example planes, trains, etc. Terrorists also use the tactic of hostage taking. Hostage taking is used by terrorists to make negotiations and/or to make demands for the results that they want. An example of this is the Moscow theatre hostage crisis on October 23, 2002 where there was a total of 850 hostages. Bombings and public violence are the most common tactics used by terrorists as it creates the most damage and spr eads the mostRead More Trouble With Chechnya Essay3300 Words   |  14 PagesRussian town of Beslan. Nearly 1,200 children, teachers, and parents were taken hostage on the first day of school, and held captive for 53 hours. In the aftermath of the explosions and gunfire, over 360 people were killed, and hundreds more were left injured (Kaplan, 2004). The siege of the school was the latest of a dozen bloody attacks – on targets such as airliners, trains, government buildings, hospitals, and a movie theatre - that have claimed nearly 1,000 lives in Russia over the past two years,Read More Chechnya and its People Essay5500 Words   |  22 Pagesbasis of the Shariah. From first to last, however, Shamil’s rule remained intensely personal, and he was plagued by the dubious, loyalty of many of the regions and clans following him. Often, control could only be maintained by savage reprisals and hostage-taking – for example, in his relations with the Avarkhans, which in volved numerous murders and led to the ultimate defection of his ally, Haji Murat. 6 This passage reveals much about the character of Shamil who has been the object of considerableRead MoreNational Security Outline Essay40741 Words   |  163 Pagesprevail during war (increases domestic support and morale) -Economic vitality and educational strength also provide resources to implement national security, help develop weapons to compete with enemies, and allow country to mobilize quickly in time of crisis -World Order -Some argue that balance of power is best way to achieve world order -Others argue that we need to organize and civilize international politics to achieve world order - 4 variations on how to do this: -1-Judicial approach - resolve

How to Back up a Microsoft Access Database

You store critical data in Access databases every day. Have you ever stopped to consider whether youre taking appropriate actions to protect your database in the event of a hardware failure, disaster, or other data loss? Microsoft Access provides built-in functionality to help you back up your databases and protect your organization. You can store the backup file anywhere, be it on an online storage account or just a flash drive or external hard drive. Make an Access Database Backup These steps are relevant to MS Access 2007 and newer, but make sure to follow the instructions that pertain to your version of Access, be it 2010, 2013, or 2016. See how to back up a 2013 Access database if you need help there. Start by opening the database you want to have a backup for, and then follow these steps: MS Access 2016 or 2013 Go into the File menu.Choose Save As and then click Back Up Database from the Save Database As section.Click the Save As button.Choose a name and pick where to save the backup file, and then click Save. MS Access 2010 Click on the File menu option.Choose Save Publish.Under Advanced, select Back Up Database.Name the file something memorable, place it somewhere easy to access, and then choose Save to make the backup. ​MS Access 2007 Click the Microsoft Office button.Choose Manage from the menu.Select Back Up Database under the Manage this database area.Microsoft Access will ask you where to save the file. Choose an appropriate location and name and then click Save to make the backup. Tips: After backing up the Access database, open the backup file in MS Access to verify that it completed successfully.For optimal protection, store a copy of your database backups in an offsite location on a periodic basis. If its a personal database that rarely changes, you might want to put a CD copy in a safe deposit box quarterly. Critical business databases might be backed up to magnetic tape on a daily (or more frequent) basis.Make database backups part of your regular safe computing routine.You may wish to optionally encrypt your database backups if your database contains sensitive information. This is a great idea if you plan to store it remotely.