Ernest T. Bass
Well-Known Member
You are close....but in Acts 10:35 Peter is not talking about God's righteousness....but only what God sees as righteous in people that don't even know Him.
Peace
Hi,
Acts 10:35 "but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to Him."
I would have to disagree with your statement above. There is no righteousness - justification in those that know not God, they are seen by God as unrighteous, lost 2 Thessalonians 1:8.
If "righteousness" in Acts 10:35 does not refer to God's righteous commands (Psalms 119:172) then whose righteous commands does one obey in order to be accepted with God?
In the context, Cornelius was already a devout, God fearing man, gave much alms, prayed to God alway and is said to be "righteous" (Acts 10:22). Cornelius was 'righteous' in the sense that he did what was right and just with his fellow man yet he was still lost (not accepted with God) for he had not obeyed God's righteousness.
--Since all God's commandments are righteous (Psalms 119:172)
--and God commanded Cornelius to be baptized (Acts 10:48)
--then Cornelius worked God's righteousness when he submitted to God's command to be baptized for remission of his sin (then accepted with God, justified)
I know of no case in the Bible of one being accepted with God (that is, seen by God as righteous, justified) until that person first obeyed God's righteous commands.
Those Jews in Romans 10:3 who were lost, were lost for they had not obeyed God's righteousness in believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth Romans 10:9-10, had not obeyed God's gospel Romans 10:16. Doing good works will not get anyone accepted with God. Not until one obeys God's commands (does God's righteousness - belief, repentance, confession, baptism) can one be saved (accepted with God).
1 John 3:10 whosoever continues to not do righteousness continues to not be of God (not accepted with God)
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