The Fruits of Righteousness

It is therefore clear that righteousness comes as a result of faith. Good works in keeping the law of God are the logical sequence, or fruits, of the indwelling of the Spirit God. One cannot save himself by keeping the law, but a saved man will keep the law because of the fact that he is saved. It is the fruit by which the tree is known.DOF 223.1

“You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather apes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree at brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.” Matthew 7:16-20.DOF 223.2

Here Jesus makes it clear that the man must first be good before he can do good. “If a man love Me,” said Jesus, “he will keep My words.” John 14:23. The loving trust come first, the keeping of His law follows.DOF 223.3

This great truth is further set forth in the epistle to the Romans, where Paul uses the experience of Abraham as an example of the way good works testify to the present faith and righteousness:DOF 224.1

“In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions. ‘Blessed,’ he says, ‘are those whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over. Blessed is the man of whose sin the Lord will not take account.’DOF 224.2

“This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham’s faith, so we affirm, was placed to his credit as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Before, not after. And he received circumcision as a sign, a mark attesting the reality of, the faith and righteousness which was his while still uncircumcised.” Romans 4:6-11, Weymouth’s New Testament in Modern Speech.DOF 224.3

So in Abraham’s case his righteousness was not produced by his works of circumcision, etc., but the works appeared because of that righteousness. Circumcision became a sign of the fact that he was righteous. Now, let us apply this to our own experience. Do we receive righteousness before we keep the law, or after? Before, not after. And we receive law keeping “as a sign, a mark attesting the reality of the faith-righteousness” which comes to us by believing on Christ and permitting Him to dwell in the soul. Thus our righteousness does not come by the “deeds of the law,” but the deeds of the law do witness to its presence and to its genuineness. (See Romans 3:21.) Thus John the beloved declares: “He that says, I know Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But who keeps His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.” 1 John 2:4, 5.DOF 224.4

By this it is seen that faith does not make void the law, but rather establishes it. (See Romans 3:31.) In fact, without this “faith-righteousness,” all our efforts to keep the law are doomed to utter failure; but trusting Him to do the work, our weakness is overcome, we become connected with the boundless power of Omnipotence, and thus we “can do all things through Christ which strengthens” us. Philippians 4:13. In this way our faith is shown by our works, as stated by the apostle James:DOF 225.1

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.DOF 225.2

“Yea, a man may say, Thou has faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” James 2:17, 18.DOF 225.3