Paul writes::<br>In reply to:<br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Your initial question seemed to me to be a trap - and regardless of which way I answered it, you would have found fault with it.<br><br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Scott, you presume much! You earlier claimed ignorance of God's view of your righteousness, even though, as you know, He has clearly revealed that in His word; but now you are claiming to know what I would have done in a situation before it occurred! <br><br>[color:purple]Scott replies: No Paul, I said it seemed to be a trap. And what God has clearly revealed in His Word is that Jesus has become our righteousness, He is righteousness for us. </font color=purple><br><br><br>In reply to:<br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>The fact is that if such righteousness is given me, then it is Christ's righteousness, not mine to be proud of.<br><br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Who said anything about being proud of an alien righteousness, Scott? Not me! The question was: In God's sight, does your righteousness exceed that of.... <br><br>[color:purple]Scott replies: I answered that Paul. I said that in reference to the context of Matt 5:20 (where you obviously got your question) that I don't claim ANY such righteousness! Paul, before you respond again - read the context of Matt 5:20 and see what I'm talking about. The context here is not about us attempting to claim ANY righteousness, rather to be totally reliant on the Grace of Christ Jesus! <br></font color=purple><br><br>The Scriptural view, which you seem to reject, is that the righteousness of Christ, which alone exceeds all others, IS RECKONED UNTO BELIEVERS AS THEIR OWN. <br><br>[color:purple]Scott replies: Again Paul, I plead to God for His Mercy and ask His Son to wash me in His Blood that I may be saved. Outside of THAT, there is no hope for my salvation. </font color=purple><br><br>In reply to:<br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>I am dirt, I am nothing, I deserve nothing from God<br><br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Well, not totally true. What about: everlasting condemnation, wrath and anger, trouble and distress (Romans 2:8-9)? <br><br>[color:purple]Scott replies: Well, I am not sure of what you're asking so let's look at the context:<br><blockquote>[color:red]<br>Rom 2:1 Wherefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. For thou dost the same things which thou judgest. <br>Rom 2:2 For we know that the judgment of God is, according to truth, against them that do such things. <br>Rom 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them who do such things and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? <br>Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and patience and longsuffering? Knowest thou not that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance? <br>Rom 2:5 But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God: <br>Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his works. <br>Rom 2:7 To them indeed who, according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life: <br>Rom 2:8 But to them that are contentious and who obey not the truth but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation. <br>Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil: of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. <br>Rom 2:10 But glory and honour and peace to every one that worketh good: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. <br>Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. <br>Rom 2:12 For whosoever have sinned without the law shall perish without the law: and whosoever have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. </font color=red></blockquote><br><br>So Paul, more of what you're referring to refers to "works of the law." Sorry, but you're failing to make your point - or if you have made your point, it's not a very good one. If anything, this reference in Scripture supports what I am saying.</font color=purple><br><br>In reply to:<br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Now, do I make the bold, prideful or presumptuous claim that I am Christ? No, by no means!<br><br>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>But you apparently have no problem with the bold, prideful and presumptuous, non-black and white fallacy that God's eternal acceptance of you requires something more, less or other than the perfect righteousness of Christ reckoned to you and counted as yours in God's own sight.<br><br>[color:purple]Scott replies: Paul, how am I being bold, proud or presumptuous in relying solely on the Grace of Jesus Christ and His Righteousness for my salvation? <br> <br>Secondly, there is no such thing as the "non-black and white fallacy" so that statement was either a mistyped comment or an uneducated statement. Well, "technically" there IS such a thing - for ALL fallacies that are not the black and white fallacy would be non-black and white fallacies. So, you could have mistyped or you could have made an uneducated assertion - or - you could be making a statement about every fallacy that is not the black and white fallacy, the latter being a rather nonsensical statement.<br><br>Thirdly here, yes! "the righteousness of Christ that is reckoned TO me..." I have no problem with that statement. I DO have a problem with the statement, taken almost verbatim from Matt 5:20, asking ME how *I* think God views MY righteousness. Again, MY righteousness is nothing, it is even OFFENSIVE to God, outside the state of Grace in Christ Jesus. Again, I ask you to read or reread the context of Matt 5:20 before responding further. I think you'll see that you've extracted your question to me from a point in Scripture that speaks out AGAINST righteousness (of works of the law) and FOR Grace for Christ Jesus.<br><br>In JMJ,<br> <br>Scott<<<<br></font color=purple> <br>