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“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” Most have twisted the above scripture to say that their "faith alone" is their righteousness. Yet, common sense dictates that if they are already “perfect” by imputation why is

righteousness “a hope?”

They are teaching that even though they are filthy and dirty and caught in the flesh for the rest of their days, God only sees them as righteous, having “declared” their righteousness when they believed.

So, how are they righteous already? Because of their religion? Clearly, they do not

comprehend neither do they understand how faith works. In fact they teach faith doesn't work at all, it does nothing.

The “hope of righteousness” is exactly what it says. We have a hope for the righteousness demonstrated by Christ. This we do by walking in the love of Christ. We hope for the day when we walk righteous even so as he walked righteous. That is what faith is truly about and it's also "righteousness by faith." It's not just believing in a religion. It's believing what you can do “in” Christ. Walking as he walked. “Threshing" your way to it! Faith is doing something. Even as Abraham did something. Even as the Apostles did something!

Yet, popular teaching says, "it can't be done, not while you are in this Adamic sin cursed, sin soaked flesh, it's impossible!”

They call that faith? That's not faith it's unbelief. Why?

Because the Spirit calls it so, our Lord calls it so, the Apostles called it so.

We are surrounded literally by a cloud of scriptural witnesses to their unbelief. Their so called faith is no faith at all for it is "taught by the precepts of men," and by the false

interpretations of the written word, taught to them by their false prophets. The Do Word Is Not

A Dirty Word

There is a movement in popular teaching now called "What Would Jesus Do" abbreviated WWJD. There are bumper, t-shirts, pins, pendants, hats, and other "merchandise" sporting WWJD.

This movement was started as a result of a book in which the author admonishes us that the way to "follow Christ" is to study the scriptures and basically try to “understand” in our own minds "what would Jesus do" in any given situation. That is not how the Bible teaches us to follow Christ. That is following by "letter" rather than by the Spirit.

The WWJD movement basically ignores or forgets that Christ is in us. That we have a personal relationship with him through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we don't have to read the scriptures and try to figure out what Jesus "would" do. Following Christ means we live in Christ and we, out of love, do what he does automatically (as long as we are walking in the Spirit of course).

Ephesians 1:18-19

"18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

19 And what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ephesians 2: 11- 13

"11 Wherefore remember, that you in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time you were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ephesians 4: 1-7

“1 I, Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called.

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all.

7 But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Messiah.”

Philippians probably says it best concerning the “one hope” that we have in Christ! Philippians 1: 20

"According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ shall be

magnified in my body, whether by life or death."

As Paul says here, our hope is that we are not "ashamed in any matter" and that the "image" of Christ should be magnified "in our body" not just in death (or by resurrection) but in this life as well!

Colossians 1: 5

"For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;"

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Colossians 1:23

"If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven; whereof, I Paul am made a minister."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Thessalonians 1: 3

"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our

Father."

The above verse is one that they like to point to and say that we are only righteous "in God's eyes." What is God suddenly blind to our sin now that we "accepted Jesus?" Well, yes, that is what they teach. He indeed is now blind to our sin because the "blood" magically covers our disobedience from God's "sight."

It never occurs to them that God is not blind to their sin and the only thing the above verse can mean is that we have a "work of faith" and a "labor of love" patiently "hoping" in our Lord to perform in us what was promised! That the end result of which is that when we are

presented to the throne “in God's sight” we are blameless and perfect.

Righteousness, perfection and eternal life are the direct result of our “labor of love” and “patience of hope.” In the end we are "righteous in God's eyes" because we do righteousness. (Even as John said in 1 John 3: 7, “don't be deceived he that does righteousness is

righteous).

We shall some day be righteous in Spirit and in truth. Nut just “imputed” or "proxy" righteousness, but a bonafide, God breathed, Spirit led righteousness that is at all times pleasing in the sight of God Himself. So much so that He declares, as he did so over Christ, "this is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him.” Only when we do

righteousness up to the standard of God's righteousness can we truly be “righteous in God's eyes.”

Matthew 5: 20

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven. “

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Thessalonians 2:19

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? None other than you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-14

"13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope,

14 For if you believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Christ will God bring with him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Thessalonians 5: 8

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation."

2 Thessalonians 2:16

"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which has loved us, and has given everlasting consolation and good hope through grace."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Timothy 1: 1

"Paul, and apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God, our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is hope."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Titus 1: 2

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Titus 2: 13

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, with our Savior Jesus Christ."'

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Titus 3: 7

"That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hebrews 3: 6

"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast to the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hebrews 6: 11-12

"11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end.

12 That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hebrews 6: 18-19

"18 That by two immutable things, in which impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

19 Which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil;"

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hebrews 7: 19

"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope;

by the which we draw nigh to God."

As you can see, the hope of our calling makes us "perfect" more assuredly than following he law and most powerfully more than observing any "letter" found in the Bible could EVER do! We are called to good works by the Holy Spirit of love and our hope is that we are victorious over our own sins! Reading the scriptures (the law, the prophets or the New Testament) can never make you perfect!

1 Peter 1: 3

"Blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again into a lively hope by the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Peter 1:13

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Peter 1: 21

"Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Peter 3: 15

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and ready always to an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with

meekness and fear:"

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 John 3: 1-3

"1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed up us, that we should be called the sons of God, therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doesn't yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that has this hope in him, purifies himself, even as he is pure."

From beginning to end the New Testament speaks of our hope in the same light until finally with the letter of John we discover clearly that our "hope" is to be "like Christ," and that hope "purifies us," to the same degree that Christ was pure.

There can be no more doubt that the "hope of our calling," and the "hope of Glory" are speaking of a day when we are "purified," and found "righteous," and walking in the full degree of the Spirit of Love, just like Jesus Christ walked!

Notice too, that there can be no resurrection without the Holy Spirit and there can be no Holy Spirit in our lives without "repentance," (an intent to obey the Father). Once the Holy

Spirit comes he leads us into “remission” of sins.

Those who believe we are already saved or "perfect" (in God's eyes), that we are a "finished work" from the day Christ died and said "it is finished," or that all you have to do is "accept Jesus" and you have that resurrection in the bag, are in a quandary, because "if a man sees that which he hopes for, why does he yet hope?"

It is clear then that salvation is not a finished work until the "body" of Christ is conformed to his very "image" through the love of God. That is our hope and it is not in vain, in him.