I am trying to focus on the relationship between the eternal Covenant of Grace and Christ and how God’s righteousness was imputed to His elect people through Christ. Christ had to come as a man and do works to make God’s Kingdom. However, righteousness does not depend on works. Christ’s righteousness is unchangeable and eternal righteousness of God. The invisible church is clothed with Christ, God’s righteousness, through what Christ did on the earth. Those who follow the Covenant Theology (CT), and the active obedience of Christ (AOC) restrict the meaning of the Law to the Mosaic Law, focus on morality, and believe that righteousness comes from keeping of the Law. Christ did fulfill (and still fulfills) the Law and the prophecies, but that fulfillment did not give Him righteousness. Rather, the righteous God did righteous works on the earth and fulfilled the Law and the prophecies for His people to have His righteousness. Moreover, what the Law indicates is loving God and His people. I do not oppose to someone who says Christ loved us, fulfilled the Law and the prophecies, was obedient to the Father inside and out, and His love was shown on the cross. There have been ministers and priests who teach God’s people the right knowledge of God despite the corruption of the two systems. So not all are bad, but the time has come to reject the CT and the AOC for the new reformation.

Apostle Paul tried to explain that all works of Christ done on the earth were summed up in the death and resurrection of Christ. All other Apostles emphasize Christ’s work on the cross. The CT and the AOC have significantly weakened Christ’s work on the cross by saying that our righteousness is from Christ’s keeping of the Mosaic Law. This makes the Law the original source of our righteousness. They emphasize on a pious life that satisfy church authorities without feeding God’s true children. They resemble the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who opposed Christ. Their root is Anselm of Canterbury and Aquinas who relied on the ideas of pagan Greek philosophers. Aquinas himself denied that he had any knowledge of God before his death by saying his writings were like straws.

In this passage, Christ forgives sins and calls Matthew. The important verse is verse 13.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (v.13)

What the devils wants is that God’s people remain as slaves to sins. The Pharisees emphasized on the Law and opposed people with their traditions, they did not know God. In their view, Christ did everything against what they have been teaching. You may say that the Law was given by God in the OT. What God wants to hear from us is that we cannot keep a single command of God and say that we need someone who pays for our sins, changes our status from slaves to adopted sons of God. Through Christ’s works on the earth, we become obedient to God by knowing Him by the Holy Spirit. We will never fall again and die. That is the perfect love that God has shown us on the cross.

The Law and the prophecies were given for His people to put hope in Christ. What God really wants is love and mercy among us as God is merciful and loves us. If we really love God and His people inside and out like Christ, God considers that we keep the Law. But keeping of the Law does not give righteousness. Rather, the righteous people who are clothed with God’s righteousness, keep the Law. But the Pharisees did not see the Law in God’s way. In 2 Chronicles chapter 30 and 31, we understand that the humble heart satisfies God, not sacrifices.

Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.”And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (2 Chronicles 30:18-20)

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require. (Psalm 40:6)

And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO OTHER BESIDES HIM; and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And then, no one dared any longer to question Him. (Mark 12:32-34)

Those who follow the CT and the AOC say that Adam was righteous and did not need Christ. They promote people to worship men and indulge themselves in the delusions that Greek philosophies bring. Ask yourself this question: Did Adam love God? Did Adam trust in God? Did Adam understand God? Did Adam have faith in God? Could Adam obtain eternal life by not breaking the command? The answer is simply no. If Adam had truly loved God and did not need Christ, then he should not have eaten the fruit when Eve gave it to him. He should have begged for forgiveness for his wife’s sin.

God’s elect people admit that they are born sinners without the knowledge of God. Even though their church leaders promote a moral living, we know we cannot satisfy God by our works. They say if you do not do what they say, you are not one of them. We know that anyone who relies on their works are born under the fig tree, which bears no fruit.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:47-49)

My guess is that Nathanael who were waiting for the coming of Immanuel knew that the fig tree (old covenant) was barren. As I wrote earlier, the fruit that we eat is actually a flower. Fig trees do not bear fruit from the beginning. He knew he could not keep the single command of God. Therefore, Christ calls him a true Israelite without deceit. On the contrary, the Pharisees (and likewise people) thought they kept the Law, bore fruit, and had the authority to judge others by the Law. They believed they were God’s sons but were not. Therefore, Christ said that He came for sinners who truly understood their sins and inability to keep a single command of God, not for those who were righteous in their own eyes. God always sees what is in our heart.

I heard that some respected theologians denied justification by faith alone as they got older. I consider that they pretended to know God because of the education they received in their churches from youth. Like King Joash of Judah after the death of Jehoiada, they turn away from God’s truth when they become proud. Many people rely on their leaders for their faith. Faith is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). Trust in God alone.

This is what the LORD says:

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind

And makes flesh his strength,

And whose heart turns away from the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:5)