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8 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course Lesson 15




were blameless simply on the basis of being specifically justification,” which in turn is
Abraham’s descendants! They did not consider derived from #1342 (dikaios), meaning
themselves to be in bondage; thus, they did not “equitable; innocent, holy.” By doing the “right
need the Messiah to set them free! The word things,” men are justified. Today, Judeo-
FREE is rendered from the Greek words Christian churches teach people they can be
eleutheros (#1658) and eleutheroo (#1659), “saved” by MYSTERY and RITUAL -- respond
meaning to be “exempt” from obligation or to an altar call, say the “sinner’s prayer,” be a
liability. They considered themselves EXEMPT member of the “right” church, be baptized a
(free) from bondage on the basis of their non-Biblical way, say the right creeds, etc.
ancestral lineage; as a result, they saw NO (traditions of men).
NEED for repentance and reform -- like many 3. In Luke 16:15, the Messiah told the
today! covetous Pharisees that they were trying to do
This leads us to yet another FALSE what before men? He also told them that what
TEACHING of the Judeans -- that of they were doing (”that which was highly
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. They believed they esteemed among men”) is what in the sight of
could attain righteousness by their OWN efforts YEHOVAH God?
through observance of ritual. This was nothing 4. In Luke 10:29 we see that the Judean
but the HUMANIST DOCTRINE of “personal lawyer, who had asked the Messiah how to
salvation” -- man “saving” himself by works inherit eternal life, was willing to do what?
alone. Yeshua the Messiah and the disciples 5. Read Luke 18:9-14. Verse 9 states
STRONGLY condemned this heresy. that the Messiah spoke a parable to those who
trusted in what? And were what “and despised
A Form of Righteousness others”?
6. In verse 14 Yeshua indicates that the
1. Read Romans 9:31-10:4. In verse 32, repentant publican went to his house in what
Paul states that Israel (including the Judeans) did condition -- rather than the self-righteous
not attain righteousness because they sought it Pharisee?
NOT by what? That being the case, how did they COMMENT: In the verses above the
try to attain righteousness? words JUSTIFY and JUSTIFIED are rendered
2. In Romans 10:3 Paul states that they from the Greek word dikaioo (#1344 in Strong’s
went about to establish their own WHAT Concordance), meaning “to render (i.e. show or
without submitting themselves to YEHOVAH’s regard as) just or innocent.” It comes from the
righteousness? same root word (dikaios, #1342) Paul used in
COMMENT: In the above scriptures, Romans 10:3 (see above).
Paul was addressing those in Israel (many of Yeshua essentially told the Judeans that
whom were Judeans) who were trying to prove seeking their OWN righteousness outwardly (to
their own righteousness through the keeping of get esteem from men) while their heart was NOT
TRADITIONS rather than submitting to RIGHT (NON-REPENTANT) was an ABOMI-
YEHOVAH’s laws and righteousness (faith in NATION (#946; “a detestation, i.e. Idolatry”) to
the Messiah). In effect, they were placing their YEHOVAH God. And what does repent mean?
FORM of righteousness (faith in TRA- Repent means to CHANGE -- CHANGE from
DITIONS) over that of YEHOVAH’s laws and observing man’s laws and traditions to
faith in the Messiah. observing YEHOVAH God’s laws and way of
The word RIGHTEOUSNESS is trans- life. The Messiah used the examples of the
lated from the Greek word dikaiosune (#1343 in Judean lawyer and Pharisee in the scriptures
Strong’s Concordance), meaning “equity: above to ILLUSTRATE this IDOLATROUS




Traditions and Practices of the Judeans
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