Obey Unto Righteousness

The gift of righteousness is just that a gift. Yet we have seen that obedience can be toward a law or toward a person. That is why righteousness can follow obedience and still be a gift. If toward law you may earn it, but if obedience is toward a person who can grant it without you earning it then obedience fits into grace.

Even after saying righteousness is a gift, Paul says obedience is unto righteousness.

This is more plausible if we see righteousness as more than justification from past sins, but an actual change in nature at the resurrection.

Rom 5:17  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 

yet, this is through obedience that goes on for the rest of our lives. Not obedience to law but to Jesus..

Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 

Perhaps the free gift of righteousness is when God changes our carnal bodies into incorrubtible bodies. The gift being everlasting life.

Gal 5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 

We see that righteousness is still something we wait for. In the meantime we have the righteousness of faith plus the blood of Christ that fulfills the righteousness of all law.  The blood of Christ justifies of all sins when we trespass.

Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (A reference to baptism possible)

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 

Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 

Php 3:17  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 

Our gift of righteousness is still future. We have obedience of faith until then.