Righteousness does not come from us, it comes from God.  God qualifies us.  I made reference to the story of the rich young ruler who goes away disheartened because he had many possessions, but it is important to hear the rest of the story.  For the disciples are shocked by Jesus telling this rich man to do this and by his advising that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24).  Rightfully so, the disciples asked Jesus likely disheartened themselves, “Who then can be saved?” (Matt 19:25).  And Jesus’ line which ties us back to Paul’s rubbish qualifications is “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”  And so, again I say, righteousness comes from God not from us.

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