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  1 JOHN 3:7
  by John Gill
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Summary: A person is made righteous by the righteousness of Christ,
which is received by faith and imputed by God without works.

Topics: "Righteousness", "Faith in Christ"
Scripture References: Romans 3:20, Ephesians 2:8, Philippians 3:9, 1 John 3:7

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John Gill emphasizes the importance of living righteously as a
reflection of true faith in Christ, warning against the deception of
believing that knowledge alone is sufficient for salvation. He explains
that righteousness is not achieved through one's own works or adherence
to the law, but through faith in the righteousness of Christ, which is
imputed to believers. Gill asserts that true righteousness is
demonstrated through a life of holiness and good works, which serve as
evidence of one's faith and alignment with Christ's character. He
encourages believers to renounce their own insufficient righteousness
and to embrace the righteousness of Christ, which leads to a transformed
life. Ultimately, Gill highlights that while good works do not make one
righteous, they are the fruit that reveals a person's true standing
before God.

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CONTENT
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Ver. 7. Little children, let no man deceive you,.... Neither by these
doctrines, nor by wicked practices, drawing into the belief of the one,
or into the performance of the other; suggesting, as the Gnostics did,
that knowledge without practice was enough, and that it was no matter
how a man lived, provided his notions of the Gospel were right:

he that doeth righteousness, is righteous; not that any man is made
righteous by the works of the law, or by his obedience to the law of
works, for this is contrary to the express word of God; and besides, the
best righteousness of man is imperfect, and can never constitute or
denominate him righteous before God; and was he justified by it; it
would not only lay a foundation for boasting in him, which ought not to
be, but would make the death, the sacrifice, and righteousness of
Christ, to be in vain; men are only made righteous by the righteousness
of Christ, which be has wrought out which is revealed in the Gospel, and
received by faith, and which God imputes without works; so that he that
doeth righteousness is he that being convinced of the insufficiency of
his own righteousness, and of the excellency and suitableness of
Christ's righteousness, renounces his own, and submits to his; who lays
hold upon it, receives it, and exercises faith on it, as his justifying
righteousness; and, in consequence of this, lives in a course of
holiness and righteousness, in opposition to, and distinction from one
that commits sin, or lives a sinful course of life; which, though it
does not make him righteous in the sight of God, yet it shows him to be
righteous in the sight of men, and proves that faith to be right which
lays hold on the righteousness of Christ, by which he is truly
righteous:

even as he is righteous; as Christ himself is righteous; and so the
Syriac version reads; not as personal, or as he is personally and
essentially righteous as God; but as mystical, every member of his body
being clothed with the same robe of righteousness the whole body of
Christ is, and indeed justified by the same righteousness that he as
Mediator was, when he rose from the dead, as the representative of his
people: moreover, as Christ showed himself to be righteous as man, by
doing good, so believers in him, by imitating him, and walking as he
walked, show themselves to be good and righteous, like, though not equal
to him; for as a tree is known by its fruits, so is a good man by his
good works, and a righteous man by doing righteousness; and as good
fruit does not make a good tree, but shows it to be good, so good works
do not make a good man, nor a man's own righteousness make him a
righteous man, but show him to be so.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/john-gill/1-john-37/
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