...in the Spirit

I would like to note that this is the third time I have added to this posting,
which is a study of what it means to be "...in the Spirit": I presently have
three more entries to add to this posting (before we move on to the next
segment of our study of the Spirit), plus a statement of personal
testimony/application of this study to my heart & life. 9-11-'07
*************************************************


"In me, that is in my flesh dwells no good thing." Romans 7
So my flesh will only do evil.
"The carnal mind is not subject to the law of GOD neither in deed can be." Romans 8
So, my flesh does only bad things (ungodliness), and my fleshly mind is not,
and can not be subject to GOD'S law.
So,
How am I to do good and not evil?
How am I to live righteously?
How am I to be holy?
The answer to these questions lay in the understanding of the Spirit and it's role in life.
"Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh? Galatians 5
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? And how does one do that?

FIRST,
let us consider this question;
Are "walk in the Spirit", "be being filled with the Spirit", and "walk after the Spirit",
all three the same thing said in different ways, or,
are they three different principles at work in harmony with one another?


"" walk after the Spirit", Romans 8, has to do with "minding the things of the Spirit." Romans 8
It is a 'pursuit' of that which is spiritual and not physical.
"Minding the things of the Spirit is the method of that pursuit.
The Word of GOD is the "sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17).
I would think that is a "thing" of the Spirit.
Hence I mind the Word of GOD.
['Mind' means to be disposed to, or exercise the mind, or set the affection on.]
I am disposed to the Word of GOD,
I exercise my mind with the Word of GOD,
I set my affections on the Word of GOD -
I 'mind' the Word of GOD. Hence I am after (in pursuit of) the Spirit.
This would lead me to look at Proverbs 2 which admonishes us to
saturate ourselves with the Word, and tells us the result of doing so.
[A study of the 2nd chapter of Proverbs is to be found in FOUNDATIONAL
which is available from the Spirit of Life Mission Inc. at <>
FOUNDATIONAL is a study in how to approach studying the Word. It is taken from scripture
and is an Introduction to a much more extensive study of GOD'S written Word.]

Prayer is a thing of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:15 say,
"...I will pray with the spirit...".
Here we see the lower case 's' being used in spirit
which would lead us to not think Spirit of GOD, which is a being (a personality),
but rather think spirit as an entity - a state of being - the spirit of a man,
that is not physical - IE. the thoughts and feelings,
the non-physical part of our being.
IE., I pray in or with my heart and mind as opposed to my tongue.
Most certainly we pray out loud with our tongue (sometimes),
but we are praying words - images,
which come from our non-physical being - our heart and mind.
The words are concepts which have no physical body but rather
are manifested by the physical. Our spirit is our being
which is expressed in and/or through our physical body.

"GOD is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him
in spirit and in truth." John 4:24
JESUS CHRIST is "the express image of GOD." Hebrews 1
GOD is 'indelibly stamped' into CHRIST;
CHRIST is "an exact copy of GOD";
The character of GOD is 'engraved' in His Son JESUS CHRIST.
These term are the meanings of "express image".
GOD manifests Himself in and through JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS has a body and,
"in Him dwelt all the fullness of the godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9
The spirit dwelling in JESUS is GOD - this is why we say
JESUS is 100% man and 100% GOD: The GOD-man.
He is the physical expression of The living GOD who is a spiritual being.
AND we are created in their image Genesis 1:26;
'their' being, GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit;
IE. body, soul, and spirit.

So "walking after the Spirit is a pursuit of the things
which are of the Spirit of GOD
through the study of His Word and prayer;
in effect it is fellowship with GOD; a relationship.
Him talking to me through His written Word
and me talking to Him (prayer) and
these are "things of the Spirit, done in spirit and by the Spirit;
He - the Spirit - "makes intercession for us for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought." Romans 8:26
"He (the Spirit) will guide you into all truth." John 16

Walking after the Spirit results in;
1. no condemnation (Romans 8:1)
2. fulfillment of the righteousness of the law (Romans 8:4) WHY is there no condemnation to them that are after the Spirit? Because the law of the Spirit of life in CHRIST JESUS has made me free from the law of sin and death 8:2). WHY does the righteousness of the law get fulfilled in those that are after the Spirit? Because those that are after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit.
(We ought address the law of sin and death and the law of the
Spirit of life in CHRIST JESUS, and we will but not just yet.)

So the things of the Spirit must include the righteousness of the law which tells me that righteousness is something the Spirit of GOD tends to - not man (the flesh). It is important we not miss this point , for those whose thinking is tuned to the believer does 'this' and does not 'that' OR acts like 'this' and not like 'that' are setting rules of conduct ('law') which implies an act of the will to fulfill; But this statement in Romans 8:4 tells me that the Spirit is the one doing the righteous deed(s) not the strength of "will power" of man. Galatians supports this in that it was written to believers who had corrupted the gospel (or were accepting a corrupted gospel) by adding the "rules of conduct" to the necessities of daily life. In other words teaching that we as believers - children of GOD - are suppose to do this and not do that. They were teaching a gospel that was not based on the regenerating power of the blood of CHRIST and His indwelling spirit (Spirit). They were teaching righteous living but not teaching the power of GOD'S Spirit to bring about that righteous living. They had a form of knowledge (the truth), but denied "the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5, cf. 1 Peter 1:5); and GOD called it a
"perverted gospel" in this letter to the Galatians (ch.1) and stated that those who would promote such a gospel should be "accursed (ch. 1).
The ensuing question of Galatians was "Having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the the flesh? We (you, I) were saved, regenerated, ie. "born again" by the Spirit coming into our heart, was I now going to be perfected in my walk with the LORD by the efforts of my flesh to submit itself to the law of GOD, [which is an impossibility (Romans 8:7]? I could not save myself from sin and death and only the Spirit can conform me to the image of CHRIST(for which I was predestinated - (Rms. 8:29). These 'things' - prayer, the Word, righteousness, etc. etc. etc. - belong to the Spirit, they do not belong to you nor I. They are His things. He has sole ownership, they are His traits if you will, His personality, His personal standard of living, His beliefs and convictions : In me "that is in my flesh" "dwells no good thing". I do not contain within my being - my flesh - the holiness, the righteousness, the peace, the joy, the love, the longsuffering nor temperance, and meekness,and gentleness: There is no natural desire - bent - for these things, which are the things of GOD, within my carnal being. Whatever desire I have within me is the Spirit's desire and He is in me and thereby that desire is in my heart. Take the Spirit out and the desire for GOD'S things goes with Him: Why?
Because it is His desire that is in me - He owns it - it belongs to Him - It is His nature residing in my most "deceitful and wicked" heart.

"Walking in the Spirit" has to do with a state of existence:
A state of having caught up with the Spirit and being consumed by Him.
A state of complete immersion in the things of the Spirit.
We say such things as "He is a man of prayer", or , "a man of the Word".
When we say that about someone we are saying he is a man (or woman)
whose life is consumed by the Word and prayer.
We are in effect saying a man eats, sleeps, breathes the WORD and prayer.
He has the close intimate fellowship with the Father which consumes his (or her) life.
He or she is always minding the things of the Spirit - 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.

What does Psalm 1 say?

"Blessed is the man who walks
not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor sits in the seat of the scornful,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
but
his delight is in
the law of the LORD
and in His law doth he meditate day and night."

[day and night - that is all consuming!]

Let us look at some statements concerning the Spirit GOD makes in the letter (epistle) to the Corinthians in chapters 2/3
He speaks of the
* "things of the Spirit"
* the "things GOD has prepared for them that love Him
revealed to us by the Spirit."
* "we speak with the words the Holy Spirit teaches us to say
not with the words of man's wisdom but hidden words
words in a mystery."
* the things of GOD can only be understood
by the spirit which is from GOD.
* GOD has given us (the "believer") that spirit
so we can discern His things, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual things
* to the natural man the things of the Spirit of GOD are foolishness
because he cannot understand them - they are spiritually discerned.
[He has eyes but he cannot see, ears but he cannot hear the things of GOD.]
* spirituality - that is to say, living in the Spirit,
is a mature state of being.
{You will note that none of GOD'S teaching concerning His Spirit has
any mention of 'law' (rules of conduct) being related to,
nor being a part of spirituality. To live under rules of conduct (law)
is in fact a childish view of Christianity (1 Cor. 1/2/3). Carnality is a
state babies live in and living by rules of conduct, or law,
is a carnal life and is evidenced by envy, strife, and division.}

So let us summarize:
1. The spiritual world is an unseen world - a mysterious world,
hidden from the eyes and ears of the natural man. It is a world
that can only be seen and known by the spirit which is from GOD
I.E. His Spirit The 'believer' has that spirit in him (or her). That
spirit of GOD knows the deep things of GOD and reveals them
to us. To walk in the Spirit is to live life, in this world, learning,
knowing, meditating on (thinking on ) and following
"the things of GOD."
2. This is a dedicated life that brings about unity - not strife, envy,
and division. It is maturity, whereas 'carnality' (living by rules) is
'babyhood' and seeks the "milk of the word" and not the "meat" (Heb. 5/6)
and it produces envy, strife, and division. This life of living or walking
in the Spirit is a life of total commitment to knowing, intimately,
He who created us, redeemed us, and adopted us. It is not a casual,
non-chalant affair with a person I feel obligated to, and hence,
seek out fulfillment of that obligation at certain [predetermined]
times and dates. The life of walking in the Spirit is a life of being
absorbed into, or by, the very heart of GOD - to be consumed by
His Spirit (spirit). (note cf. Luke 14:26)
SO THUS FAR WE HAVE
a pursuit of GOD'S Spirit (His things) - that is, a walking after...
and a consumption by GOD'S Spirit - that is, walking in...
-----------------

IN PURSUIT OF? -------A. flesh------B. Spirit

The pursuit of -------------- *the flesh -or--*the Spirit

The substance of
that pursuit --- *the things of the flesh -or--* the things of the Spirit

the mindset
of that pursuit ------* carnally minded--or--* spiritually minded

the result
of that pursuit-----------------*death--or--* life

the relationship
to GOD---------------* enemy of GOD--or--* pleasing to GOD

What constitutes being in the flesh verses being in the Spirit?
Romans 8:9
If the Spirit of GOD dwells in me I am in the Spirit and not the flesh.
If CHRIST is in me, then and only then
(1) the body is dead. Why is the body dead? Because of sin.
(2) the Spirit is life. Why is the Spirit life? Because of righteousness.

------------------

I am going to stop here for now, I think we have much here
to digest and/or consider whether it be truth or not
according to what GOD has revealed to us in His Word.
We will pick up latter this very large topic,
this very important knowledge to our understanding of our life with GOD on this earth.
The Spirit is no small topic and extremely difficult to comprehend,
but we will continue to explore the Word for knowledge and understanding
from the Spirit, of His being.

Israel & the Gentile

Israel - the natural branch - the elect of GOD.
Gentile - the wild branch - to them the gospel.

Romans 11:28
1. Concerning the gospel, Israel is enemy to the gospel - and that for the sake of the Gentile.
2. Concerning election, Israel is beloved for the sake of the Father.
Romans 11:12
3. The "diminishing" of Israel benefits the Gentile.
The "fall" of Israel benefits the world.
Romans 11:15
4. The "casting away" (rejection) of Israel resulted in the reconciling of the world.
5. The receiving of Israel will be life for the dead.

The picture we see here that GOD makes for us, is that the sacrifice of Israel was (is) the salvation of the Gentile (the world). This was GOD'S doing. He rejected Israel, and gave the gospel to the Gentile.
note:
Israel was elected by GOD to be His people:
The Gentile was given the gospel.

Both were and are dependent upon a man's faith. GOD did not - does not - function arbitrarily. The natural branch - Israel - was broken off because they did not believe GOD:
The unnatural branch - the Gentile - was grafted into the vine(JESUS CHRIST - john 15:5) because they believed GOD.

We ought note that the sacrifice of Israel (Romans 11) is the salvation of the Gentile. We have here the shadow (Israel) and the very image (JESUS). We have Israel being prophetic, and a pattern, of the only begotten Son of GOD - the 1st born among many brethren. If we recall from Exodus 4:22, GOD called Israel His firstborn, just as JESUS was the firstborn among many brethren(Romans 8:29). We have here a demonstration of the "manifold wisdom of GOD" (Ephesians 3:10): "manifold meaning = 'stripes of varying color, equal in size, side by side'.
When the Gentile was in unbelief GOD sent them the gospel because Israel did not believe; and so GOD'S mercy came to the Gentile, for He ought to have hardened their heart for their unbelief even as He did Israel for their unbelief. HOWEVER, just as mercy came to the Gentile because Israel would not believe, so likewise because of that mercy shown to the Gentile it will come to Israel, and "all Israel shall be saved". (Romans 11:26). For GOD'S desire was and is to show mercy to all, and therefore He shut us all up together in unbelief." (Romans 11:32). He worked His plan such that all men were in unbelief and at the mercy of GOD so that He could demonstrate His mercifulness to all men. This is an incredible awesome and complex plan that only GOD could conceive and only GOD had the power and wisdom to execute, and that without violating the GOD given free will of man to chose.

A warning is issued to the Gentile believer; DON'T BE HIGH MINDED because GOD rejected Israel and accepted you. WHY? Because:
1. belief is the key to being acceptable to GOD (Hebrews 11:6 - "without faith it is impossible to please GOD") and if you go to unbelief you will be rejected (cut off), and, if Israel turns to belief they (the natural branch) will be grafted back into the vine. (Rms. 11:18)
2. the day is coming when all Israel will be saved - when GOD shall turn away sin from them. (Rms. 11:26)
It must be understood that this passage of Romans 11 teaches us that GOD permitted their fall so that the Gentile could become sons of GOD; BUT, by the same token GOD will redeem Israel.
I.E.
GOD permits to happen...
GOD causes to happen...
We see both His permissiveness and His deliberate imposed authority over life. He uses both means to accomplish His purposes.
We ought not focus so much on our choices and thoughts and deeds which is the product of mere flesh and blood; For GOD is at work accomplishing His goal(s), His desire(s), His pleasure, His purpose. When we study His scripture are focusing on who we are according to His word, OR are we looking to understand Him and who He is, what He wants, what He thinks, what is in His heart? (see FOUNDATIONAL at the MISSION'S web site)
Israel He called His firstborn, He wanted to be to them a Father and they to be to Him sons: He wants that for every man woman and child that ever was or ever will be. (Ephesians 1:1-10 and 3:11-20)

He Desires Our Trust

GOD wants us to trust Him. Why do I say that? It is a conclusion based on the following study........

Romans 9 "The Word of promise."......."At this time shall I come, and Sarah shall have a son."

consider this: Who are the Israelites?
They are the ones to whom pertains "the adoption", and "the glory", and "the covenants", and the "giving of the law", and the "service of GOD", and the promises". Romans 9
HOWEVER, you are only the "counted seed of Abraham (Sarah's husband with whom GOD covenanted), if you are the seed of "promise" and not the seed of the flesh. Issac is the fulfillment of a promise GOD made to Abraham and Sarah. Ishmael is the solution of Sarah and Abraham to get that promised fulfilled - he is the seed of the flesh not promise hence not an heir of GOD. It is faith in that which is beyond human (man's) capabilities, power, so - called wisdom & understanding, and his ways and means that GOD is looking for from us. Faith in Him to do the impossible. Faith the size of "a grain of mustard seed" that is the faith that "moves mountains", that is the faith that moves GOD.
That which we see in GOD'S relationship with Israel goes to the "foreshadowing" and "patterning" of GOD'S relationship with the "believer", the "born of the Spirit" Christian - the "body of CHRIST": For see in Galatians the statement, "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through JESUS CHRIST; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." ch. 3
When GOD made the covenant with His "friend" (2 Chronicles 20:7) Abraham He was promising to Abraham a son, and a 'redeemer' - 'savior' - He was in fact preaching the gospel of JESUS CHRIST (Gal. 3): He was promising the Spirit (Eph. 1)(GOD'S Spirit - JESUS Spirit 2 Corinthians 3:3-17) for the putting of ones faith in JESUS CHRIST, which causes GOD to declare us righteous - just, and His Spirit dwells in our hearts.
The promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah, who could not in the flesh have children - since she was past the years of bearing children; and through that son come blessing to the whole world (Genesis 12) was a promise to be fulfilled in Israel (GOD'S 1st born - Exodus 2) as a shadow of things to come, and fulfilled in JESUS CHRIST the very image itself (Colossians 2:13-17: Hebrews 8:1-6; Hebrews 10:1) - I.E. the very things to come.
The natural world giving understanding to the spiritual world. That which is not seen being understood by that which is seen.(Romans 1:20) It is GOD'S way - what we see tells us about what we don't see. We do not see GOD, for He is a spirit; However, creation itself bears witness of the reality and existence of GOD.(Romans 2)

So what does all this add up to in terms of faith - in terms of trusting what GOD says and promises. Grant it we did sidetrack slightly to the shadow and the very image - I.E. the unseen being understood by the seen - But if in fact that which we see gives enlightenment of what we do not see and the physical world therefore tells me of GOD Almighty"s reality and power than we ought decide to trust what He says; for if I want proof that His Word is true and He is true to His w(W)ord then I need only trust Him and begin to see the mountain(s) moved. He so much wants our trust and if I do not truly trust Him where will I find within myself the truth of saying I love Him; And, if I truly know Him I will (and will have) experience His power in my life in that He will perform in and for me that which is impossible: Just as He gave to Sarah a child in her dead womb - just as He gave to Mary a child in her virgin womb without the intercourse between man and woman we know to be necessary.
Do I want to know GOD'S power by experience - with intimacy OR do I just want it to be good doctrine and deny the power thereof (2 Thessalonians 3:5). Do you and I not know He wants very much for us to know Him as He is; to know who He is? If only we would trust Him.
The desires of the heart of GOD is something that we will search out in the scripture in the postings to come, but for now glean what you can from the scripture that has been referenced in this short essay (study) of faith and the promise of GOD.

Relationship of Father/sons

Our relationship with GOD our Father - our Creator and Redeemer
is spiritual,
and it is dependent upon faith - belief.

IT IS SPIRITUAL
It is what is in the heart and mind. It is freedom from the law.
IT IS NOT CARNAL
It is not [what is in the members of my flesh]. It is not bondage to the law.
This is a principle most critical to the, quote unquote, "victorious Christian life".

The carnal mind is not and cannot be subject to GOD'S law. (romans 8) The difference between carnally minded and spiritually minded is life and death. It must be understood that to be carnally minded is to subject the flesh to law, which is fleshly acts and thinking that can only lead to the death of the spirit in me - not life-death in my spirit.

IF WE ARE TALKIN' SPIRIT
then we're talkin' [liberty,faith, mercy/grace, love, life, justification, righteousness.
IF WE'RE TALKIN' FLESH
then were talkin' [law, sin, dominion over..., bondage, condemnation, death].

The law is against the deeds of the flesh
The Spirit produces fruit that has no law(s) against them.
Though the law be righteous (holy) IT IS ALSO condemning.
1. Rms. 8, the carnal mind is not subject to the law, and it cannot be subject to the law.
2. Therefore I can in my carnal state only break the law.
3. Rms. 6 Hence, under the law I am dominated by sin.
4. Rms. 7 that is why it is written,
"When I do the things I would not I am consenting unto the law that it is good."
5. Rms. 7 We know this breaking of the law as sin -
the law is what makes sin strong -
it is the "motivator" for sin.
The "motions", [the desires], of sin are working in us
because we are under law.
Law is the vehicle by which sin gets around in our life.
6. Rms. 7 So, eliminate the law and you eliminate the power of sin in your life. -
Without the law sin is dead. (Rms. 7)
7. Rms. 6 It (sin) cannot dominate me when the law is not hanging over my life.

We are dead to the law
that
we should be married to another (Rms. 6)

The law once held us
but now
the law is dead
hence,
we are delivered from it's grasp on our life. (Rms.6)
Is the law sin?
NO
The law told me what was sin; and without the law to tell me what was (is) SIN I would not know. (Rms. 6)

Bringing in the commandment revives sin -
The only way I can be dead to sin is to be dead to the law.
If there is law there is sin.
If there is law, sin is alive.
If there is no law, sin is dead.

In effect, 'do and don't' will kill you in your spirit; they will kill you spiritually; they will set the law ABOVE GOD thus seperating us from His fellowship.

It should be noted here that what the 'spirit' is is a topic that must indeed be addressed at some point in time - for I think on the whole believers no not what it is. But the understanding of spirit is for another time.

It has been said that those who say, "I am free from the law, so I can do what I want", are in effect saying, "I can sin and I'll be forgiven; I can do what ever I want." The fact is those of us who believe, "unto salvation", ARE free from the law, and "All things are lawful for me..." (1 Cor. 8/10)
BUT
The totality of the principle is that by being free from the law I am innately, free from the dominion of sin over me. See we as believers - spiritually alive people - are righteous in spirit, - sin is the tenant of the flesh not the spirit. If we walk in the Spirit - GOD'S Spirit - we will not fulfill the lusts ('desires') of the flesh. (Gal. 5 and Rms. 8)

The issue is not the law
THE ISSUE
is do I, or will I, pursue the (s)Spirit?
OR WILL I PURSUE
right and wrong, dos and don'ts? The way to be righteous in thought and deed is not through the law - rules of conduct. And this is where Christianity as a whole has found it's pothole in the road of life that trips us up. Just as the unbeliever has difficulty accepting the FREE gift of JESUS CHRIST death for their atonement, and resurrection for their salvation, by faith without deed: SO likewise the believer has difficulty accepting that 'progressive sanctification' (becoming more and more like Jesus) of life comes any other way but the law - dos and don'ts. The believer teaches law when he or she teaches that a person, (a child of GOD), must do this or that, and not do that or this - i.e. right and wrong as a basis for life is living by the law and that is carnal - carnally minded. Salvation is by faith in what JESUS did (Rms.5)
Sanctification is by faith in what JESUS is doing (Rms 7)

This is what the books (letters) of Galatians and Romans is all about.
SIN
the law/the flesh =the weakness = carnal

RIGHTEOUSNESS
the spirit/the liberty = the strength = spiritual

spiritually minded leads to life and peace
carnally minded leads to death

I cannot stress it enough, I cannot say it enough ways; It is absolutely necessarily and pungently important that we here what GOD said through the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2 'that if a man teach any gospel other than this, that man is to be accursed. It is d e a d l y to teach sanctification is accomplished by my doing this and not doing that. Salvation and sanctification, atonement and justification, come one way only, and that is through the Spirit - by faith. ANYTHING else is a perverted gospel and will condemn a man, will tear a man down, will be a stumbling block to the believer , just as faith in CHRIST alone for salvation is a stumbling block to the unbeliever.

Faith is what please GOD. (Hebrews 11) Faith in CHRIST by the unbeliever pleases GOD to give him or her salvation. Faith in CHRIST by the believer pleases GOD to grow him or her spiritually (i.e. 'progressive' sanctification).

End of Law

"CHRIST is the end of the law
for righteousness
to everyone that believes." Rms. 10.

comment: When CHRIST
lived,
(spotlessly - without sin - fulfilling the entirety of the law's righteousness),
and died,
(fulfilling the curse of the law; and atoning for our sin),
and CHRIST rose from the dead,
(because of His sinless life there was no possible way death could hold Him -
for the end of sin is death
BUT
the end of righteousness is life).

This all adds up to Christ being the end of the law for righteousness.
It is His righteousness that gets applied to my life's account;
that, gives me, "righteous" status.
AND,
As a believer, everyday of my remaining life is such -
I am today righteous because JESUS is righteous, and I am in Him,
hence, I am seen, by GOD, as righteous.
THIS IS WHY GOD says in ch 11 of Romans,

"And if by grace then it is no more works:
otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works then it is no more grace:
otherwise work is no more work."

My salvation before GOD is either by or because of,
His graciousness or my works:
It is not a little of both. It is one or the other.
Either His grace is sufficient, or it is not sufficient.
Either Jesus Christ' life, death, and resurrection suffices GOD
for my adoption into His family (Eph. 1) and hence entrance into His kingdom;
OR,
it was and/or, is not the propitiation it claims to be in 1 John ch. 1.

I must live each day as if the only thing making me righteous
is
Jesus Christ being righteous;
IE.
accepting the righteousness of GOD
or
live each day seeking my own righteousness by own deeds (works).
EITHER GOD'S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT OR, MY WORKS ARE SUFFICIENT.

I would say this,
the only way to know this principle we have looked at
- this truth of life - this way of life,
is to study the Word for to find it's truth.
AND
the only way this principle actually works is
if we believe it to be truth, of GOD, from GOD:
we must trust it not our own sense of reason.

The problem with Israel was (and/or is) they were "...ignorant of GOD'S righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of GOD." (Romans 10) The "righteousness of GOD" is described, by Him, in
Romans 3 as "CHRIST" being that righteousness - His work.
Israel sought righteousness, but, did not obtain righteousness. (Romans 11)
Why?
They sought their own, NOT GOD'S!
We often, even as believers, (and non-believers likewise), seek to do good works so that we can feel, or think ourselves to be righteous: AND, impose that on others. We often do not submit ourselves to His righteousness; we do not trust in what Jesus did - GOD'S grace - But rather in what we do in terms of conforming ourselves to "the image of CHRIST": IE keeping commandments - law - rules of conduct. We have the idea that now that we are saved we must as good children (GOD'S children) do good works; and that is the underlying and overriding "principle" which we live by: and when we think and do accordingly, we are not submitting ourselves to the "righteousness of GOD".
AND THAT IS WHY WE OFTEN DO NOT FIND PEACE AND JOY IN OUR LIFE.