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Question 3

The lesson interprets “seeking to establish their own righteousness” as trying to find righteousness through the Mosaic Law after it had become obsolete; what are the closest modern equivalents to clinging to an “obsolete path to righteousness,” and how can you tell when a religious practice has become an alternative to Christ rather than a way of obeying Him?

Another way to ask: What are modern ways people try to be “right with God” through old or wrong methods instead of through Christ? How can you tell when a religious habit has replaced Christ rather than helped you obey Him?

Direct Answer Based on the transcript, the modern equivalent would be any approach that treats a religious system, marker, or rule-set as the way to be right with God instead of faith in Christ and God’s new righteousness through Him. You can tell it has become an alternative to Christ when it functions as “our righteousness” apart from submitting to God’s righteousness.

Support from Transcript:

“Their own righteousness” is explained by Paul’s parallel: “my own righteousness, which is from the law,” meaning righteousness sought through a system rather than Christ.
Bercot summarizes: “the law was now obsolete,” yet the Jews insisted on “following an obsolete path to righteousness.”
The key diagnosis is they were “seeking to establish their own righteousness” and “have not submitted…to the righteousness of God.”
Constantius is quoted: the sacrifices and other “shadow of the truth…ceased to operate once he had come,” yet they “did not want to believe this.”
Theodoret: the law “directed us to the Lord Christ,” so trusting Christ fulfills its intention.

Discussion Follow-ups What practices in your tradition feel like they “prove” righteousness rather than express loyalty to Christ? How do we keep obedience from turning into a substitute savior?

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