The gift of righteousness is different from the fruit of righteousness. Justification is to be declared righteous. Salvation is to be made whole or complete. Justification speaks to the gift and salvation speaks to the fruit.

The scriptures teach that Jesus is our righteousness and that he lives within us. Jesus is the gift of righteousness, it is because of Jesus that we are already righteous. We can not be anymore or less righteous than we are today, because Jesus is our righteousness...his righteousness in us is a free gift. God's gifts and callings are irrevocable by both man and God. For God to write to us that his gifts are irrevocable than they can not be revoked by either man or God. This is the gift we receive when we believe, the righteousness of Christ.

Jesus means "salvation". As stated above salvation means to be made whole or complete. Salvation is already ours because salvation (Jesus) lives within us. The scriptures teach that we are complete in him. This is also true as we have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness Peter tells us.

The scriptures teach us to work out OUR salvation with fear and trembling...FOR IT IS GOD that works in us to both will and do of his good pleasure. Notice it is our salvation, it resides in us, it is already in our possession. We have salvation, but we must make it visible by allowing God to work in us. This is the fruit of righteousness.

The root of righteousness is Jesus, he will not be moved from us as he is in us and we are complete and he is our salvation. However, we must walk with him or abide in him to bear fruit. That fruit would be the fruit of righteousness. James speaks of the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

Another way to look at it is to consider what John Tng wrote about Israel and the 2 that entered the promised land. Those that crossed the Red Sea and drank from the Rock are like those that have been born again but still allow the world to influence their souls. Those that passed over Jordan are like those that go onto perfection (maturity) to the possession of their souls.

When sin entered the world our souls became defiled by sin. Our souls need to come to a place of rest and peace in order for the Lord to restore them to a place where he can live through us and thus the fruits of righteousness show forth. Psalm 23 says:

Ps 23:1-3
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Jesus wants us to come to a place of rest or peace in him that he might restore our souls. He does this that HE might lead us in paths of righteousness in order that we may bear fruit. This is called the possession of our souls. Rest brings us to a place where we possess our souls or in the case of Israel possess the land.

In Luke 21:19 Jesus says, In your patience you possess your souls. In Hebrews it says that they did not enter into their rest because they did not believe. That rest is the rest for our souls. Jesus said to come unto him all that labor and are heavy laden and he would give us rest...for our souls.

When our souls are at rest we are believing or resting in Jesus. Then the fruit of righteousness comes forth. The scriptures teach that the trying of our faith works patience and as Jesus said in Luke in our patience we possess our souls. Possession of the soul or the restoration of the soul (from the defilement of sin) is what all the falling away, if statements and enduring scriptures are all about. They are not about losing our righteousness they are about not bearing fruit.

The whole book of Hebrews is based on the fact that Israel did not enter their rest because they didn't believe that God could do it. Likewise we do not enter into our rest because we do not believe or rest in the fact that Jesus can and will live his life through us if we allow him to...this is the obedience that God calls us to.

Was this not why he chastised Israel in the wilderness because the would not believe that He could conquer the giants? The whole book of Joshua (which means salvation) is about the possessing of the soul. Bringing the soul into rest. When they possessed their land (souls) they ate from trees they did not plant and drank wine from vines they did not grow. This is our fruit. Fruit we did not plant or grow...because the fruit of righteousness comes from the root of righteousness.

Abiding in Jesus is what our obedience is about and this is not burdensome. Abiding in his word is what this is about and this is not burdensome. When we abide in him we have let go of all our works and we are allowing him to work through us. Our only labor is to labor to enter into rest.

Heb 4:11
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

That rest is the possession of our souls. This is the salvation that we are to work out. Work out our rest. Learn to abide in Jesus. Those that are mature have learned to abide. They are the bride.

Song 8:5
5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; there she who bore you brought you forth. THE

To lean on Jesus is to rest in him. Caleb and Joshua came out of the wilderness leaning on the Lord. They entered into their rest and received the promise. We too can receive all the promises if we abide in Jesus and his word...if we rest from our labors and allow him to work through us.

If we do this the fruit of righteousness will be evident in our lives because it is the root of righteousness that bear fruit. If after we are born again we do not abide the root of righteousness remains in us as it cannot be moved nevertheless we die in the wilderness not having obtain the promise of the possession of our souls. This is what Hebrews means when it says they fell because of unbelief. They did not possess their land (souls) and thus no fruit.