What is God's Righteousness?
- His Servant - Rob McKee
- Oct 14, 2020
- 10 min read
Let’s start by defining the word “righteousness”.
Definition of “righteousness” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/righteousness
2: morally right or justifiable
Basically, “righteousness” is the state of being or doing what is “right.” Hearing this definition makes me think on this question… doesn’t everyone do what they think is right? Some may answer that they know that they are not doing what is right, but the majority will most likely always do whatever they think is best in any given situation, correct? So, even though I may think that it is not alright to j-walk, another person may believe that it is perfectly fine to do so. Have we discovered a problem? Yes, the problem is that people often have different opinions of what “right” is. This can even be found in and amongst many who claim to serve God and Christ.
Romans 10:1-3 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
One person may say that it is okay to steal if you are hungry, for instance. Another may say, “no, stealing is wrong, at any time, and for any reason.” A third person might even go as far as to say that it does not matter, because God doesn’t care if His children are guilty of sin (that’s simply no true, by the way, and can be proven by scripture.)
Luke 12:56-57 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
When a person goes to court, who’s opinion matters; their own opinion, or the opinion of the judge? What does a judge seek – justice (just like in our definition of “righteousness” above)! Who is our judge? Be careful how you answer that…
John 12:44-48 Jesus cried and said, he that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on Him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
We find what God thinks to be just in His Word and He will be the one to judge whether or not we line up with it.
It is easy to see why doing what is right in the sight of God is what really matters – His righteousness is what matters, and not our own. His ways matter, but ours are often flawed.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Isaiah 55:6-9 Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalms 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
It was said a minute ago that we find what God thinks to be just in His Word. Well, do you want to do right in the sight of God? I hope do, for your sake, because doing what it right is the sight of God; or, having His righteousness, is what will get you and I to heaven. Jesus Christ, The Word of God, came to this earth in the form of a man to deliver God’s righteousness to us. For those who will believe and receive this truth:
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luke 1:71-75 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; The oath which He sware to our father Abraham, That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him
Remember that Jesus is the Word of God! Obeying Him, or in other words: doing what He tells us to do, will yield the working of God’s righteousness in our lives. You might say, that if you are doing what Jesus says, then He is instructing you in God’s righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Some may say, “I read God’s Word often, but I struggle to understand it.” If this is you, what I would advise is that you do not worry about how much you understand…
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
…but rather be concerned that you are doing what God has asked of you (obeying Him.) If you do this, He will perform the rest. Here is some very important instruction:
1 Timothy 4:13-16 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Don’t forget about prayer also!
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Our Lord is our example and He will never mislead us. He knows our concerns. He knows our challenges in this life. He knows whether we truly desire to please Him, or not. Continue to seek Him and do what He shows you to be right, even when it might be hard to do. Do what He has shown you to be right, even when others come against you.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
What’s the cost of doing what is right in the sight of God, or, having His righteousness in our lives while we endure this world?
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
What are one of the sings that you are doing what is right? It will have the same effect on you in this world as it did Jesus when He walked this earth.
Matthew 24:9-13 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Sometimes we know what is right in the sight of God, but we might struggle to walk in His ways. Do not fear yourself, or what you are capable or not capable of, fear God! Need more faith? Pay attention to what is going on in your life and around you. Here is one sign that you are on the path to having respect to His righteousness – God will help us when we struggle:
Hebrews 12:4-10 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.
Definition of “holy’ or “holiness” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy
: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
See: doing what is right in the sight of God is necessary for salvation!
1 Peter 3:10-14 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled
Ephesians 4:21-24 If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
The Truth is that, since the fall of Adam and Eve, God has always sought to redeem mankind from sin and to restore His state righteousness in men and women again. He has called us to come back to Him; just like the prodigal son. He has chosen people who valued His Way to declare it unto others around them. This has been going on since our fall there in the garden of Eden. Even Noah was a preacher of righteousness. What about all of the other people who we read about that obtained righteousness in the sight of God, like Lot? They all did it by being obedient to God’s Word! They did everything possible to keep His Word. Guess what, God gives His people the desires of their heart (if they are pure.)
2 Peter 2:4-9 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished
Without a will and the ability to perform what is right in the sight of God, we would all be lost, eternally separated from God. Haven’t we experienced enough separation from the goodness and righteousness of God in this life?
Psalms 37:4-6 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Learn, trust and obey. I’d like to leave you with these final thoughts:
Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and He to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Ephesians 6:23-24 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
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