What is righteousness in the bible?
Ever wondered exactly what this word means, that is seen all throughout the bible?
The answer to this question is essential to every Christian since it is the very righteousness that we all strive to attain in our walk with God.
Righteousness is simply defined as “ to be right with God”. It is that right standing with God situation. Explained in layman’s terms, righteousness is the state where you and God are in good books.
Righteousness by faith
Righteousness by faith is the righteousness that we get as a result of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As men, we know that we inherited the sin of Adam and we came to the world already as sinners.
That means that we are born unrighteous, as sinners not being good with God. Not being in good standing with God.
The bible says Be ye holy as he is holy. So if we want to be in God’s presence then we must be holy.
But how do we then attain this righteousness in the bible?
And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Philippians 3:9
Only faith in Jesus is our source of righteousness. It’s not possible to obtain righteousness by obeying the law, or the commandments. Or any other actions we may think suffice.
The reason behind that is that the bible says in
Romans 3:10
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
We are simply not capable of being righteous by our own works. Impossible!!
Jesus was the only man who was spotless, the only man who never sinned.
You might think, I’m pretty good, I have never killed anyone, I have never stolen or any of that stuff but that is simply not good enough.
James 2:10
Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.
This right here is the answer to all y’alls questions, the fact that you are “not that bad.”
The bible says that if there were 20 laws, and you kept 19 but failed at 1, then you have failed in everything.
With the law, there is no grading system like we did at school where an A falls within a certain range.
With the law of God, it’s ALL OR NOTHING.
So a simple lie, a simple curse in a moment of anger deems you unable to keep the whole law, meaning that you are a sinner.
But thank the Lord our father.
Thank God for Jesus. We are now able to be righteous, to be sinless, to be in good books with God by believing in Jesus!!
How simple is that right!
It is not about how much good you have done against the wrong stuff that you have done.
It’s just because you believe in Jesus and automatically you become righteous because of that faith.
Genesis 15:6
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
This bible verse about righteousness talks about our father in faith Abraham.
God gave him so many promises that he got to a point of death without out having seen them all.
But he believed every word that God had said bout his life.
He believed when God told him he will have many descendants with his old wife, even if it was physically impossible.
But he believed and trusted God and it is that belief in God that God counted as righteous.
So my sister, whatever God said about your life, whether in his word, whether in prophecies, or whichever way He used to speak to you.
If you believe him and wait on his promises, no matter how bleak they may seem. Then God will count that as righteousness.
Fighting off the lies of doubt from the devil and standing firmly rooted in the word of God.
Who is righteous before God?
Who is righteous before God? The answer is anyone who believes in his Son Jesus Christ is righteous before God.
Not the one who keeps the most number of commandments, not the one who supports charities and all that stuff.
The bible says that
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
It is not about how “good’ you think you are to have the righteousness in the bible. Because trust me, sis, you really aren’t that good. The bible says
1 John 1:8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
So yes, ISSA LIE!!
The truth is not in you if you think that you are good and sinless. You are not.
Only the grace of God through his son Jesus Christ becomes our saving grace. It’s the only way we can become good and sinless.
The person who is righteous before God is the one who believes that Jesus Christ. They are the ones who have the righteousness in the bible.
Romans 10:9
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
By confessing with your mouth that you are a sinner and are not capable of being righteous on your own effort, no matter how hard you try.
This confession makes you swallow all pride and reveals your need for a Saviour, Jesus.
Who is the lamb of God that was slain for your sin and mine?
And only by confessing that act that he did- taking all of your guilt, sin, shame, and condemnation.
In his sinless state, then became the substitutionary sacrifice for your sins and mine.
He became sin, he became a curse so that you and I can become sinless. And being sinless is THAT righteousness of God. That is the righteousness in the bible that we so desire.
So to answer the question of who is righteous before God- according to the bible, it is everyone who confesses Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
That person is the one that is righteous before God.
Who is a righteous man according to the bible
When I gave my life to Jesus I obviously desired to know who a righteous man is, according to the bible. So that I too can become righteous.
If you also desire to know the righteousness in the bible, this is what the bible says in that regard.
1. One who lives according to the word of God
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
1 John 3:7
For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
Romans 10:3
In this Walking in righteousness scripture, John and the writer of Romans are talking to the church. They say that if you practice righteousness, that is striving to lead a consistently honorable life.
Both in private where no one can see as well as in the public. As well as conforming to the word of God, then you are righteous, just as he is righteous. You are practicing the righteousness in the bible.
The one who is righteous according to the bible is the one who makes the word of God the ultimate authority over any decision in his life.
Not your own version of what is good, what the world says, or what is ethically okay.
Only the word of God determines what is righteous. Be careful in this world that we live in where there are now many alternative ways to heaven.
As long as you are a good person they say. But you know better my dear. No one is good on their own without Jesus.
As disciples of Christ, we must base all our decisions according to what the bible says. For every issue that affects us in our lives, the answer is in the bible.
So whether you want to know the expected conduct of a single woman, mother, wife, daughter, employee, you name it- the answer is in the bible.
And when you do that then you will be righteous as the bible will never lead you astray.
2. One who lives by faith
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:17
The bible says that without faith it is not possible to please God. But when you have faith you will please God and you will literally give him pressure to perform.
Imagine this, you are believing God for provision. You pray and say God looks, there is no plan B. If you do not provide I am not going to make it, my children are going to starve.
You said in your word that it’s your desire for me to prosper so there it is. I will wait. I will not move until you show yourself. God, it’s your name on the line because I gave my life to you. It’s yours, not mine.
And you sit in that prayer closet. Pressing on to God. Waiting for God to do his thing. Convinced with every fiber of your being that you won’t get up until he moves.
Imagine you are God, looking down from heaven, seeing such crazy faith. How would you feel?
Pressure right?
Then I believe when you have that sorta faith God will be soo pleased and he will move.
So sister, let us be like Abraham who believed in God and was made righteous because of his faith.
3. One who leads a Christlike lifestyle
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Matthew 13:43
Earlier in the book of Matthew, the writer says to let your light shine to the world, so they can see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Right, as disciples of Christ we are mandated to be the salt and the light of the world.
Salt gives flavor by setting the pace for the world to follow, showing them the right way of doing things.
Being a light, Matthews says is to bring positivity, love, and hope in a world full of hate, darkness, and all-around negativity.
Matthew says that a city set on a hill can not be hidden. A righteous person is like a bright light.
Your kindness, your patience, your joy, and your smile can not be hidden. It radiates and shines on hopeless, depressed, and sad people.
So if we walk in the Christlike way that Jesus walked, being righteous, hating sin, and loving what is good, people will be drawn to us.
Isaiah 60 says,
Arise shine,
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you..
….. But the Lord will arise over you
And his glory will be seen upon you
The Gentiles will come to your light,
And the kings to the brightness of your rising….
Isaiah 60: 1-4
When you walk in righteousness the glory of God will be upon you and cover you and it will be SEEN upon you.
That light that shines bright like the sun will draw people to you, kings, gentiles, nations everyone will be drawn to that light that comes from walking in the righteousness of God.
4. One who flees carnality and is led by the spirit
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
Romans 6:13
This walking in righteousness scripture shows us who is a righteous man according to the bible.
A righteous man, according to the bible flees youthful desires of the flesh, crucifies his flesh, denies himself, and picks his cross daily to follow Jesus.
If you are led by the flesh, also known as carnality, always succumbing to what the body wants or desires then you certainly are not a righteous man.
A righteous man is led by the spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that influences, leads, and directs his steps instead of the flesh.
If the stomach grumbles and says I want food but the holy Spirit says No take some time to fast and pray.
The one that wins that fight is the one that is leading you.
If you say no, Jesus already died for me, why should I kill myself with hunger, then clearly you are carnal.
But if you do everything the Holy Spirit beckons you then you are certainly pursuing righteousness like what Timothy says.
