Righteousness - Living a Righteous Life!! Romeo 1/6/13 Righteousness - very simply is doing what is right. THE DESIRE FOR: Matt 5.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. THE COST OF? Matt 5.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. If you make a commitment to always do the right thing there will be many occasions in which you will get in trouble for it. Often telling the truth, which people don't want to hear will create problems, even when your opinion is asked for. Trying to stop someone from making a big mistake in their life more often than not will not bring you any thanks. More likely you will be told to mind your own business. Do what is best for you children will not win you parent of the year award. Some people just don't like people who do the right thing. Righteousness - Living a Righteous Life Page 1 of 5
NOT A PHONY RIGHTEOUSNESS: Matt 5.20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. The scribes and pharisees did what appeared to be right when others were watching, not because it was right, but because it made them look good. Matt 23.27 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. Matt 6.1 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. WHAT IS GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS? Matt 6.33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. This means that you understand the difference between God's concept of what is right and man's self-righteous idea of doing right. Man's concept is to always be doing what I think is in my best interests. It is a matter of what you are after in life. material needs if we seek the spiritual. God will provide the Righteousness - Living a Righteous Life Page 2 of 5
Luke 18.9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other people robbers, evildoers, adulterers or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. The self-righteous person is confident that his own goodness makes him better than others and thus pleasing to God. Thus failing to understand that the righteousness which comes from God and makes us right with God is obtained only through faith in Christ and can not be obtained by any amount of good deeds. HOW THIS IS EXPLAINED: Rom 1.17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. (Hab 2.4) Rom 3.21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, Rom 4.5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 Blessed are those Righteousness - Living a Righteous Life Page 3 of 5
whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. IF IT IS OBTAINED BY FAITH, WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE RIGHTEOUS? Therefore this righteousness comes to us when through faith in Christ we change our allegiance from self or that which is ungodly to Christ. Rom 6.17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to everincreasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In other words, before you submitted to Christ, you were not in subjection to the idea of always doing the right thing. Now because you have believed that Jesus truly is the Lord of the Universe, you submit to His will and desire to do what pleases Him. Not to prove anything to anyone or to make yourself look good, but to serve Him who died to forgive your sins and give you eternal life. Righteousness - Living a Righteous Life Page 4 of 5
WHERE DOES GRACE COME IN? Rom 5.1 Therefore, since, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Righteousness is a gift not the result of our actions: Rom 5.17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Even though righteousness, or being right with God, is a gift; we are under the control of righteousness. In other words, we submit to because we have been freely declared righteous. THEREFORE RIGHTEOUSNESS RESULTS IN THE MOST PEACEFUL LIFE. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A PEACE WITH GOD AND YOURSELF PHIL 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Righteousness - Living a Righteous Life Page 5 of 5