'''RIGHTEOUSNESS'''

RIGHTEOUSNESS

'He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?' -- Micah 6:8
'Present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness. Even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.' -- Rom. 6:13,18,19

The word of Micah teaches us that the fruit of the salvation of God is seen chiefly in three things. The new life must be characterized, in my relation to God and His will, by righteousness and doing right; in my relation to my neighbour, by love and beneficence; in relation to myself, by humility and lowliness. For the present, we meditate on righteousness. Scripture teaches us that no man is righteous before God, or has any righteousness that can stand before God; (Ps. 14:3; 143:2; Rom. 3:10,20)

Ps 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ps 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Ro 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

that man receives the rightness or righteousness of Christ for nothing; and that by this righteousness, which is received in faith, he is then justified before God, (Rom. 3:22,24: 10:3,10; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9)

Ro 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Ro 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Ro 10:3 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.
Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Ga 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Phil 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

he is right with God. This righteous sentence of God is something effectual, whereby the life of righteousness is implanted in man, and he learns to live as a righteous man, and to do righteousness. (Rom. 5:17,18; 6:13,18,19; 8:3; Tit. 1:8; 2:12; 1 John 2:29; 3:9,10)

Ro 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Ro 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Ro 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Ro 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Ro 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Tit 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
1Jo 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1Jo 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jo 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Being right with God is followed by doing right. 'The righteous shall live by faith' a righteous life.

It is to be feared that this is not always understood. One thinks sometimes more of justification than of righteousness in life and walk. To understand the will and the thoughts of God here, let us trace what Scripture teaches us on this point. We shall be persuaded that the man who is clothed with a divine righteousness before God must also walk before God and man in a divine righteousness.

Consider how, in the word, the servants of God are praised as righteous; (Gen. 6:9; 7:1; Matt. 1:19; Luke 1:6; 2:25; 2 Pet. 2:7)

Ge 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Ge 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Mt 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
Lu 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Lu 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked

how the favour and blessing of God are pronounced upon the righteous; (Ps. 1:6; 5:12, 14:5; 34:16,20; 37:17,39; 92:13; 97:11; 144:8)

Ps 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Ps 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Ps 14:5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
Ps 34:16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Ps 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Ps 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
Ps 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
Ps 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Ps 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Ps 144:8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

how the righteous are called to confidence, to joy. (Ps. 32:11; 33:1; 58:11; 64:10; 68:4; 97:12)

Ps 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Ps 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
Ps 58:11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
Ps 64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
Ps 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
Ps 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

See this especially in the Book of Psalms. See how in Proverbs, although you should take but one chapter only, all blessing is pronounced upon the righteous. (Prov. 10:3,6,7,11,16,20,21,24,25,28,30,31,32)

Pr 10:3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
Pr 10:6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Pr 10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
Pr 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Pr 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
Pr 10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Pr 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
Pr 10:24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
Pr 10:25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
Pr 10:28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
Pr 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
Pr 10:31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
Pr 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

See how everywhere men are divided into two classes, the righteous and the godless. (Eccles 3:17; Isa. 3:10; Ezek. 3:18,20; 18:21,23; 33:12; Mal. 3:18; Matt. 5:45; 12:49; 25:46)

Ec 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Isa 3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Eze 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Eze 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Mt 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mt 12:49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Mt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

See how, in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus demands this righteousness; (Matt. 5:6,20; 6:33)

Mt 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mt 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

how Paul, who announces most the doctrine of justification by faith alone, insists that this is the aim of justification, to form righteous men, who do right. (Rom. 3:31; 6:13,22; 7:4,6; 8:4; 2 Cor. 9:9,10; Phil 1:11; 1 Tim. 6:11)

Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Ro 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Ro 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Ro 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Ro 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2Co 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
2Co 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
Phil 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

See how John names righteousness along with love as the two indispensable marks of the children of God. (1 John 2:4,11,29; 3:10; 5:2)

1Jo 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jo 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1Jo 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1Jo 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1Jo 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

When you put all these facts together, it must be very evident to you that a true Christian is a man who does righteousness in all things, even as God is righteous. And what this righteousness is, Scripture will also teach you. It is a life in accordance with the commands of God, in all their breadth and height. The righteous man does what is right in the eyes of the Lord. (Ps. 119:166,168; Luke 1:6,75; 1 Thess. 2:10)

Ps 119:166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
Ps 119:168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
Lu 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Lu 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe

He takes not the rules of human action; he asks not what man considers lawful. As a man who stands right with God, who walks uprightly with God, he dreads above all things even the least unrighteousness. He is afraid, above all, of being partial to himself, of doing any wrong to his neighbour for the sake of his own advantage. In great and little things alike, he takes the Scriptures as his measure and line. As the ally of God, he knows that the way of righteousness is the way of blessing, and life, and joy.

Consider, further, the promises of blessing and joy which God has for the righteous, and then live as one who, in friendship with God, and clothed with the righteousness of His Son through faith, has no alternative but to do righteousness.

O Lord, who hast said, 'There is no God else beside Me: a just God and a Saviour,' Thou art my God. It is as a righteous God that Thou are my Saviour, and hast redeemed me in Thy Son. As a righteous God Thou makest me also righteous, and sayest to me that the righteous shall live by faith. O Lord, let the new life in me be the life of faith, the life of a righteous man. Amen.

1. Observe the connection between the doing of righteousness and sanctification in Rom. 6:19,22; 'Present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.' 'Having become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification.' The doing of righteousness, righteousness in conduct and action, is the way to holiness. Obedience is the way to become filled with the Holy Ghost. And the indwelling of God through the Spirit -- this is holiness.

2. 'Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. It was when the Lord Jesus had spoken that word that He was baptized with the Spirit. Let us set aside every temptation not to walk in full obedience towards God, even as He did, and we too shall be filled with the Spirit. 'Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.'

3. Take pains to set before yourselves the image of a man who so walks that the name of 'righteous; is involuntarily given to him. Think of his uprightness, his conscientious care to cause no one to suffer the least injury, his holy fear and carefulness to transgress none of the commands of the Lord -- righteous, and walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; and then say to the Lord that you should so live.

4. You understand now the great word, 'The righteous shall live by faith.' By faith the godless is justified, and becomes a righteous man; by faith he lives as a righteous man.

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