By Web definition, righteousness is adhering to moral principles. The word is easily understood I suppose. It basically refers to doing what is right as opposed to doing what is wrong. It is doing good instead of doing evil. Yes, every good work is righteous. Simply put, righteousness is doing good works.
Righteousness is an all too familiar term in Born Again Christian circles but one which is not given due attention. And I think it is because in Salvation, it doesn't matter. But I have discovered something really powerful!
It started when I read Smith Wigglesworth's article on Righteousness where he said,
"I see that God has a realm of divine life opening up to us where there are boundless possibilities, where there is limitless power, where there are untold resources, where we have victory over all the power of the devil. I believe that as we are filled with the desire to press on into this life of true holiness, desiring only the glory of God, there is nothing that can hinder our true advancement."
I wonder whether Mr. Wigglesworth attained to that. But his ministry saw so much of the miraculous kind, and he was well known for that -- a miracle working man of God. I think it is awesome to be in that realm of divine life. I believe that we can all attain to that. This should be our goal. For what will you need a miracle after when the Lord Jesus is come?
So where now is righteousness? That's the second sentence in the quotation from Smith Wigglesworth. He said,
"...as we are filled with the desire to press on into this life of true holiness..."
I believe that's the key. A desire for a life of true holiness! Well holiness is not exactly righteousness but the two terms are basically synonyms. Passages from Scripture suddenly pops up like:
(Heb 1:9 KJV) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
In this passage, righteousness was a condition for the anointing. Going to a passage in Proverbs it says:
(Proverbs 2:6-9 KJV) For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. [7] He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. [8] He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. [9] Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path.
Here I find a sequential flow in the Scriptures. Verse 6 talks plainly that God gives wisdom and understanding. Verse 7 says that God lays up wisdom for the righteous, He is a buckler to the upright. Verse 8, He preserves His saints. And then after talking about being upright and righteous, it says in verse 9:
"Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path!"
By walking in righteousness, eventually comes wisdom and understanding! When I start thinking about the knowledge of God, I start thinking how awesome that knowledge could be. How high! How majestic! Like how it is described in Proverbs 1:
(Pro 1:6 KJV) To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
I can just imagine what understanding that is. The words of the WISE and their DARK sayings? But the beginning of all these, Proverbs 1:7 says,
(Pro 1:7 KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge...
It's amazing! The fear of the Lord eventually points to works of righteousness. I believe that if we just keep things straight, we will see the glory of God! And it just makes sense because how can we expect the mighty move of God in our lives when we easily stumble over the smallest and simplest of temptations?
It is all over the Bible, it is the righteous that finds favor with God. I believe that we are saved by the grace of God and not by our own good works. But then I get to thinking. If a person will just honestly pursue good works and desire only what is good and walk to the best that he can to be righteous, will God have mercy on that soul and save him? And if God indeed saves that person, will it not still be by His grace that that person is saved?
One thing is sure. A Christian must walk in righteous as he is required to. As Paul tells Titus:
(Tit 3:8 KJV) This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
But what if a Christian does not continue in righteousness but follows after evil works. Does he maintain his salvation? This I don't wan't to answer. But one thing I will affirm. To walk in righteousness is a conscious and willful effort. It is a decision. And God gives us the strength to follow through. Going the other direction is highly inadvisable.
Righteousness is an all too familiar term in Born Again Christian circles but one which is not given due attention. And I think it is because in Salvation, it doesn't matter. But I have discovered something really powerful!
It started when I read Smith Wigglesworth's article on Righteousness where he said,
"I see that God has a realm of divine life opening up to us where there are boundless possibilities, where there is limitless power, where there are untold resources, where we have victory over all the power of the devil. I believe that as we are filled with the desire to press on into this life of true holiness, desiring only the glory of God, there is nothing that can hinder our true advancement."
I wonder whether Mr. Wigglesworth attained to that. But his ministry saw so much of the miraculous kind, and he was well known for that -- a miracle working man of God. I think it is awesome to be in that realm of divine life. I believe that we can all attain to that. This should be our goal. For what will you need a miracle after when the Lord Jesus is come?
So where now is righteousness? That's the second sentence in the quotation from Smith Wigglesworth. He said,
"...as we are filled with the desire to press on into this life of true holiness..."
I believe that's the key. A desire for a life of true holiness! Well holiness is not exactly righteousness but the two terms are basically synonyms. Passages from Scripture suddenly pops up like:
(Heb 1:9 KJV) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
In this passage, righteousness was a condition for the anointing. Going to a passage in Proverbs it says:
(Proverbs 2:6-9 KJV) For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. [7] He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. [8] He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. [9] Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path.
Here I find a sequential flow in the Scriptures. Verse 6 talks plainly that God gives wisdom and understanding. Verse 7 says that God lays up wisdom for the righteous, He is a buckler to the upright. Verse 8, He preserves His saints. And then after talking about being upright and righteous, it says in verse 9:
"Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path!"
By walking in righteousness, eventually comes wisdom and understanding! When I start thinking about the knowledge of God, I start thinking how awesome that knowledge could be. How high! How majestic! Like how it is described in Proverbs 1:
(Pro 1:6 KJV) To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
I can just imagine what understanding that is. The words of the WISE and their DARK sayings? But the beginning of all these, Proverbs 1:7 says,
(Pro 1:7 KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge...
It's amazing! The fear of the Lord eventually points to works of righteousness. I believe that if we just keep things straight, we will see the glory of God! And it just makes sense because how can we expect the mighty move of God in our lives when we easily stumble over the smallest and simplest of temptations?
It is all over the Bible, it is the righteous that finds favor with God. I believe that we are saved by the grace of God and not by our own good works. But then I get to thinking. If a person will just honestly pursue good works and desire only what is good and walk to the best that he can to be righteous, will God have mercy on that soul and save him? And if God indeed saves that person, will it not still be by His grace that that person is saved?
One thing is sure. A Christian must walk in righteous as he is required to. As Paul tells Titus:
(Tit 3:8 KJV) This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
But what if a Christian does not continue in righteousness but follows after evil works. Does he maintain his salvation? This I don't wan't to answer. But one thing I will affirm. To walk in righteousness is a conscious and willful effort. It is a decision. And God gives us the strength to follow through. Going the other direction is highly inadvisable.
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