Righteousness 

This page is a resource that we use for Christian bible study. We have developed some of the information on this page and we have borrowed information from other studies which are freely available. Our intent is to provide a study resource that we can access when traveling. We do not disagree with anyone's personal interpretation of scripture and our thoughts are not offered as an argument for the perspective from our understanding of this revelation. Please feel free to read or use the study material if it is of help. Thank you

We sometimes find, as a good place to start this study, James 3; 18 - Righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace ... the passage does not clarify the spiritual definition of righteousness, rather it frames one of the applications righteousness has in our daily life ... and ... provides criteria to differentiate true spiritual righteousness from some things that may have form without spiritual substance ... note that peace is "made" not sought ... an interesting study in its own right ...

We often find Righteousness and Justice linked with reference to the Kingdom of Heaven / God ... this study is a set of scripture which we use when studying Righteousness. Justice is a separate study in and of itself, though a few references include:

Jer 33; 15 - 16 ... In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: The Lord is our righteousness.  

Rom 5; 1 ... We are justified by faith ... we have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ezek 18; 20 ... The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteousness shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Rom 10; 10 ... For man believes with his heart and so is justified and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

Righteousness, as a word, can pop-up in many varied context with many definitions. We find it's use in scripture is clearly linked to our faith, or if you prefer, righteousness becomes available to us through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Rom 3; 21 - 26 ... The righteousness of God has been manifest apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it ... the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is for all who believe ... there is no distinction since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ... we are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption of Jesus Christ whom God put forward as expiation (= act of making atonement) by his blood to be received by faith. This is to show God's righteousness because in his forbearance he has passed over our former sin ... and justifies him who has faith in Jesus.

Rom 9; 30 - 32 ... The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith ... but Israel who pursued righteousness based on the law did not succeed in fulfilling the law ... why ... because they did not pursue it through faith but as if it were based on works. (note: keep in mind the definition Paul provides for faith in Rom 10; 17 ... faith comes from what is heard and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ (e.g. Word of God) ... and also ... Heb. 11: 1 ... faith is the assurance (from the Greek: substance) of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen ).

Rom 4; 13 ... The promise to Abraham did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

Rom 2; 12 - 13 ... All who have sinned with the law will perish without the the law and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God but the doers of the law who will be justified (note: this is good point to remember Jesus' summary of the law and prophets in Matthew 22; 37 - 40 ... you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind ... and ... you shall love your neighbor as yourself ... and ... to carry the thread one step further note Jesus' commandment in John 15; 12 ... you should love one another as I have loved you).

Habak 2; 4 ... the righteousness shall live by his faith.

Righteousness is important because it is an attribute which defines the people of God:

Matt 3; 15 ... note the word of Jesus to John the Baptist: it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.

James 5; 16 ... the prayer of a righteousness man avails (Greek is ischuo = to exercise power) much

Isaiah 32; 1 - 3 ... a king will reign in righteousness and princes will rule in justice ... each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land ... then the eyes of those who see will not be closed and the ears of those who hear will harken.

Isaiah 33; 5 - 6 ... the Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness and he will be the stability of your times ... abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

note: the thread of revelation which we often pursue concerns the linkage of righteousness first to faith, then to the people of God with an intent to study righteousness within the context of the Christian church ... with this in mind we often reference two scriptures which help us conceptualize this bridge:

Luke 17; 20 - 21 ... the Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

John 10; 7 - 9 ... Jesus' says: I am the door of the sheep, if any one enters by me he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

Scripture considering righteousness within the context of the Christian church:

Isaiah 32; 15 - 18 ... the Spirit is poured upon us from on high and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice dwells in the wilderness and righteousness will abide in the fruitful field ... and ... the effect of justice will be peace and the effect of righteousness will be quietness and trust forever ... My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.

Isaiah 33; 14 - 16 ... Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? ... Who among us can swell with the everlasting burnings? ... He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil ... he will dwell on the heights, his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks ... his bread will be given him and his water will be sure.

Isaiah 30; 15 ... thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, in returning and rest you shall be saved (free) ... in quietness and trust shall be your strength.

Isaiah 40; 29 - 31 ... He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might he increases strength ... they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength and they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 42; 6 - 9; .. I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you ... I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open eyes that are blind ... I am the Lord, that is my name, my glory I give to no other nor my praise to graven images ... the former things have come to pass and new things I now declare.

Isaiah 60; 1 - 3 ... Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you ... darkness will cover the earth and thick-darkness its people ... but ... the Lord will arise upon you and his glory will be seen upon you and nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 60; 17 - 22 ... I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness ... you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise ... the sun shall be no more your light by day nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night ... the Lord will be your everlasting light and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down nor your moon withdraw itself ... for the Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of mourning shall be ended ... your people shall be righteous and they shall possess the land forever ... the shoot of my planting, the work of my hands ... that I might be glorified ... I am the Lord, in its time I will hasten it.

Jer 32; 37 - 39 ... I will bring them back to this place and I will make them dwell in safety ... and ... they shall be my people and I will be their God ... I will give them one heart and one way ... that ... they may fear me forever, for their own good and their children (note: fear of the Lord is another thread in our study of scripture)

Jer 31; 31 - 34 ... I will make a new covenant ... I will put my law within them and write it upon their hearts ... and ... I will be their God and they shall be my people ... and no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying: 'Know the Lord', for they shall know me ... from the least of them to the greatest, I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more.

Heb 10; 14 - 25 ... picking up at verse 19: since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus ... let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, let us:

• hold fast the confession, for he who promised is faithful
• consider how to stir up one another to love and good works
• not neglecting to meet together
• encouraging one another

Ep 5; 9 ... Fruits of the Spirit: goodness, righteousness and truth

Rom 14; 17 ... the Kingdom of God is not food or drink ... but ... righteousness, peace and joy

 

New Covenant is the return of righteousness

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