RIGHTEOUSNESS.......Wonderful Gift that makes the difference in Believers!



RIGHTEOUSNESS

Righteousness is a free gift given to us by Jesus at the cross of Calvary. It is a gift that makes alot of difference in the life of a believer.  It gives us boldness to come into the presence of the Almighty with boldness in times of need.

The bible rightly said in Romans 3:10 - There is none righteous, No not one.  However, our righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ and it is unto all that believe. Without Christ, no man can be righteous because man's righteousness in the eyes of God is nothing but filthy rags - Isaiah 64:6. But we have been given the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ to reign in life.


When a man accepts Jesus as Lord of his life, he becomes a new person in Christ.  He is practically translated into the Kingdom of God with rights, benefits and priviledges, one of which is the gift of righteousness.  When you are righteous, your conducts will be just - Holy, when you are righteousness-minded, you will shun sin.


Our righteousness is of the Lord. Declare it to yourself, it is one of the assurances of your salvation.   Become righteousness conscious and know you are made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and placed in right standing  with God through Jesus sacrifice at the cross.  This is why 1 Cor 15:34 says "Awake to righteousness and sin not.

God's Righteous Standards:
There are many instances in the bible where God took time to mention some specific acts expected of the righteous man.  We are going to look at some of them. We will also look into God's righteousness and then examine ourselves to see how far we are operating the gift of righteousness. 

In Mathew 25:31-46, Jesus described the acts of righteous servants, whom He shall commend for helping their neighbours in diverse challenges of life.  So, there is no arguement about good works of mercy and kindness being part of righteous behaviour the Lord expect from us.

In Mathew 5:20 - Jesus preaching says to the people "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven"

This statement comes alive when we know that the Scribes and the Pharisees fast days a week and pay their tithes and probably and yet their righteousness is not enough.  Jesus while rebuking them later said they were fasting and paying tithes and offering, while neglecting the deeper things of the Word like faith and love - showing mercy. So person does all the good works, in addition to fasting, praying, paying Tithe.  He does no injustice, believes in God's words, he is fair to everyone, speaks the truth etc.  The following are additional references.


In Genesis 5:6 Abram believed in (trusted in, relied on) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).


In Leviticus 19:15 -  God told His people to do justice in judgement between one a other, as doing so is an act of righteousness - "You shall do no injustice in judging a case; you shall not be partial to the poor or show a preference for the mighty, but in righteousness and according to the merits of the case judge your neighbor" 


In Deut 6:25 - Conformity to God's word is an act of righteousness - " And it will be accounted as righteousness (conformity to God's will in word, thought, and action) for us if we are watchful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us". 

The just acts expected of a righteous believer goes beyond good works, it includes fairness in treating people. In Ezekiel 18:5-9, God says:  

"But if a man is just. And does what is lawful and right;  If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbour's wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity.

If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with clothing.

If he has not exacted usury, Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hands from iniquity and executed true judgement between man and man;   If he has walked in My statutes, and kept My judgements faithfully — He is just; He shall surely live!"  Says the Lord God". 

From the word of God, righteous is a gift to believers who believe in Christ.  Such a believer should produce Just acts and conducts. A just man is a good man that fear the Lord and love his neighbours, who helps and supports people in need  and does works of charity in love, with a pure heart. He or she receive and entertain strangers, visits sick people in the hospital or those in Prison.

A Just man is a righteous man. The Lord God will gives such a man, who is good in His sight - Wisdom, and Knowledge and Joy - grace to live and reign in life.  So, let it be established that a Just and righteousness man is one that walks in God's Statute, keeping His judgement , never an oppressor, robber or one that covers his sins.

The reward for righteous living is enormous, not only for the person, but it extends to his children.  The bible says the righteous is in everlasting remembrance - Are we remembering Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Paul, Peter today?  Will generations coming remember them also - YES!  What about Kenneth Hagin, T.L Osborn, Watchman Nee, Smith Wigglesworth etc-Yes.

Righteousness is so vital to the christian walk that Jesus promised that those who thirst and hunger for righteousness shall be satisfied.  Those who are persecuted for their righteousness conducts in their places of work, homes and business places, Jesus says theirs is the kingdom of heaven - great reward.


CHARACTER/BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUS


Generous - It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. [Ps 37:26; Luke 6:35; Col 4:5.] 


Trusting in God - He will not be moved forever; the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) shall be in everlasting remembrance. [Prov 10:7.] 


Fearless - He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord. 


Conqueror - His heart is established and steady, he will not be afraid while he waits to see his desire established upon his adversaries. 


Liberal Minded -  He has distributed freely [he has given to the poor and needy]; his righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) endures forever; his horn shall be exalted in honor.


Generational Blessings -His offspring shall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed. 


Prosperous - Prosperity and welfare are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 


Compassionate - Light arises in the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate, and just [who are in right standing with God].  -  Ps 112:2-9


Righteousness is not a tittle, just like salvation.  The righteous man must continue in his righteousness till the end to inherit eternal life because there are consequences for the righteous, who departs and begins to do evil.  The Lord has a word of warning - He is no respecter of persons.  If a righteous man turns from his righteous way and do evil, such a man will surely die.  In Ezekiel 18: 24, He says:

"But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die. 

Facts About God's Righteousness:
  1. He will reward every man according to his righteousness - Psalms 18:20, Job 33:26
  2. He will judge the world in righteousness - Acts 17:31, Psalms 9:8, 96:13
  3. He loves righteousness  - Psalms 11:3
  4. He leads in the paths of righteousness  - Psalms 23:3
  5. Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His throne - Psalms 97:2
  6. He executes righteousness and judgement in the earth - Psalms 96:4
  7. His righteousness is eternal and He will bring everlasting righteousness Dan 9:24
  8. His commandments and testimonies are righteous -  Psalms 33:16, 119:172
God is a righteousness God and it is not His desire that any should die, this is why He says in Ezekiel 18:21-23:

"But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord God, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live? 

Beloved, you can comfortably operate in the gift of righteousness which Christ gave us by simply obeying the word of God and do what the word says you should do. Believe the word and stand on the word you believe for whatever it says.

But, how do we become righteousness conscious? Through the renewal of our minds by the word of God.  Romans 8:5 talks about minding the things of the Spirit and not that of the flesh. When we continually attend to the word of God, our thinking changes from weakness to strength, prosperity instead of poverty, success instead of failure.

A righteousness mindset developed through feeding on the word will make us strong in the faith and be able to overcome many of life's challenges because we will be operating according to the word of God and in favour with Him.





FIRE...


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