God’s righteousness reflects God’s nature whilst the world’s righteousness reflects worldliness. God’s righteousness gives eternal life whilst the world’s righteousness leads to eternal death. God’s righteousness is spiritual whilst the righteousness of the world is carnal. God’s righteousness gives inexplicable peace and contentment to the soul whilst the righteousness of the world gives cravings and restlessness to the soul. God’s righteousness gives joy but the world’s righteousness gives sorrow.
The bible says in 1 Peter 1: 14, Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Peter says the righteousness of God is by obedience to God evidenced by separating from our old sinful ways. Paul also said in Romans 12: 2, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – – Jesus, what is good and acceptable and perfect. So the Holy Spirit is consistent with how to seek righteousness in Jesus. Are we obedient to God by separating from the world through the blood?
Our roots of unrighteousness
Unrighteousness comes from many roots though all converge in Satan. They are done consciously or not; by acts of commission or omission. However it may be coloured or camouflaged, unrighteousness until it is placated by the blood of Christ Jesus by grace by confession cannot bring us in good standing with God. Generally, unrighteousness is sin whilst sin makes us unrighteous before God.
Sin is the root of unrighteousness. All mortals who are descendants of Adam and Eve are unrighteous because the sins of Adam and Eve extend to us as inheritance. David said in Psalms 51: 5, indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. Repeated severally in the bible, God said in Exodus 20: 5, I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me. Paul said in Romans 5: 12, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned.
We also commit individual or personal sins. David said in Psalms 106: 6, both we and our ancestors have sinned. In Exodus 10: 16 Pharaoh hurriedly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Judas said in Matthew 27: 4, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” An association with or participation in a sin committed by a group also makes us slaves to unrighteousness. The bible says in John 8: 34 anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. James 4: 17 says anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.
Unrighteousness is also sometimes committed through ignorance. It is written in Romans 10: 3, for being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. The Israelites wrongly accused the Lord and Moses out of ignorance and were pursued by serpents, they said in Numbers 21: 7, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” Unrighteousness has consequences for Hosea 4: 6 says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Why is righteousness necessary?
The central theme of the bible is righteousness through obedience to God. John the Baptist preached on repentance unto righteousness, Matthew 3: 2, 8, 11. Jesus preached about repentance unto righteousness, Matthew 4: 17; 5: 20; Mark 1: 15; Luke 3: 8; 5: 32. The disciples preached about righteousness, Acts 17: 31. Paul preached about righteousness, Romans 6: 18-19; 8: 10; 10: 4; 2 Corinthians 5: 21 etc. The second coming of Jesus and his judgment of the world will be based on righteousness. It is written in Revelation 20: 13, we shall be judged according to what we have done.
Adam and Eve lost their places with God because of disobedience, Genesis 3: 16-19. God destroyed the earth with flood because of unrighteousness, Genesis 6: 17; 7: 21-23. Kings and nations fell for lack of righteousness, Goliath and the Philistines, 1 Samuel 17: 42-54; and Pharaoh and his army, Exodus 14: 24-28. Israel went into captivity for lack of righteousness in disobedience, Deuteronomy 28: 41; 2 Kings 24: 15. Judas Iscariot perished for an unrighteous conduct when he failed to heed to Jesus’ warning, Matthew 7: 4-5. There are countless biblical examples.
What are the wages of righteousness?
The bible says in 1 Samuel 26: 23 the LORD rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness. Job 36: 7 says He (God) does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous. David said in Psalms 1: 5, the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. He said in Psalms 5: 12, for you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favour as a shield. The Lord loves righteousness and justice, Psalms 33: 5. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry, Psalms 34: 15, 17, 19.
God upholds the righteous, Psalms 37: 25, 28. God provides the righteous with refuge, Psalms 37: 39. The righteous will laugh at the evildoer, Psalms 52: 6. He will never be moved, Psalms 55: 22. He will flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar of Lebanon, Psalms 92: 12. He receives God’s light, Psalms 97: 11. The wages of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin, Proverbs 10: 16. The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, Matthew 13: 43.
God blessed Abraham for righteousness in obedience, Genesis 12: 3. God saved Noah for righteousness, Genesis 6: 8-9. Israel was always restored to God’s peace and security for righteousness whenever they repented of their sins and by Solomon’s prayer, 2 Chronicles 6: 24-25. Righteousness restores our relationship with God. It allows God to answer our prayers and meet our needs. It shows God’s nature in us. The bible says in Ecclesiastes 7: 20 surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning. It qualifies us for heaven by grace. It is a confirmation of faithfulness to God.
However, unrighteousness makes us to be enemies of God. If we seek God’s righteousness in obedience, we will have the eternal peace of Christ Jesus in us by grace. Jesus is calling us unto repentance.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, we confess that there is no righteousness without you. By our very nature we need to be cleansed by the power of your blood in the fire of the Holy Spirit by grace through faith. We humbly invite you to redeem us with your blood. Lead us from the darkness of sin into your light of salvation. Clothe us in your righteousness which can make us obedient to your will so we may enjoy the fruits of holiness which you have prepared for your children in eternity. Continue to hide our lives in you in God the Father Almighty so we may be worthy ambassadors of the cross. Hear us O Lord, we pray, Amen!!
