RIGHTEOUSNESS IS…

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works also in you who believe” (I Thess. 2:13). God’s word is cause for thanksgiving. It should be received with joy. That God would be mindful of man to reveal Heaven’s will to him that he might be saved is reason for rejoicing. That word effectually works in those who believe it.

We have studied in this series of lessons that God is. God is eternal and above all. We have studied that Jesus Is… He is God’s Son, our Savior and Lord, the Lamb that was offered and our example. We have studied the Bible Is… The inspired word of God given to direct us to heaven. We have studied the Church Is… The eternal kingdom, the church, the body of the saved that will one day be delivered up to the Father. In our final lesson in this series we will study Righteousness Is.. Righteousness is to permeate our hearts and lives. This study brings us to the “here and now.”

John stated in I John 2:28,29: “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” Again in I Jo. 3:7,10: “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous…. 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.” [NKJV has practices for doeth]. If we truly love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). . . If we long to be pleasing to God, our Father, we will live righteous lives. Righteous lives glorify God, bless others and make our lives better daily. Since we must be righteous to be “of God” (i.e. to be pleasing and acceptable to Him). We need to understand what it means to be righteous.

I) What is Righteousness?

A) Webster’s New World Dictionary defines “righteous” as “acting in a just, upright manner, doing what is right; virtuous; morally right or justifiable.

1) Jesus used the word (righteousness) to mean whatever is right and just AND as whatever is appointed by God to be obeyed by human beings (the requirements of God).

2) Joseph Thayer describes the word used in the N.T. as “one who is such as he ought to be.”

3) Broken down into the simplest definition righteousness is doing what is right! And doing what God requires of us!

4) To be righteous in God’s sight should be our greatest aspiration for that is when each one “is such as he ought to be.”

B) Contrast

1) Things are sometimes best defined by contrasting them with their opposites.

(a) We better understand what “clean” means when we look at something that is “dirty.”

(b) We easily understand “light” when contrasted with “darkness.”

2) Noah and the flood provide a vivid illustration for us.

(a) In the midst of all the wickedness and evil in the world, God also saw the righteousness of Noah.

(b) The earth was filled with corruption and violence (Gen. 6:11), but Noah, “a just man” who “walked with God”, found grace in the Lord’s eyes (Gen. 6:8,9).

(d) The same is true in our lives today.

(e) If all others around you are involved in wickedness, if everybody else is doing the wrong thing, and you are doing the right thing, you will stand out!

(f) Doing right will show Christ to the world and glorify God.

3) Right and wrong are not some flexible, f luid concepts continually reshaped and redefined.

4) Right is right (in all circumstances) and wrong is wrong (one every day of the week).

5) Young people (and others as well) need to realize that this applies to Friday and Saturday nights, at ballgames, at school, at work, out on dates, etc

II) One Must Be a Christian to be Righteous.

A) It may seem unnecessary to say, but, before you can be righteous, you must be a Christian.

1) I Cor. 6:9—states that the unrighteous cannot be saved.

2) Before you can be “justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1) and live a new life, a righteous life, you must be a Christian.

3) Romans 6:4

4) From the heart obedience is required to be freed from sin. (Rom. 6:17,18).

5) If you are not a Christian, you cannot be righteous. You cannot be justified.

B) Righteousness is revealed in God’s word.

1) Psalm 119:172.. all thy commandments are righteousness.

2) Romans 1:16-18

(a) God’s righteousness, which is by faith, is revealed in the gospel, as is His wrath against unrighteousness and ungodliness.

3) Romans 10:1-4—distinction between God’s righteousness and man’s “own righteousness.”

4) Many of the Jews were refusing to submit themselves “unto the righteousness of God” and were seeking to establish their own righteousness by the Law of Moses.

C) Being righteous.

1) Being righteous means living right every day.

2) It does not mean living right only around other Christians.

3) It is much easier to live right, to be righteous, when you are with others who are living right

4) When you have friends who believe the same way that you do, when they are trying to live righteous lives the same as you are, you give each other strength and courage to do right.

5) It is easy to live right while you are at church services, or while you are at a Christian camp, or a lectureship, etc…

6) The problem comes when we have to go out into the world.

(a) I Cor. 15:33

(1st) The H/S through Paul is warning us that who we hang out with really does make a difference.

(2nd) “Don’t be deceived”—don’t try to fool yourself.

(3rd) Your friends will make a difference..

(4th) If you are hanging out with people who do not care if they do right or not; perhaps even people who like to do the wrong things, it will be very difficult for you to be a righteous person.

(5th) I know young people get tired of hearing parents and adults talking to them about their friends, but it is still true that having Christian friends and hanging out with people with good morals is the best way to stay strong enough to do right yourself.

(6th) Unfortunately, it is also easier to do wrong when your friends are doing wrong.

(7th) You need to choose friends and associate with people who will make us stronger Christians, people who will make you a better person when you are with them.

(b) I Cor. 6:19-20.. You belong to God. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You need to take care of it and respect it.

D) Some characteristics of righteousness.

1) Righteousness should be something that is desired because of its practicality.

2) Righteousness is exalting (Prov. 14:34). [nations and individuals.]

3) Righteousness is satisfying (Matt. 5:6) [be filled]

4) Righteousness is worth any price it costs. (I Pet. 3:14-17; Matt. 5:10-12)

5) Righteousness is fruitful (Phil. 1:11). (James 3:18—fruit of righteousness).

6) Righteousness is a step beyond (Matt. 5:20)

7) Righteousness is acceptable to God (Acts 10:34,35)

8) Righteousness is life-giving (Prov. 12:28).

Con: A troubled and tormented Job declared, “My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go” (Job 27:6). We should all have the same mindset. If we will stop and think about it, being righteous—living right—is every single day, in every single thing we do! We will reap what we sow (Gal. 6:9). Are you living a righteous life. You must be a Christian!

[Based on Material written for Jackson/Smith County Youth Camp by Edward Anderson]