A Life of Righteousness

Chuckle: Dad to his son: "Don't be selfish. Let your brother use the sled half the time." Son: "I do, Dad. I use it going down the hill and he gets to use it coming up!"

Quote: “Will we listen to 'Satan, the author of all lies ... ? Or are we going to believe a loving Heavenly Father, who is the source of all truth and righteousness?” --Richard C. Edgley

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:12-13 NIV)

Righteousness is a word often used by Christian people, and for good reason. It is often found in Scripture to describe a condition of a Christian's heart as demonstrated by a godly life. But there is much we should learn about righteousness as it relates to our eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and our lifestyles.

We cannot become righteous in our own strength by living a good moral life -- by good deeds. Becoming righteous requires the supernatural power of almighty God working within us to totally transform our sinful hearts. Righteousness begins on the inside and works its way out -- not by our actions on the outside to work its way inside. And we must realize that any righteousness we have is not of our doing, but rather God's righteousness in us. Martin Luther said this about the quest for righteousness by works:

"He who would gain righteousness by faith and works is as the dog who runs along a stream with a piece of meat in his mouth, and, deceived by the reflection of the meat in the water, opens his mouth to snap at it, and so loses both the meat and the reflection."

Righteousness occurs when we allow God to conform us to the character and will of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we see in our Scripture, God both requires and blesses righteous people. Jesus came to make us righteous by dying to pay the penalty for our sins and rising on the third day victorious over sin, death, and the grave. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). Again, the only way we can become righteous is through faith in Christ and then we progress in righteousness by cooperating with the indwelling Spirit's work within us.

Let's pray together that God will give each of us a renewed passion for His righteousness in our daily lives to bring glory to Him and to receive His approval and blessings. "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last . . . The righteous will live by faith" (Romans 1:17 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse