Understanding
Righteousness
“Wisdom
is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get
understanding” Proverbs 4:7
“God
hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him (Christ Jesus).”
2nd Corinthians 5:21
Definitions: Merriam Webster’s Desk Dictionary
Understanding: Knowledge and ability to judge
Righteousness: Acting or being in accordance with what is
just, honorable, and free from guilt or wrong, upright, moral, ethical
Years
ago God led me to do a study on righteousness.
He said to me that He was a righteous God and loved righteousness. I
gathered many scriptures in His word on righteousness and stored them in my
heart and in my computer. Recently God
has been speaking to me again about righteousness. I went to my computer and found those
precious scriptures (two pages of them) and began to confess them
regularly. God always has a plan when He
reminds you of His word that He has planted in your heart. I share some of His thoughts spoken to my heart
for me and the body of Christ regarding righteousness.
#1
The
scriptures plainly tell us that we are the righteousness of God when we accept
and are found in Jesus Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21). When receiving Jesus, we instantly become the
righteousness of God simply because of our faith and acceptance of Jesus
Christ. From that point on, the natural
progression is to allow the Holy Spirit (The third Person in the Trinity of
Jesus and God) to daily impart right
thinking, right choosing, and right doing to us. This is called transformation and renewing of
the mind. It is necessary to manifest
God’s will in our lives on a daily basis.
#2
We
must understand why God chose to make us righteous through Christ. We were
imputed or given righteousness by God so that the righteousness of Christ Jesus
in us would produce righteous fruit. If
God had not invested righteousness in us through Jesus Christ, and we had to of
our own free will choose righteousness, failure would be inevitable for us. He made provision for us to grow the
righteousness seed He sowed in us through Jesus by declaring us righteous. The seed of righteousness is in us planted by
God to produce righteous fruit (Example: The seed of an orange tree in the
process of time produces oranges).
#3
Let
me use a parallel example to further clarify the understanding of
righteousness. I will compare
righteousness imputed by Jesus Christ to a three million dollar
inheritance. A desperately poor person
suddenly comes into a three million dollar inheritance (Righteousness of God
through Christ). The person is now
instantly a millionaire. However his
mentality now has to change (transformation, renewing of the mind). He no longer has to be homeless. He can change that. He no longer has to stand
in the soup line. That can change. If he worked, he may consider leaving the low
paying job. He may consider moving to
another town, visiting his family, and any of the long lists of possibilities that
have now expanded. All these decisions,
all these choices have to be decided as time goes on. This new millionaire (compared to the new
creature in Christ, 2nd Corinthians 5:17) must allow the millionaire
status to impact every aspect of his life. Being made a millionaire instantly
positions you to live as a millionaire. However,
living like a millionaire takes time. You
may also continue to live a life of poverty if you do not use the inheritance
to make right spending choices.
#4
So
it is with your being instantly made the righteousness of God through Christ (2nd
Corinthians 5:21). Being made the
righteousness of God when you accept Jesus Christ empowers you to live
righteous. However, living righteous takes time, knowledge of God’s word, and
obedience to it. Righteousness has to
permeate every aspect of your life as time goes by. When you understand that you are the
righteousness of God in Christ Jesus it changes everything. You begin to live your life from a place of
victory. You no longer see yourself as a
sinner, but a new creation keeping sin out of your life. You no longer see
yourself as poor, but rich keeping poverty out of your life. You no longer see yourself as sick, but well
keeping sickness out of your life. You
have been declared righteous by God so that you may live a righteous life.
#5
The
fruit of the newly imputed (inherited) righteousness frees you from the curse
(sin, sickness, poverty, spiritual death, Galatians 3:13). As you grow in the knowledge and application
of the word of God in your life you will grow in the daily imparted
righteousness. Your daily righteous
choices equip you for combating the world, the flesh, and the Devil. You are a
new creation in Christ Jesus (2nd Corinthians 5:17). After His death on the cross, Jesus lives
inside of everyone who has accepted Him as Savior and Lord. He instantly
declares them the righteousness of God.
As God’s word is applied to and activated in the Believer daily, righteousness
abounds in his life.
The
Believer has promises in God’s word that are a by-product of them being made
righteous and continuing to manifest righteousness in their lives. I have listed the scriptures that I gathered
years ago to encourage you in your walk with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are God’s righteousness because of Jesus
Christ. Live and enjoy all God’s benefits
of being His righteousness right here on earth.
The
Uncompromisingly Righteous
Living Joy
Ministries Inc., http://hepzibah40.blogspot..com
Compiled by Marsha
Deveaux Johnson in 2008
They will never famish (suffer severely from
hunger).
(Proverbs 10:3)
Blessings are upon their head. (Proverbs 10:6)
Their memory is a blessing to others. (Proverbs
10:7, Psalms 112:6)
Their mouth is a well of life. (10:11)
Their earnings lead to life. (Proverbs 10:16)
Their lips (mouth) feed many. (Proverbs 10:21)
Their desire shall be granted. (Proverbs 10:26)
Their hope is joy and gladness. (Proverbs 10:28,
Psalms 118:15)
Their mouths bring skillful and godly wisdom.
(Proverbs 10: 31, Psalms 37:30, Proverbs 15:28)
They know and speak that which is acceptable.
(Proverbs 10:32, Psalms 37:30)
Their integrity guides them. (Proverbs 11:2)
They are delivered from death. (Proverbs 11:4)
They are delivered from trouble. (Proverbs 11:8)
A city is exalted by them. (Proverbs 11:11)
They shall flourish like a green tree. (Proverbs
11:28)
They shall receive an earthly reward. Proverbs
11:31,
Psalms 92:12)
They obtain God’s favor. (Proverbs 12:2, Psalms
5:12)
Their thoughts and purposes are honest and
reliable.
(Proverbs 12:5)
Their house shall stand. (Proverbs 12:7)
They bear the fruit of their words. (Proverbs
12:14)
They listen to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15)
No evil shall come upon them. (Proverbs 12:21)
They are a guide (example) to their neighbor.
(Proverbs 12:26)
They hate lying and deceit. (Proverbs 13:5,
Proverbs 29:27)
Their light comes from within. (Proverbs 13:9)
They are rewarded with good things. (Proverbs
13: 21)
They leave an inheritance to their children and
grandchildren. (Proverbs 13:22, Proverbs 20:7)
The wealth of the sinner finds its way into
their hands.
(Proverbs 13:22)
God watches over their ways. (Psalms 1:6)
God is present with them. (Psalms 14:5)
They are commanded to be joyous and sing.
(Psalms 32:11,
Psalms 33:1, Psalms 64:10, Psalms 68:3-4)
They cry and God hears and delivers them.
(Psalms 34:17,
Psalms
37:39-40)
They are delivered from all their troubles.
(Psalms 34:19,
Proverbs 15:29)
The Lord upholds the righteous. (Psalms 34:17,
Psalms 55:22)
They give generously. (Psalms 37:21, Psalms
112:5,
Proverbs 21:26)
They will never be forsaken and their seed will
not beg for bread. (Psalms 37:25)
They will inherit the land. (Psalms 37:29)
Men will speak of God’s faithfulness to them.
(Psalms 58:11)
Their names are in the book of life. (Psalms
69:28)
Light is sown for them. (Psalms 97:11, Psalms
112:4,
Proverbs
4:18)
Their rebuke is a blessing. (Psalms 141:5)
The Lord loves the righteous. (Psalms 146:8,
Isaiah 3:10)
The Lord blesses their home. (Proverbs 3:33,
Psalms 118:15, Proverbs 15:6)
Their refuge in death is Jesus Christ. (Proverbs
14:32)
They may fall seven times, but will always rise.
(Proverbs 24:16)
They are bold as a lion. (Proverbs 28:1)
They care about justice for the poor. (Proverbs
29:7)
They will see the downfall of the wicked. (Proverbs 29:16)
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