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john
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Posted: Mon Apr 20th, 2009 05:53 pm |
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I just posted an interesting question to my blog...
http://www.purecommunity.org/2009/04/20/the-definition-of-righteousness/
How would you define righteousness if you were asked?
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Paulos
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Posted: Wed Apr 22nd, 2009 06:50 pm |
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John,
Righteousness is the quality of right dealing in any relationship. Its motive and essential spirit is love for the other. Its content is made concrete in the Ten Commandments. Righteousness was modeled supremely by Jesus, and is actuated in believers progressively through the indwelling presence of the Spirit of the risen Lord.
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peege3
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Posted: Tue Oct 13th, 2009 04:05 pm |
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Paulos wrote:
Righteousness is the quality of right dealing in any relationship. Its motive and essential spirit is love for the other. Its content is made concrete in the Ten Commandments. Righteousness was modeled supremely by Jesus, and is actuated in believers progressively through the indwelling presence of the Spirit of the risen Lord.
The OP is correct, if you take a look at the blog post. I guess, Paulos, the quibble I have with your definition is that I'm not sure if you're talking about conversion or sanctification. When Christ died on the cross, God justified mankind and through faith that justification is mine personally. Therefore, righteousness in this sense is a declaratory act. Thus Paul in Acts 13: 38,39 "38"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses."
This declaratory act, whereby the righteousness of God is appropriated to us through faith, results in the believer living a righteous life. This is the empowering nature of the gospel and is what you stated when you said that it comes from the Holy Spirit. Thus Paul in Galatians 3:21-22, "21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."
So we always have to say two things about righteousness to avoid two pitfalls: righteousness is given to us through believing in Christ (faith), we live a righteous life empowered by that righteousness credited to us through Christ. If we say one and leave out the other, we create serious problems for ourselves. On the one hand, if righteousness is just credited but never lived, then we will take our salvation for granted and give in to the sinful urges of our flesh. If righteousness is always lived out (but never credited) then we will live in guilt because we can never keep God's laws perfectly.
In other words, we must recognize that, on the one hand, we are justified--completely forgiven. But on the other hand, our life of righteousness on this earth will always be imperfect because of sin. The only cure is to flee to the Means of Grace, to the gospel. It is only the words of the gospel that will free us from our sins, point us back to our Savior so we can repent of our sins and turn away from them empowered by happy and free hearts. This is how we are more than conquerors, as Paul says in Romans.
--Peege3
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