A New Look At Righteousness

Romans 10:33 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. (New International Version)

The verse above, in context, is referring to the Jews attempting to gain righteousness through the law. However, recently the Lord made it clear to me that many non-Jews --even Christians--are going about making up their own rules about what makes them righteous; being completely ignorant of what the New Testament states the real righteousness of God is all about.

It must be understood that the standard for righteousness is not arbitrary. It is not subject to some variable standard established by man. Real righteousness is defined and determined by God, especially since He is the originator and source of it. He sets the standard of what it is and how it is lived out in the flesh.

In simple terms, righteousness is defined as being in right-standing with God. It is being in a state or condition that puts you in a relationship with God that allows Him to deal with you as if sin had never existed in your life. It is, in fact, the place or standing that Jesus had with His Father when He lived and ministered here in the earth.

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (New International Version) This verse reveals what becomes true of any person who receives Jesus as their Lord; they become the very righteousness of God through union with Christ Jesus. This is not just a theological, theoretical position, but a living reality. You are legally in a place of right-standing with God that is of the same quality and standard as what Jesus Himself possesses.

This legal fact is to be lived out in a vital way here in our earthly walk. The believer in Christ is now in a place where that legal possession of right relationship with God is to be seen in the way they behave and conduct their lives here in the earth. This is not done by keeping a rule book or following a bunch of do's and don'ts. It is demonstrated in a life of faith and power that is directed by the Holy Spirit from within.

Jesus is our example. In His earthly walk He demonstrated what right relationship with the Father was to produce in the life of man. He lived in total submission and agreement to the Father's will, not doing anything of self-will or initiative. He only did what the Father told Him to do, and only spoke what the Father told Him to say.

He and the Father were one. (John 10:30) They were one so completely that Jesus told His disciples in John 14:9, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father." This union between the man, Jesus, and the Father God is exactly the same as the union between a born again man and the Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (New International Version)

Right-standing is to be lived out in right-relationship. That relationship is lived out according to the standard that God Himself has determined, because it is His righteousness He has invested into us. This is not to be seen as a negative by anyone, but a great advantage because it is the key to the life of dominion and authority we see Jesus exhibiting in His earthly walk.

This right-relationship is called being a son of God. 1 John 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (King James Version) Many modern translations render the word "son" and "child" or "children", but the relationship we have in our union with Christ is that of The Son of God. We are joint-hiers with Christ (Romans 8:17) Seated with Him in heavenly places at the right hand of God, sharing in that authority and dominion through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

In my next blog I will show you how Jesus described His own relationship with the Father, and then related that to the way we were to walk in this earth through our union with Him.