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Righteousness By: Frances M. McCrory-Meservy October 1982
I've heard righteousness taught in many ways but there is only one simple thing that makes us righteousness. Trust (believe) what God says. It is no more complicated than that. If the Bible says it, that's all I need to know - no ifs, ands or buts. We do not have to understand it - just believe it. God's word is my final authority - I believe every word He says.
If I tell you a chair will hold you and I want you to sit down in it, you believe me if you sit in the chair. Righteousness is an active word. If you believe something, you will act on it.
The first thing we are to do after we accept Jesus and trust (believe what he says) Him is to be baptized. Being baptized does not make us righteous - it fulfills all righteousness because we have taken our first step in obedience to God's word.
After the above we walk in God's righteousness because Jesus made us right with God. He stands between us and the Father. When the Father looks at us, he sees Jesus and His righteousness.
Before Jesus started his ministry, He was baptized. Before we can start our ministry, we have to be baptized. A lot of Christians are staying stagnant and just sitting on pews because they are not righteous.
God does not send us out in our gowns (helmet of Salvation) unless we put on our robes (breastplate of Righteousness) for covering and protection. Salvation and righteousness are necessary parts of the armor of God because when He sends us out into the world, it is to do spiritual battle.
People try to intermingle Salvation and Righteousness but they are two separate things and one follows the other. We receive a gown of salvation and a robe of righteousness. I can have a gown on but I do not look decent until I put the robe on. If you want to look like a Christian, put on the robe.
Al was pastor of a small church in Angleton, TX for almost a year while they searched for a full time pastor. God did a Good work through Al while he was there.
We knew a wonderful lady there who had accepted Jesus years before but had never been baptized. Al talked to her about why she needed to be baptized and she allowed him to baptize her. She came alive.
She had been bearing fruit so we knew she was a Christian but after she was baptized God anointed her with power and energy that was unbelievable. She started teaching a Sunday School class and helping in other ways.
She also could not get enough of Jesus. She was either in church or reading his word. Her husband (who was not a Christian) thought she was having an affair. Al went and talked to him and helped him realize that she was having an affair; but it was with God. He did not have a problem with that.
Righteousness - a step out into grace and power that only comes from obeying God. If you believe what he says, you will obey him. If you love him, you will obey him.
Dictionary on line http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Righteousness
acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin; morally right or justifiable <a righteous decision>; arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality <righteous indignation>
Rom 4:19-25 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Mat 3:13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Rom 9:33-10:4 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Heb 10:13-14 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Isa 59:17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head;
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Prov 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
2 Cor 3:9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Phil 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
2 Tim 4:8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Heb 5:13-14 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.