DOCTRINE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
I.
Vocabulary:
A.
The principal Hebrew noun is qd,c,/tsedeq: righteousness.
B.
The principle Greek word is dikaiosu,nh/dikaiosune: righteousness.
II.
Righteousness is a divine attribute.
A.
As declared in Psa.11:7, “For the
Lord is righteous; He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.”
B.
It is the moral “watchdog” of His essence by which all other of His
attributes are governed.
C.
His righteousness is forever.
Psa.111:3, “Splendid and majestic
is His work; And His righteousness endures forever”; Psa.119:142, “Your righteousness is an everlasting
righteousness”; Psa.71:19, “For Your
righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who has done great things; O
God, who is like You?”; Isa.51:6-8
D.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne. Psa.89:14, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.”; Psa.97:2
E.
He loves righteousness and justice.
Psa.33:5, “He loves righteousness
and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.”; Psa.146:8, “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises up those who are
bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous.”; Psa.45:7, “You (Christ) have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore
God (Christ), Your God (Father) has anointed You.”
F.
All His ways are righteous.
Psa.145:17, “The Lord is righteous
in all His ways, And kind in all His deeds”.
Rev.15:3,4
G.
All His judgments are righteous.
Rev.19:2, “Because His judgments
are true and righteous...”; Act.17:31, “because
He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a
Man who He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from
the dead.”
H.
All His commandments are righteous.
Psa.119:172, “Let my tongue sing of
Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness”.;
Psa.119:7,62,75,106,123,144,160,164
I.
As compared to God, no man is righteous. Psa.143:2, “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no
man living is righteous.” God is absolute
perfect righteousness “+R” and man is less than or –R. See Rom.3:10
J.
Jesus Christ is declared to be righteous/+R. 1Joh.2:1, “My
little children, I am writing these things to you that you many not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”. Rev.16:5
K.
Jesus Himself declared He was from the realm of righteousness and thus
represented all that emanates from it.
Joh.8:23
L.
God is the source of the believer’s righteousness. Psa.4:1, “Answer
me when I call, O God of my
righteousness!”
M.
God exercises righteousness on the earth. Jer.9:24, “...
let him who boasts boast of this, that he understand and knows Me, that I am
the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for
I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord.”
III.
Salvation Ph1-righteousness is God’s +R imputed to the
believer at the point of faith in Christ.
Rom.3:21-23, “But now apart from
the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the
Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus
Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
A.
Abraham is the pattern of this imputation to believers. Rom.4:12, “and
the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but
who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had
while uncircumcised.”
B.
This salvation-+R does not come by works. Rom.9:30-32, “What shall we say then? That
Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the
righteousness which is by faith; but
C.
This +R comes to the believer (though not felt or seen) in the form of
the human spirit. Eph.4:24, “and put on the new self (human spirit),
which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of
the truth.”
D.
+R is necessary for the existence of eternal life and the work of
Christ on the cross makes it possible for God to bestow eternal life on all
that believe. 2Cor.5:21, “He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin
to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness (+R imputed) of
God in Him.”
E.
This saving righteousness is as close as saving faith in the Word of
God (WOG). Rom.10:1-22
F.
The cross constitutes an act of righteousness that makes this
grace-righteousness available to all.
Rom.5:18, “So then as through one
transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act
of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.”
G.
Justification is the term used to describe the result of the imputation
of God’s +R.
H.
Where the +R of God is, the blessing of eternal life follows
immediately. Gal.3:21
I.
Sometimes the designation “righteous” is used in Scripture of those who
possess +R i.e., believers. Psa.112:6, “For he will never be shaken; The righteous
will be remembered forever.”; Act.10:22 of moral believers; Prov.10:32 of
believers who live by the righteousness of the WOG
J.
No one will see eternal life unless they possess +R. Mat.5:20, “For
I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and
Pharisee, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
K.
The Holy Spirit convicts man of his need for +R. Joh.16:8,10
IV.
Experiential/Ph2 righteousness is based on faith plus application/works.
B.
Bible Doctrine informs us with respect to the particulars of God’s
righteousness. Prov.1:1-3; 2Tim.3:16
D.
God leads +V in the paths of righteousness. Psa.23:3
E.
Those who pursue righteousness come under certain promises. Mat.6:33, “But
seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be
added to you.”
F.
God brings DD (divine discipline) into our lives so that we might be
righteous like Him. Heb.12:11, “All discipline for the moment seems not to
be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards
it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”; Psa.118:15-21
G.
We are to isolate the STA through RB and employ our bodily
parts as instruments of righteousness in the A/C. Rom.6:13,16,18-20
H.
We will be persecuted for righteousness. Mat.5:10; 1Pet.3:14
I.
SG3 is the harvest of personal righteousness. 2Cor.9:9,10
J.
A wreath/crown of righteousness is for those who finish their
course. 2Tim.4:8
K.
Experiential righteousness is an evidence of salvation. 1Joh.2:29; 3:7,10
L.
Experiential righteousness is holy behavior. 1Pet.1:15
V.
Some things that can be said about the righteous (positional and/or
experiential).
A.
The Lord approves of the way of the righteous (Psa.1:6); He is with the
righteous (Psa.14:5); and He watches over them (Psa.34:15).
B.
Their path grows brighter and brighter.
Pro.4:18
C.
The have a refuge in death.
Pro.14:32; Psa.10:25
D.
God hears their prayer.
Pro.15:29; Jam.5:16
E.
God loves the righteous.
Psa.146:8
F.
God delivers the righteous.
Psa.31:1; 37:39, “But the
salvation (deliverance) of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength
in time of trouble”; Pro.11:8,9; 12:13; 18:10
G.
God provides the righteous with basic living grace. Pro.10:3; 13:25; Psa.37:16, “Better is the little of the righteous than
the abundance of the wicked.”
H.
God rewards and blesses the righteous according to their
righteousness. Psa.18:20, “The Lord will reward (lm;g" /gamal; to deal; to ripen; denotes the MAJG and Divine good production)
me according to my righteousness (intake and application of BD); According to
the cleanness of my hands (time in FHS) He will cause to recompense (bWv /shub; to return; pay back what is due)
me.”
I.
God blesses the righteous with various blessings (Pro.10:6). Ex: life- 10:16; wealth-15:6; reward in
time-11:31; desire granted-10:24; home life- 3:33; Psa.118:15; memory
blessed-Pro.10:7
J.
Some things that are characteristic of the righteous:
1.
Expresses Divine viewpoint.
Psa.37:30; Pro.10:21,31,32
2.
Gives thanks. Psa.140:13
3.
Ponders how to answer. Pro.15:28
4.
Is a guide to others. Pro.12:26
5.
His thoughts are just. Pro.12:15
6.
Hates falsehood. Pro.13:5
7.
Is concerned for the rights of the poor. Pro.29:7
8.
He rejoices when justice is executed.
Pro.21:15
9.
Gives abundantly. Pro.21:26;
Psa.37:21
10.
Becomes wiser and wiser. Pro.9:9
11.
Displays courage. Pro.28:1
12.
Has regard for the well being of his beast. Pro.12:10
13.
His way is smooth. Isa.26:7
14.
Lives by faith. Heb.10:38
L. The wicked ( [v'r' /rasha) persecute the righteous by:
1. Maligning them. Psa.31:18
2. Plotting against them. Psa.37:12
3. Spying on them. Psa.37:32a
4. Seeks to murder them. Psa.37:32b; Mat.23:35; Jam.5:6
VI.
Noah is an outstanding example of what a righteous person is. Gen.6:9b, “Noah
was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.”; 7:1, “Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Enter the ark,
you and all your household; for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me
in this time’.”
VII.
There is a false form of righteousness (a human good crust) displayed
by false teachers and –V in the last days.
Mat.23:28; 2Cor.11:15; 2Tim.3:1-5
VIII. Righteousness and the coming
of Christ.
A. The Lord will judge the
world in righteousness. Psa.9:8; 96:13
B. Christ will wage war in
righteousness. Rev.19:11
C. His coming will usher in a kingdom
of everlasting righteousness. Dan.9:24
D. The righteous long for this
day. Mat.5:6
E. All the judgments of the
tribulation are righteous. Rev.16:5-7
F. At this time, the wicked
(unbelievers) will be separated from the righteous. Mat.13:47-50
G. Then the righteous will
experience great personal glory.
Mat.13:43, “Then the righteous
will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
H. Then they will receive their
rewards upon their resurrection.
Luk.14:14, “and you will be
blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid
at the resurrection of the righteous.”
I.
J. Christ will be called “the LORD our righteousness”. Jer.23:6
K. Righteousness will
characterize the new heavens and earth.
2Pet.3:13
IX.
Righteousness exalts a nation.
Prov.14:34, “Righteousness exalts
a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.”; 16:12; 20:28; 25:5
X.
We are to declare God’s righteousness. Psa.35:28, “And
my tongue shall declare Your righteousness and Your praise all day long.”;
Psa.40:9,10, “I have proclaimed glad
tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain
my lips, O Lord, You know. I have not
hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness
and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
from the great congregation.”; Psa.51:14, “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, You God of my salvation; My
tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.”; Psa.71:15,16,24; 145:7
put on the
breastplate of righteousness.”
“for the
but
righteousness and peace and joy
in the Holy
Spirit.”
Rom.14:17