Righteousness
Righteousness is a word that we don't use very often in everyday conversation these days. I feel certain that the meaning is not well understood either. However, it is very important for each of us to be righteous and to live righteously.
Righteousness before God means that we are in right relation to Him. This only happens when we trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When we surrender to Him in repentance and faith, He saves us by His grace. It is not by works, but God sees our faith, and He does all of the saving. One thing He does is to pronounce us "righteous" before Him. In His eyes we are just as if we have never sinned. Therefore, we are right with God. Not only are our sins forgiven, but He has accepted us into His family. We are right with Him.
Then, we are to live in righteousness. That means we live as His children, according to His Word and His commands. When we do this, we will remain in good standing with Him and with others. We can't lose our salvation, once He has pronounced us righteous, but we can harm our present relationship with Him by our sins. When we do this, we are at odds with God. We need to confess our sins, and to be cleansed, so we can walk with Him in harmony again. It is like a husband and wife. When one hurts the other by bad attitudes, words, or actions, they are still married, but they are not on good terms, until they make up. We need to make sure we make up with God and others, whenever we sin. That is part of living righteously.
The result of righteousness is peace.(Isaiah 32:17) In fact, it is the only way to have peace in our lives. This peace is wonderful. It is living in quietness and assurance forever. What a blessing, and it is all possible because of Jesus.
Today, I read Isaiah 31-34.
Righteousness before God means that we are in right relation to Him. This only happens when we trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When we surrender to Him in repentance and faith, He saves us by His grace. It is not by works, but God sees our faith, and He does all of the saving. One thing He does is to pronounce us "righteous" before Him. In His eyes we are just as if we have never sinned. Therefore, we are right with God. Not only are our sins forgiven, but He has accepted us into His family. We are right with Him.
Then, we are to live in righteousness. That means we live as His children, according to His Word and His commands. When we do this, we will remain in good standing with Him and with others. We can't lose our salvation, once He has pronounced us righteous, but we can harm our present relationship with Him by our sins. When we do this, we are at odds with God. We need to confess our sins, and to be cleansed, so we can walk with Him in harmony again. It is like a husband and wife. When one hurts the other by bad attitudes, words, or actions, they are still married, but they are not on good terms, until they make up. We need to make sure we make up with God and others, whenever we sin. That is part of living righteously.
The result of righteousness is peace.(Isaiah 32:17) In fact, it is the only way to have peace in our lives. This peace is wonderful. It is living in quietness and assurance forever. What a blessing, and it is all possible because of Jesus.
Today, I read Isaiah 31-34.