RIGHTEOUSNESS

 1- Righteousness

Righteousness is right standing with God, coming before God without any sense of guilt or insufficiency. Now, our self-righteousness is not sufficient, why? God demands 100%.

People often wonder why such absoluteness?

At least you are trying your best and you are better than some. So what percentage do you think will be good enough?

Perhaps you will say 70% (a good mark really). So what then happens to the abandoned/rejected lady who struggles to 65% or what should God do with the 30% unrighteousness in you.

It is clear that for the justice of God to be right, righteousness has to be binary, you are either righteous or not. And by our human efforts, WE ARE Not. 

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.[ Isaiah 64:6]

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws.[James 2:10].

2-Righteousness of God

Knowing that we could never attain to righteousness by our own efforts or strength, God made righteousness available to us by faith in Christ.

Thus we become righteous by believing in what Christ has done.

Is it just? Yes, for Christ was punished without sin and we become righteous by believing in him. And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which [is] from the law, but that which [is] through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

But people are counted as righteous, [Phillipians 3:9]

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.[Romans 4:5]

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. [2Corinthians 5:21]

3 The Righteousness of God is also called the righteousness of faith and it has four parts as enumerated in Psalms 32:1-2.

Forgiveness of sins is the first. In Christ Jesus, our sins have been forgiven. Your past is past, God is not trying to make you pay for it.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people--free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds[Ephesians 1:7]

And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight![Psalms 32:1-2]

God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.[Colossians 1:14]

4 Remission of sin

Not only were you forgiven your sins, God completely blotted them out. You can come to God with a clear conscience as though you had never sinned.[Isaiah 43:25] There is no condemnation for you nor remembrance of your previous sins. The slate is wiped clean. 

Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."  And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. [Hebrews 10:17-18]

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.[Matthew 26:28]

5  No reckoning or inputting of sin to your account*

We have been justified in Christ Jesus, there is no record or reckoning of our former sins.

Inputted in our record is righteousness and God will relate with us on the basis of the record. As a Christian you should leave in perpetual joy because your account with God is balanced.

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.[Romans 4:23-24]

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus[Romans 8:1].

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.[Romans 8:2]

6 Spirit without guile

With the righteousness of God that we have received comes a new spirit devoid of guile and sin. Our spirit has the capacity to do right and please God always. We are not struggling to be righteous. we are righteous and we do what is right. 

Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil.[1John 3:9-10] 

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [Ezekiel 36:26-27].

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.[Psalms 31:1-2]

7 Fruits of righteousness

'You shall know them by their fruits' is a statement by Jesus and it is no less important now. That we have been made righteous is shown by the fruits we bare.

Works of righteousness (benevolence, peace) must be done by a righteous person.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion,and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.[2Corinthians 9:10-11]

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. [Psalms 112:9]. 

The LORD's justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.[Isaiah 32:16]