Righteousness is a specific concept. Given we are defining it right, we are going to be flush with scripture. Someone may be able to internet search "Bible Concordance and Righteousness," and quickly come up with a list of scriptures. In understanding Bible concepts, another stumbling block people often have run into is making a concept abstract. How does a specific concept 1:1 apply to life in 1000 BC or 33 AD or today? Given someone is having a hard time making that 1:1 application.....they may have been wrong.
Righteousness is the quality of being morally right or justifiable.
Given a police officer did something that looked funny, he may be called into the police chief's office to.....justify and explain himself. Christian are justified through The Lord Jesus Christ. That was the STARTING point of faith. That was not the end. Given someone was backsliding and wrong, were they really ever saved? Did they really know God? Faith is a personal relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus chastises and rebuked those he loves. (Hebrew 12:6)(Revelations 3:19)
Before Christ, a Roman may have believed he was righteous in Roman Virtue. A Spartan may have been a kind of righteous in his martial virtues. Saul the Pharisee, believed he was righteous in The Laws of Moses.
- 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)
- 10 as it is written:“None is righteous, no, not one;11 no one understands;no one seeks for God.12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless no one does good not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)
Given someone thought they were a good person, they may have been resistant to God, and been doing evil. Apostle Paul and Saint Augustine were the worst of sinners. It was a letting go of the ego, and an admission that someone has been less than and wrong where God's Spirit may be able to come in and be working in a man. A man abides in Christ. Abiding in Christ, some of God's righteousness may show through.
A starting was the admission and repentance. Faith is a journey. God is hard. Righteousness is hard.
Addendum -
A lot of sin may have been tied to the ego. Men compete. Men compete at school. Men compete at work. Men compete at sports. Men compete in love. How is the competition?
What drives a young man to cheat on his homework or a test? He may have been lazy looking for an easy way out. He may have been in competition, looking to get ahead unfairly.
What drives someone to lie? He may have wanted attention for something he didn't do, or lack of attention for something he did wrong. This may be tied to the ego.
What drives greed and avarice? Ego. Someone wanted attention. He was materialistic. He wanted to show off his cool new toy regardless of if was some sort of tech device or a new car or boat.
What drives lust? Sex is gift from God. It is nice to be with the opposite sex in marriage. Given the competition because wicked....someone may have needed to know he could. He may have needed to get his. Youthful curiosity may have been warped into something wicked.
A man seeking God, he drops the Ego. Say "I don't care." He drops the ego and the competition. He seeks The Lord Jesus Christ, and is in competition with himself towards being a better man in Christ. Righteousness doesn't necessarily "Just happen." Being saved by The Grace of God, that may happen in a moment. Someone may need to work on somethings in Sanctification, a process. A man lets go of the Ego....what does he find instead? Honor. God is honorable. A man may need to clean his honor.
Question: What are some things a man may need to do towards jump starting sanctification and being more right?
A man may need to move. A man may need to get out of his routine, and and away from bad influences, and spend some time alone with God. Take your phone with you. A smart phone, given someone had one previously, it may be a pretty useful tool towards sanctification. There may be some apologizing, and confessions that need to happen.
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