Yesterday, I posted a thread,” How do we increase in righteousness? It was a rhetorical question. I was encouraged at how many people chose to reply, and I thank you all for your input.
The simple answer is, righteousness is credited to us by the measure of our faith. Faith is our part of the equation. If we do not do our part, it is impossible to please God. Some suggest that right or righteousness or faith are somehow “works” and that we can’t overcome sin. Wow! You weren’t saved because of your unbelief. If you are saved, you stopped some sort of sinning. So, let’s define some stumbling blocks;
WORK, verb intransitive [G., Gr.]
1. In a general sense, to move, or to move one way and the other; to perform; as in popular language it is said, a mill or machine works well.
2. To labor; to be occupied in performing manual labor, whether severe or moderate. One man works better than another; one man works hare; another works lazily.
3. To be in action or motion; as the working of the heart.
4. To act; to carry on operations.
RIGHT, adjective rite. [Latin rectus, from the root of rego, properly to strain or stretch, whence straight.] 2. In morals and religion, just; equitable; accordant to the standard of truth and justice or the will of God. That alone is right in the sight of God, which is consonant to his will or law; this being the only perfect standard of truth and justice. In social and political affairs, that is right which is consonant to the laws and customs of a country, provided these laws and customs are not repugnant to the laws of God. A man's intentions may be right though his actions may be wrong in consequence of a defect in judgment. 5. True; not erroneous or wrong; according to fact.
If there be no prospect beyond the grave, the inference is certainly right 'let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'
6. Correct; passing a true judgment; not mistaken or wrong.
You are right justice, and you weigh this well.
RIGHTEOUS, adjective ri'chus.
1. Just; accordant to the divine law. Applied to persons, it denotes one who is holy in heart, and observant of the divine commands in practice; as a righteous man. Applied to things, it denotes consonant to the divine will or to justice; as a righteous act. It is used chiefly in theology, and applied to God, to his testimonies and to his saints.
The righteous in Scripture, denote the servants of God, the saints.
2. Just; equitable; merited.
And I thy righteous doom will bless
RIGHTEOUSNESS, noun ri'chusness.
1. Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law. righteousness as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice, honesty and virtue, with holy affections; in short, it is true religion.
2. Applied to God, the perfection or holiness of his nature; exact rectitude; faithfulness.
3. The active and passive obedience of Christ, by which the law of God is fulfilled. Daniel 9:7.
4. Justice; equity between man and man. Luke 1:75.
5. The cause of our justification.
The Lord our righteousness Jeremiah 23:6.
FAITH, noun [Latin fides, fido, to trust; Gr. to persuade, to draw towards any thing, to conciliate; to believe, to obey. In the Greek Lexicon of Hederic it is said, the primitive signification of the verb is to bind and draw or lead, as signifies a rope or cable. But this remark is a little incorrect. The sense of the verb, from which that of rope and binding is derived, is to strain, to draw, and thus to bind or make fast. A rope or cable is that which makes fast. Heb.]
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth. I have strong faith or no faith in the testimony of a witness, or in what a historian narrates.
2. The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, or probable evidence of any kind.
3. In theology, the assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed. Simple belief of the scriptures, of the being and perfections of God, and of the existence, character and doctrines of Christ, founded on the testimony of the sacred writers, is called historical or speculative faith; a faith little distinguished from the belief of the existence and achievements of Alexander or of Cesar.
4. Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God's testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God's character and declarations, and in the character and doctrines of Christ, with an unreserved surrender of the will to his guidance, and dependence on his merits for salvation. In other words, that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation.
Being justified by faith Romans 5:1.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:1.
For we walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7.
With the heart man believeth to righteousness. Romans 10:6.
The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the mind, which is called trust or confidence, exercised towards the moral character of God, and particularly of the Savior.
FAITH is an affectionate practical confidence in the testimony of God.
FAITH is a firm, cordial belief in the veracity of God, in all the declarations of his word; or a full and affectionate confidence in the certainty of those things which God has declared, and because he has declared them.
5. The object of belief; a doctrine or system of doctrines believed; a system of revealed truths received by christians.
They heard only, that he who persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. Galatians 1:23.
6. The promises of God, or his truth and faithfulness.
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? Rom 3.
7. An open profession of gospel truth.
Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom 1.
8. A persuasion or belief of the lawfulness of things indifferent.
Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Rom 14.
9. Faithfulness; fidelity; a strict adherence to duty and fulfillment of promises.
Her failing, while her faith to me remains, I would conceal.
Children in whom is no faith Deuteronomy 32:20.
10. Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity. He violated his plighted faith
For you alone I broke my faith with injured Palamon.
11. Sincerity; honesty; veracity; faithfulness. We ought in good faith to fulfill all our engagements.
12. Credibility or truth. Unusual.]
CREDITED, participle passive Believed; trusted; passed to the credit, or entered on the credit side of an account.
" Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."
From reading scripture and studying these Webster’s 1828 Dictionary definitions, could we say “drawing near to God, believing in Him and obeying His commands will result in an a credit, “not a debit” to our spiritual account of holiness of heart, more observant of the divine commands, doing right in the sight of God and the beginning of justification?” We sure could. We could go deeper than that if chose to.
The truth is near to us, but many don’t look for it.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled”.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Many in the Church spell repent, “REPEAT”. They hold onto sin and say “nobody is perfect”, and “sin I will, sin I must”. How on earth can the body of Christ function if everyone is sinful? It can’t.
"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."
This is a simple truth about faith and righteousness that gets clouded by professionals in the pulpit. They are like CEO’s that know how to manage people, make money, and repress your spiritual gifts. Are you following man-made doctrines or are you seeking truth no matter what? One path leads to life and few find it. The other leads to death and many are on it.
It is my prayer that this will awaken someone. God wants us to be Holy, and He gives us everything we need to be so. Do your own study and see for yourselves.
Blessings to all.
