What EXACTLY is Righteousness?

[JohnT]

Some have requested a study in righteousness, especially as it pertains to our friends here.

In order to do that, we first must define the term, then note how righteousness is infused, not imparted via good deeds, or law keeping to the believer.

Righteousness Defined

Righteousness. God the Father is righteous (just); Jesus Christ his Son is the Righteous (Just) One; the Father through the Son and in the Spirit gives the gift of righteousness (justice) to repentant sinners for salvation; such believing sinners are declared righteous (just) by the Father through the Son, are made righteous (just) by the Holy Spirit working in them, and will be wholly righteous (just) in the age to come. They are and will be righteous because they are in a covenant relation with the living God, who is the God of all grace and mercy and who will bring to completion what he has begun in them by declaring them righteous for Christ’s sake.​

The noun righteousness/justice (Gk. dikaiosunē) bears meanings in the New Testament related to two sources. The major one is the Hebrew thought-world of the Old Testament and particularly the sdq word group, which locates the meaning in the sphere of God’s gracious, covenantal relation to his people and the appropriate behavior of the covenant partners (Yahweh and Israel) toward each other.

The other is the regular use of the words in everyday Greek as spoken in New Testament times, which fixes the meaning in the sphere of a life in conformity to a known standard or law—thus honesty, legality, and so on. This latter meaning in terms of doing God’s will is of course also found in the Old Testament...​

God’s righteousness is, for Paul, God’s saving activity in and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his Son. It is activity that is directly in line with the saving activity of God in the Old Testament. The acceptance of the unique saving deed of God at Calvary by faith in the person of Jesus Christ is that which God has ordained to be the means for sinners (the unrighteous and the disobedient ones) to enter into the right with God, the Father, and receive the forgiveness of sins.

God as the Judge justifies believing sinners by declaring them righteous in and through Jesus Christ; [emphasis added] then he expects and enables these sinners to become righteous in word and deed. Faith works by love.

My comment: To do otherwise is to place works before grace, and to make grace contingent on works, and therein lies the problem with all cults; they place works ahead of grace, and make one's salvation dependent upon the rules-keeping of whatever group to which they belong, such as Mormons, or SDAs.
​

The righteousness of which Paul speaks, especially in the letters to Galatia and Rome, stands in contrast to the righteousness that is based on the fulfillment of the law by man as the covenant partner of God. It is “the righteousness of faith” and “the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:6; Phil. 3:9), and is most certainly the gift of God.

From the human standpoint what God looks for in those who receive the gospel is “faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). God’s gift to those who believe is a righteousness that exists and can be given only because of the sacrificial death of Jesus for sinners and his resurrection from the dead as the vindicated Lord of all.​

So God as the righteous Judge justifies—places in a right relation with himself within the new covenant of grace—those who believe the gospel of the Father concerning his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And he justifies Jew and Greek alike on precisely the same basis, by faith alone without works, and he makes no distinction whatsoever between the people of the Old Covenant and the Gentiles. Abraham, says Paul, was himself justified by faith alone (Gen. 12:3; 15:6; 18:18; Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:8).

In fact, Paul confessed that the power of the gospel to be the word of salvation to both Jew and Greek was based on the revelation of the righteousness of God therein—of God the Father acting justly for the sake of his Son (Rom. 1:16–17).​

Elwell, Walter A. ; Elwell, Walter A.: Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1997, c1996

Righteousness Imputed.​

1. Predicted. Isa 56:1; Eze 16:14.​

2. Revealed in the gospel. Ro 1:17.​

3. Is of the Lord. Isa 54:17.​

4. Described as​

a. The righteousness of faith. Ro 4:13; 9:30; 10:6.
b. The righteousness of God, without the law. Ro 3:21.
c. The righteousness of God by faith in Christ. Ro 3:22.
d. Christ being made righteousness to us. 1Co 1:30.
e. Our being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. 2Co 5:21.​

5. Christ is the end of the law for. Ro 10:4.​

6. Christ called THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jer 23:6.​

7. Christ brings in an everlasting righteousness. Da 9:24.​

8. Is a free gift. Ro 5:17.​

9. God’s righteousness never to be abolished. Isa 5:16.​

10. The promises made through. Ro 4:13.​

11. Saints​

a. Have, on believing. Ro 4:5,11,24.
b. Clothed with the robe of righteousness. Isa 61:10.
c. Exalted in righteousness. Ps 89:16.
d. Desire to be found in. Php 3:9.
e. Glory in having. Isa 45:24,25.​

12. Exhortation to seek righteousness. Mt 6:33.​

13. The Gentiles attained to. Ro 9:30.​

14. Blessedness of those who have. Ro 4:6.​

15. The Jews​

a. Ignorant of. Ro 10:3.
b. Stumble at righteousness by faith. Ro 9:32.
c. Submit not to. Ro 10:3.​

16. Exemplified​

a. Abraham. Ro 4:9,22; Ga 3:6.
b. Paul. Php 3:7-9


​

Torrey, R.A.: The New Topical Text Book : A Scriptural Text Book for the Use of Ministers, Teachers, and All Christian Workers. c1897

There does seem to be a dichotomy of understanding. One group says it is all of Jesus, and nothing else, the other says that it is Jesus plus works such as Sabbath. diet and others.

Which is it, exactly?

__________________
Shalom,
John T

 

[Telaquapacky]

Hi, John!
I'm not a theological rocket scientist. My most basic observation on Righteousness that comes from Hebrews 11:4

4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

Abel was commended as a righteous man when God spoke well of his offerings. What that tells me is that Righteousness is what God says it is. If we really want to understand Righteousness, we need to try to see it through God's eyes.

 

[Your Neighbor]

Every verse in the NKJV NT that mentions righteousness: http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=righteousness&version1=50&searchtype=all&bookset=2

 

[Your Neighbor]

Here is every verse in the NASB that mentions "righteousness by faith":

....
.......

 

[StormyOne]

Hi, John!
I'm not a theological rocket scientist. My most basic observation on Righteousness that comes from Hebrews 11:4

4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

Abel was commended as a righteous man when God spoke well of his offerings. What that tells me is that Righteousness is what God says it is. If we really want to understand Righteousness, we need to try to see it through God's eyes.

and if God is defining the term, it means he owns it as it were, likewise, it is he that gives "righteousness" to those in relationship with him.... if that is the case, does it do us any good to attempt to gain for ourselves something that only God can give?

 

[Xenon]

and if God is defining the term, it means he owns it as it were, likewise, it is he that gives "righteousness" to those in relationship with him.... if that is the case, does it do us any good to attempt to gain for ourselves something that only God can give?

I think you answered your own question

 

[StormyOne]

I think you answered your own question

lol.... yep, probably...

 

[Telaquapacky]

and if God is defining the term, it means he owns it as it were, likewise, it is he that gives "righteousness" to those in relationship with him.... if that is the case, does it do us any good to attempt to gain for ourselves something that only God can give?

Ooh, Ooh, I like that!

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

There does seem to be a dichotomy of understanding. One group says it is all of Jesus, and nothing else, the other says that it is Jesus plus works such as Sabbath. diet and others.

Which is it, exactly?

All of JC. None of that extra stuff avails anything for righteousness, though certain practices might make one happier and healthier as a human being. The only genuine righteousness a sinner can have comes entirely as a gift from God and bes a product of His mercy and grace only. You can never earn it and not even the most perfect behavior modification program on earth for the rest of your life will ever bestow it. A whitewashed tomb only houses a corpse.

 

[JohnT]

and if God is defining the term, it means he owns it as it were, likewise, it is he that gives "righteousness" to those in relationship with him.... if that is the case, does it do us any good to attempt to gain for ourselves something that only God can give?

Good thought!

Likewise for you Telaquapacky !

However, that all begs the position held by others about the necessity of not eating warm bread (does a hot pizza count?) not eating shell fish, or maintaining Saturday worship, for example?

I ask because in all the times that I talked to some people, they deny the necessity of that position at first, but then revert to it as a way of "keeping favor with God" At least that is the way it comes off to me.

 

[Telaquapacky]

Good thought!

Likewise for you Telaquapacky !

However, that all begs the position held by others about the necessity of not eating warm bread (does a hot pizza count?) not eating shell fish, or maintaining Saturday worship, for example?

I ask because in all the times that I talked to some people, they deny the necessity of that position at first, but then revert to it as a way of "keeping favor with God" At least that is the way it comes off to me.

Have you ever noticed how procrastination works? A procrastinator finds all sorts of little other things to do to distract them from the thing that really matters. Majoring in minors works that way. I can feel good about not eating pickles, and that helps distract me from the fact that I don't spend any time with my troubled teenage son.

(just an illustration. I am a casual pickle-eater, and I don't have any kids)

 

[JohnT]

H.... I can feel good about not eating pickles, and that helps distract me from the fact that I don't spend any time with my troubled teenage son.

(just an illustration. I am a casual pickle-eater, and I don't have any kids)

In that, I follow the OT very closely.

Make mine kosher dills with extra garlic

 

[sentipente]

JohnT, you seem to have an agenda. You are not truly interested in discussion righteousness. How did warm bread come into the equation?

 

[StormyOne]

Is righteousness a set of "acts" or a "state of being?" Or another analogy, are you "you" because of a certain set of behaviors, or are certain behaviors present because you are "you?"

Is warm bread "warm bread" because of how it tastes or because it is comprised of the ingredients found in bread and then warmed in an oven?

 

[Adventist Heretic]

Some have requested a study in righteousness, especially as it pertains to our friends here.

In order to do that, we first must define the term, then note how righteousness is infused, not imparted via good deeds, or law keeping to the believer.

Righteousness Defined

Righteousness. God the Father is righteous (just); Jesus Christ his Son is the Righteous (Just) One; the Father through the Son and in the Spirit gives the gift of righteousness (justice) to repentant sinners for salvation; such believing sinners are declared righteous (just) by the Father through the Son, are made righteous (just) by the Holy Spirit working in them, and will be wholly righteous (just) in the age to come. They are and will be righteous because they are in a covenant relation with the living God, who is the God of all grace and mercy and who will bring to completion what he has begun in them by declaring them righteous for Christ’s sake.


The noun righteousness/justice (Gk. dikaiosunē) bears meanings in the New Testament related to two sources. The major one is the Hebrew thought-world of the Old Testament and particularly the sdq word group, which locates the meaning in the sphere of God’s gracious, covenantal relation to his people and the appropriate behavior of the covenant partners (Yahweh and Israel) toward each other.​

The other is the regular use of the words in everyday Greek as spoken in New Testament times, which fixes the meaning in the sphere of a life in conformity to a known standard or law—thus honesty, legality, and so on. This latter meaning in terms of doing God’s will is of course also found in the Old Testament...​

God’s righteousness is, for Paul, God’s saving activity in and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his Son. It is activity that is directly in line with the saving activity of God in the Old Testament. The acceptance of the unique saving deed of God at Calvary by faith in the person of Jesus Christ is that which God has ordained to be the means for sinners (the unrighteous and the disobedient ones) to enter into the right with God, the Father, and receive the forgiveness of sins.​

God as the Judge justifies believing sinners by declaring them righteous in and through Jesus Christ; [emphasis added] then he expects and enables these sinners to become righteous in word and deed. Faith works by love.

My comment: To do otherwise is to place works before grace, and to make grace contingent on works, and therein lies the problem with all cults; they place works ahead of grace, and make one's salvation dependent upon the rules-keeping of whatever group to which they belong, such as Mormons, or SDAs.​

The righteousness of which Paul speaks, especially in the letters to Galatia and Rome, stands in contrast to the righteousness that is based on the fulfillment of the law by man as the covenant partner of God. It is “the righteousness of faith” and “the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:6; Phil. 3:9), and is most certainly the gift of God.​

From the human standpoint what God looks for in those who receive the gospel is “faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). God’s gift to those who believe is a righteousness that exists and can be given only because of the sacrificial death of Jesus for sinners and his resurrection from the dead as the vindicated Lord of all.

So God as the righteous Judge justifies—places in a right relation with himself within the new covenant of grace—those who believe the gospel of the Father concerning his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And he justifies Jew and Greek alike on precisely the same basis, by faith alone without works, and he makes no distinction whatsoever between the people of the Old Covenant and the Gentiles. Abraham, says Paul, was himself justified by faith alone (Gen. 12:3; 15:6; 18:18; Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:8).​

In fact, Paul confessed that the power of the gospel to be the word of salvation to both Jew and Greek was based on the revelation of the righteousness of God therein—of God the Father acting justly for the sake of his Son (Rom. 1:16–17).​

Elwell, Walter A. ; Elwell, Walter A.: Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1997, c1996

Righteousness Imputed.


1. Predicted. Isa 56:1; Eze 16:14.


2. Revealed in the gospel. Ro 1:17.


3. Is of the Lord. Isa 54:17.


4. Described as​

a. The righteousness of faith. Ro 4:13; 9:30; 10:6.​

b. The righteousness of God, without the law. Ro 3:21.​

c. The righteousness of God by faith in Christ. Ro 3:22.​

d. Christ being made righteousness to us. 1Co 1:30.​

e. Our being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. 2Co 5:21.​

5. Christ is the end of the law for. Ro 10:4.

6. Christ called THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jer 23:6.


7. Christ brings in an everlasting righteousness. Da 9:24.


8. Is a free gift. Ro 5:17.


9. God’s righteousness never to be abolished. Isa 5:16.


10. The promises made through. Ro 4:13.


11. Saints​

a. Have, on believing. Ro 4:5,11,24.​

b. Clothed with the robe of righteousness. Isa 61:10.​

c. Exalted in righteousness. Ps 89:16.​

d. Desire to be found in. Php 3:9.​

e. Glory in having. Isa 45:24,25.​

12. Exhortation to seek righteousness. Mt 6:33.

13. The Gentiles attained to. Ro 9:30.


14. Blessedness of those who have. Ro 4:6.


15. The Jews​

a. Ignorant of. Ro 10:3.​

b. Stumble at righteousness by faith. Ro 9:32.​

c. Submit not to. Ro 10:3.​

16. Exemplified

a. Abraham. Ro 4:9,22; Ga 3:6.​

b. Paul. Php 3:7-9​

Torrey, R.A.: The New Topical Text Book : A Scriptural Text Book for the Use of Ministers, Teachers, and All Christian Workers. c1897

There does seem to be a dichotomy of understanding. One group says it is all of Jesus, and nothing else, the other says that it is Jesus plus works such as Sabbath. diet and others.

Which is it, exactly?

__________________
Shalom,
John T

Simply Goodness,
Officially Moral Goodnes, which means, you are a good person. You need goodness to enter heaven and we are not good enough to enter heaven. Our track record needs cleaning up from our bad actions and we need purging from our nature to bad thing.
The 10 commandments are there to reveal our evil thoughts and action, like an X-ray, the law can never cleanse our track record, or cleans us from our nature to sin. Only Jesus can cleanse or track record and change our nature.
Trying to cleanse our track record by our actions is called. Trying to be good enough is legalism, trying to cleanse our nature by our action is impossible, that is what being born again is about, a change of nature.

 

[JohnT]

JohnT, you seem to have an agenda. You are not truly interested in discussion righteousness. How did warm bread come into the equation?

Sente,

There is an agenda, and that is to talk about righteousness, is it imputed, or infused?

The hot pizza came from my dealings with other SDAs elsewhere who believe that eating warm bread is wrong. My error in using that was I made it equal to following other rules, such as the day of worship. Therefore, it was unnecessary, and I stand corrected. Thanks.

icedragon101 has the next, progressively, logical thought in the discussion when he/she posted

Trying to cleanse our track record by our actions is called. Trying to be good enough is legalism, trying to cleanse our nature by our action is impossible, that is what being born again is about, a change of nature.

If it is true that righteousness is imputed, or charged over to our account, then why would anyone want to try an infused version whereby the things we do "earn celestial brownie points"?

Perhaps that is inelegantly stated, but no evil is intended. Do our good works actually play any part in our righteousness before God at all, or in any way?

 

[StormyOne]

John there were several significant comments dealing with righteousness before Ice made his comment, yet you said that Ice has the next logical thought in this discussion.... seems you have discounted all the comments between your initial question and Ice's reply... Not sure what to make of it, so either you have something to share and are going to give it to us a little bit at a time or you have an agenda.... either way, thanks for sharing....

 

[Sophia7]

Do our good works actually play any part in our righteousness before God at all, or in any way?

No.

 

[StormyOne]

No.

exactly.... I guess it was overlooked that righteousness is something defined and given by God, that is comes via relationship with God so how could we really have a "part" to add to what God gives?

 

[Sophia7]

exactly.... I guess it was overlooked that righteousness is something defined and given by God, that is comes via relationship with God so how could we really have a "part" to add to what God gives?

I don't think that JohnT will find many people in this forum who believe in the Traditional/Historic Adventist ideas of imparted righteousness and last-generation perfection, with the Sabbath as the final end-time test of loyalty. Unfortunately, those who do believe such things have cut off dialogue in their forum with those whom they don't consider "friends of the church."