Righteousness

Righteousness in today’s Christianity is assumed via the blood sacrifice of Jesus. Christians today believe they are clean and righteous as they don the masking cloak of a murdered and resurrected Jesus covering their sins. But let us take a look at righteousness more in depth and see if this truly makes sense from a Biblical standpoint.

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

[Can one thirst for being pardoned by Jesus’ sacrifice? Once having the pardon, what thirst can be left? This indicates more than mere sacrificial pardon.]

Matthew 5:10

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[More people are persecuted due to standing up for what is right rather than for believing themselves saved via a sacrifice.]

Matthew 5:20

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

[Jesus condemned the Pharisees for unrighteous acts of greed and devouring widows’ houses. The only thing they had was belief in rituals such as sacrifice, tithing, and circumcision. One’s righteousness must surpass this futile concept of righteousness to enter the kingdom. In other words, actually being righteous rather than believing oneself righteous due to ritual works and sacrifice.]

Matthew 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

[What could it mean to seek the kingdom and righteousness after one has already accepted a sacrifice for righteousness?]

Matthew 7:20

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

[The fruit can be a bit vague, but clearly it must be behavior-oriented as opposed to a mere faith. False prophets will of course appear to have the faith and we can only tell them apart by action. This fruit can either be righteousness or good deeds but certainly not a mere faith in Jesus. The subsequent verses would also indicate that it refers to righteousness since ‘evildoers’ are the ones cast away.]

Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

[This is fairly straight-forward. Evildoers will be cast away. One simply needs to determine what an evildoer is. Presumably, in my opinion, it is one who does evil.]’

Mathew 13:47

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[First, we should realize that not all fish in the world were caught in the net. Thus, the net is only those belonging to the kingdom of heaven. Those within the ranks of the kingdom are those that will be separated and the wicked ones will be burned while the righteous ones will be spared. This says nothing regarding those not within the kingdom of heaven. One thing is clear, however, righteousness plays a huge part and belief in sacrifice has nothing to do with it.]

Matthew 21:32

For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

[John’s message was to repent of sin. That is, to turn away from it. He did not preach a message of Jesus being sacrificed. Jesus’ own disciples did not even yet know he would be dying; clearly Jesus did not preach a message of sacrifice either. At least, not understandably. The verses indicate that John taught this and that this was the way of righteousness.]

Matthew 23:25

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

[From verse 23 all the way up to 35 Jesus makes many statements that the Pharisees are performing faith-based rituals such as cleaning cups and tithing while being entirely sinful. It is this sin that Jesus has a problem with, not the lack of faith. Churches today teach that behaving righteous is similar to the ‘works’ that the Pharisees were condemned for, but clearly that is not the case here. Jesus wanted righteousness as opposed to meaningless faith.]

Matthew 25:31-46

[This is the parable of separating the sheep and the goats. They are separated by righteousness and wickedness. If there is any doubt as to what this means, Jesus gave a very detailed explanation. Those who clothed the naked, fed the hungry, and visited prisoners were the ones who were righteous. Those who did not were the wicked. Once again, this has nothing to do with accepting a sacrifice for salvation.]

John 13:6-11

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

[This is one of those things that could mean whatever you want. For me, however, I see a direct connection with the concepts of baptism and righteousness. By professing oneself to have died to sin and now living for righteousness, one has been symbolically killed, buried, and reborn. This is what baptism is all about. The washing of the body in this way refers to becoming righteous in life and dead to sin. Peter has already devoted his life to Jesus’ teachings on righteousness and thus his body has already been washed. When the body is clean, one merely has mistakes here and there that he needs to rinse off. If he is unwilling to continue to walk in righteousness (i.e. keep his feet clean) then such a person has nothing to do with Jesus. As indicated, they were not all clean because clearly Judas did not ascribe to righteousness or else he would not have turned Jesus over.]

John 13:34-35

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

[He does not say that his followers should be known for their faith in blood sacrifice, but rather for their love.]

John 15:1-2

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

[The branches that are on the vine get cut if they do not produce fruit. Notably, not everyone starts off in Christ. Thus, only “Christians” are in the vine and are thus capable of being cut off. They are not cut off simply for no longer believing, but they are cut off for not producing fruit. Fruit, of course, being that of loving others.]

John 15:10,12,16-17

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

[The command is love—not faith in sacrifice. And clearly this is then the fruit that we must produce to remain in his love and to not be a branch cut off from him.]

Acts 24:25

As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

[Felix was afraid because he knew he was not righteous. If it were as simple as accepting a sacrifice he would not be terribly worried.]

Romans 6:2

We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

[Sin is the opposite of righteousness. Sin is what harms other people or puts self above them.]

Romans 6:11-14

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

[Followers of Jesus are to be instruments of righteousness. One can hardly be an instrument of assumed righteousness through a sacrifice.]

Romans 6:17-22

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

[This continues to emphasize righteousness while also giving evidence of the meanings behind ‘death’ and ‘eternal life’ as I mentioned in the book. Paul asks the people what benefit they reaped from their lives of sin and answered it with ‘death.’ Of course, if he meant a literal death he would be writing to a bunch of dead people. He ultimately means a crappy life as opposed to literal death. Similarly, the word ‘eternal’ is more akin to ‘boundless’ and would be the opposite of a crappy life. Doing what is right leads to being a great person in God’s eyes and reaping a bountiful life of reward. This is the message Jesus clarified as God’s original intent and thus ‘completed’ or ‘fulfilled’ the ‘law and the prophets.’]

Romans 7:5-6

For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

[This explains the difference between law and heart as opposed to law and freedom to do whatever we want. By having law and stating all the things we cannot do, it merely served as an enticement and a following the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law. Now, having done away with the law and understanding that instead God will search the heart for intent, we can have an easier time simply focusing on doing what is right and God will forgive our blunders so long as we are focused on righteousness.]

1 Corinthians 13

[The entire chapter focuses on what true love is. It explains that anything can be done without love but that love itself is what is powerful. Thus, one can give without love but it is worthless since love is the goal. This again goes to show that the law was useless since it could all be done without encouraging heartfelt choices to love. This is the essence of righteousness.]

Galatians 5:13b-14&16

But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

[Walking by the Spirit, or ‘operating via God’s mindset’ will cause one not to gratify the desires of the flesh which are ultimately sensual desires of selfishness. The body tries to do what it feels like doing but if our entire outlook on life is that of righteousness, since it is opposed entirely to evil and selfishness, it will make one ‘feel’ like doing good and prevent one from performing evil. I am not entirely sure I agree, but I believe that is the point he is making. Either way, it is clear that he tells us here to serve one another as the true fulfilling of the law. This is the only fulfilling of the law which is why the law that the Pharisees had was not of God and was in need of reform and clarification.]

Galatians 6:7-9

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

[This is directly linking God’s blessings with our behavior. It further contrasts ‘destruction’ with ‘eternal’ which, to me, emphasizes yet again that the message intended to convey a crappy life versus a bountiful life as opposed to an eternal life.]

Ephesians 4:24

…and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

[This indicates that we ourselves must put the new self on. We are not merely assumed as righteous.]

Ephesians 5:8-9

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.

[After accepting Jesus as one’s master, one must live as such by producing the fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth. Thus, the righteousness is not a matter of proclaiming Jesus to be Lord.]

Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

[Love is what fills us with the fruit of righteousness and this is what makes us pure and blameless for the day of Christ. Thus, it is not Jesus’ sacrifice that makes us righteous.]

Colossians 2:20-23

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

[What is interesting about these verses is that it is not simply saying we are free from the law. It says that the law is useless to do what it was intended to do: restrain sensual indulgence (i.e. sin). And this is the real goal. Therefore, by having a spiritual mind focused on righteousness, we can indeed restrain the sensual indulgences which harms ourselves and others. Simple laws cannot ever do this. It must be a heart goal and not a written law.]

Colossians 3:7-14

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

[Here, Paul is indicating that the whole purpose of the new life is to put off the unrighteous works and to put on the righteous works of love. Not at all to be confused with laws, rules, and regulations, but everything entirely from a disposition of love toward others.]

1 Timothy 6:11

[ Final Charge to Timothy ] But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

[Righteousness is to be pursued, not merely granted from belief in a sacrifice. Timothy is charged with pursuing it and thus he either did not have it or it was something to be continually achieving.]

2 Timothy 2:22

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

[Yet again, one must pursue righteousness. It is not merely bestowed.]

Hebrews 5:13

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

[Righteousness belongs to those who have matured in the faith. The infants in the faith cannot be said to be righteous as they are still working out their salvation.]

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

[Belief that one is righteous through blood sacrifice cannot be produced via a discipline. Training in patience, on the other hand, would be unpleasant as we have to continually practice patience in things that test our patience, but it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace in the end.]

James 1:20

…because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

[Anger does not prevent one from accepting a sacrifice, but it does indeed go counter to patience and kindness which is true righteousness.]