What is righteousness?

Answer

Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, attitude, behavior, and word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His character and establish the standard by which He evaluates human righteousness.

The Greek New Testament word for “righteousness” primarily refers to conduct in relation to others, especially concerning the rights of others in business, legal matters, and in relation to God. It is contrasted with wickedness, the behavior of someone who, out of extreme self-centeredness, neither honors God nor respects others. The Bible portrays the righteous individual as just, upright, and trusting in God (Psalm 33:18-22).

The challenging reality is that achieving true and flawless righteousness is unattainable for humans on their own; the standard is too lofty. The encouraging news is that genuine righteousness is achievable for humanity, but only through the forgiveness of sin by Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit within. We lack the capacity to attain righteousness independently. However, believers possess the righteousness of Christ, because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” «For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.», (2 Corinthians 5:21). This truth is astounding. At the cross, Jesus exchanged our sin for His flawless righteousness so that one day we can stand before God. He will not see our sin but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

This signifies that in God’s eyes, we are righteous; we are acknowledged and treated as righteous by God because of what the Lord Jesus accomplished. He bore sin; we receive righteousness. On the cross, Jesus was treated as a sinner, despite His perfect holiness and purity, while we are treated as righteous, even though we are tainted and corrupt. Because of what the Lord Jesus endured on our behalf, we are treated as if we had completely obeyed God’s Law and had never been subject to its punishment. We have been given this invaluable gift of righteousness from the God of all mercy and grace. To Him be the glory!