A REWARDING way to live!
- Heather Edmund
- Sep 11, 2023
- 10 min read
Being righteous goes beyond just living the right way; it gives us a life that others can only dream of.
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What comes to mind when you hear the word righteous?
Do you think it means striving for perfection and never making mistakes? Or do you see it as forsaking the pleasure of living?
Righteousness is not about these things. It is about being in a correct relationship with God and living in a manner that is pleasing to Him (1 John 3:7).
Let's take Abraham as an example, since Abraham serves as a prime example of how righteousness pleases God.
Abraham's trust in God was seen as righteousness. When he believed in God's promises, it was not only considered as righteousness, but he was also referred to as God's friend (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23).
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome [not difficult, not oppressive, and not undesirably restrictive]." — 1 John 5:3 (ESV)
Benefits of righteousness
Living righteously attracts and gives you several blessings (Psalm 106:3) and favor (Philippians 1:11).
Most importantly, it grants entry to the Kingdom of Heaven and allows access to all that is within it (Matthew 5:20, 6:33). Without it, you won't see God (Hebrews 12:14).
You’ll experience ultimate satisfaction and will no longer feel empty inside (Matthew 5:6).
You’ll live relaxed and be at peace because you’re fully dependent on God (Romans 1:17).
In order for some of us to see God's promises come to fruition, we need to follow the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Genesis 18:19 ESV says, "For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
A righteous person's prayers are effective
The prayers of the righteous yield incredible results, ensuring success for anything asked with faith. Proverbs 10:24 NIV states that, what the wicked fear will come upon them, but what the righteous long for will be granted.
If you walk in the way of the Lord and live righteously, you, like Moses, can also have God's full attention (1Peter 3:12; Exodus 32:9-14). As stated in Psalm 34:15 ESV, "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry," because when you are considered righteous, your prayers hold great power (James 5:16).
"But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." — Malachi 4:2 (ESV)
Having righteousness empowers you to persevere in the current times and enables you to lead a stable life in a chaotic world. According to Proverbs 13:6, righteousness is essential for remaining blameless, as seen in Genesis 6:9 and Proverbs 11:5-6.
"In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death." — Proverbs 12:28 (ESV)
Psalm 94:15 says, "Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it."
"Upright in heart" describes the condition of a person's heart, which is seen as the core of our moral values and guidance. Therefore, it suggests that as followers of Christ, we should align with God's righteous standards not only externally but also internally within our hearts.
Your righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees
Genuine righteousness extends beyond simply following rules; it is also tied to the state of one's heart. Like the Pharisees, who were regarded as righteous by the public, God could see past their external appearance and recognize the evil inside.
The Pharisees, a prominent religious group during the time of Jesus, were highly regarded by the general public for their outward displays of righteousness and piety.
They meticulously followed religious laws and traditions, often standing out as examples of moral uprightness in society. However, beneath this facade of righteousness, God saw into their hearts and recognized the true nature of their intentions.
Despite their outward appearance of goodness, the Pharisees were frequently driven by pride, self-righteousness, and a craving for power and recognition.
Their actions were often driven by a desire to maintain their status and authority within the religious community rather than a genuine love for God and others.
True righteousness extends beyond external appearances or religious rituals; it resides in the state of your heart. In essence, it's your inner character and who you genuinely are. This is why we can deceive people but not God, as God perceives our true nature even when it's difficult for others to do so.
Matthew 5:20 ESV says, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Righteousness leads to a life filled with blessings, favor, and empowerment. Reflecting on the words of Mathew 5:6 which says when you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you’ll be satisfied, we understand that the pursuit of righteousness is not in vain.
Striving for righteousness is worthwhile. This guarantee provides hope, as it means that whatever a righteous individual seeks will be provided, permitted, and acknowledged.
A righteous person is grounded and established. They’ll never be replaced, removed, or knocked down in life—enabling them to live life fearlessly.
Proverbs 10:30 TLB says, “The good shall never lose God’s blessings, but the wicked shall lose everything.”
When you strive for righteousness, something starts to happen inside. You will find yourself less inclined to do things you shouldn’t do. Wrong ways or behaviors will start to matter. And the desire to change and do better will become important.
God's essence and nature is righteousness, and it is righteousness that serves as the means of correction for us.
Malachi 3:3 NIV illustrates the actions of righteousness (God) in a tangible way. “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.”
According to this Scripture, God's purpose is to purify us until we transform into righteous individuals. This purification process removes impurities from our soul, self-awareness, feelings, emotions, longings, and passions. It breaks the cycle of unhealthy habits and sin, ultimately leading us to become righteousness individuals.
Purification is necessary for us to be acceptable to Him.
The process of refining silver uses extreme heat to eliminate impurities, symbolizing how God purifies His people. This is a meticulous and intentional process, reflecting God's patience and precision in transforming us. Just as the Levites were purified to restore them to faithful service, God similarly purifies us to bring us back to holiness.
Then we begin to shine (Psalm 97:11). As we start shining, we become the light of the world, like a city on a hill that cannot be concealed (Matthew 5:14).
In a world full of sin, God wants us to be flawless, pure, and untainted, demonstrating a superior way of living to others through our conduct (Philippians 2:15).
Daniel 12:3 ESV says, “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
Being righteous enables God’s power to emanate from us with great intensity. We will excel in all areas, showcasing remarkable skills and becoming outstanding, impressive, and exceptionally proficient.
Our own happiness will radiate the presence of God as we experience joy, love, and optimal health.
We’ll have overwhelming amazing qualities, and all this is possible because we have allowed ourselves to be well polished by God.
As God refines us, He eliminates all the unwanted elements like negative characteristics, inherited behaviors, and sin. Yet, this is just one aspect of having the light within us and living in alignment with it. We will also have influence on others and make an impact.
If you choose to have a relationship with Christ, you can have access to so much more and position yourself to never walk in darkness again.
We will do all that it takes to make the relationship we have with our partner last and excel. We should have this same intensity and passion for our relationship with God.
Your point of surrender will transform into your point of change. By humbling ourselves and admitting to God our true nature, recognizing our urgent need for His assistance, we will radiate like the sun in His Kingdom (Matthew 13:43).
Living a righteous life is important to God and should not be taken lightly because we’re more effective to the world based on our lifestyle than what we say.
As you choose to live a righteous life change starts to happen inside you as you become a person of influence to those around you, your family, your community, and the world. We should be change-makers and world changers.
This Scripture passage shows you how a righteous person thinks and acts:
“He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar.”
— Isaiah 33:15-17 (ESV)
This Scripture says a righteous person doesn't profit from injustice or exploitation. They're not someone you can persuade dishonestly or illegally.
They're not interested in hearing gossip or slander. They refuse to listen to those who plot murder. They close their eyes to evil thoughts and against contemplating evil, and hate what is evil, focusing only on what is good (Romans 12:9).
By choosing not to engage in what is wrong and evil, they are rewarded with a superior, exceptional, more excellent, triumphant life. They will be granted protection, security, and sustenance. And most importantly, they are the only ones that can see our King in His glory and beauty.
Righteousness puts us in perfect union with God where we will live life according to His will. And since God's nature is righteous, the more we get closer to Him the more we will be aware of our weaknesses and sins.
Righteousness is not a criterion or a requirement done to condemn us; it's necessary to get us to the place of holiness (1 Peter 1:16). For it is written, "be holy, because I am holy."
Part of being holy means we must conform more into His image, and this cannot be done without righteousness. It’ll take time, but you’ll notice the change as you move from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Anything that dominates you controls you and what you become dependent on.
Romans 6:14 NIV states, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are under grace, not under the law." Do not allow your sinful desires, cravings, habits, or behaviors to control you. Avoid being enslaved by the flesh; instead, strive to have mastery over it.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, then you have authority given to you to overcome. Luke 10:19 NIV says, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Serpents and scorpions are symbolic for evil and satanic powers and influences. Therefore, when we put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, we will be able to stand our ground (Ephesians 6:13).
Being saved is just the beginning. DAILY we must seek and strive to live a holy righteous life (Isaiah 55:6; Hebrews 12:14).
There are things God wants to share with His loved ones (you), but you must walk in His will to be shown things that are beneficial to your life. (Jeremiah 33:3).
Who we are in Christ
We are living building-stones for God’s use in building His house. We are a selected generation, a priesthood of royalty, a group of holy individuals, a peculiar, different, unique people that should be showing out the praises of God, who has brought us from darkness into His wonderful light. We are created for His own possession, proclaiming His excellency (1 Peter 2:5,9).
Who we are should be seen in our lives. Every area of our life should have God's approval. And our lives should be bringing God glory.
The Kingdom of Heaven is a real place that is perfect and full of love. A place of sheer bliss with the direct unfiltered presence of God. A place of pure happiness where God's unadulterated presence is felt. But only the ones who are righteous can enter.
Living life with God and for God feels good! Don't listen to the voice of the enemy that tells you living for God is dull, restricting, boring, hard, or that you are missing out on life.
It may feel difficult initially as your flesh is resisting this change (Galatians 5:16-17, Romans 7:21-25, Romans 8:5); however, if you persevere, you'll experience firsthand how amazing your life will be afterward.
Seek righteousness, then you’ll be attractive to others, who will eventually want righteousness too.
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A call for salvation
When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, His spirit will become one with yours. This is one of the greatest blessings of salvation. You don't have to go through someone else to get to God, as you and Him are now one.
All you must do is receive salvation, simply choosing to repent of your sins and welcome Jesus into your life by confessing Him as Lord. In Romans 10:9 Paul said, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Here's a Prayer that you can pray to get saved:
Jesus, I confess that you are Lord, and I believe in my heart that you died and were risen for my sins. I ask for forgiveness of my sins, and I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior—in Jesus' name, Amen.
After this step, pray for guidance to find a ministry where you can grow spiritually, gain knowledge about the kingdom, and begin living the abundant life promised by Jesus.
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