Righteousness: STANDING RIGHT(Part II)

We established yesterday, the fact that many of God’s people have misinterpreted the subject of righteousness thinking it to be just living right and we learned that although there is an aspect of righteousness that involves living right, it does not begin as living right but rather standing right with God. We saw through scriptures in Isaiah 64:6 that there is such that is called the works of righteousness and this righteousness that comes by our works (living right) is said to be as filthy rags before the Lord. This therefore implies that our living right without standing right with the Lord has no meaning. It has no bearing whatsoever in the sight of God.

God sure wants us to live right but that is not God’s first interpretation of righteousness. A man has to be born first into the world to live in the world, he has to be born first to live. How can we live right when we have not even started right in the sight of God. So, an understanding of righteousness will enable the believer to live a successful Christian life.

Think about this. If righteousness was only about living right, then an unbeliever can live right and would not require salvation. He believes God is at peace with him because he does the right things but that does not justify him before the Lord. A typical example will be Cornelius in the bible. In as much as he prayed and gave alms and was a very religious fellow, doing good deeds, God saw his heart but still had to demand his salvation. The good deeds of Cornelius were not enough to get him saved, He still had to go through the process of salvation which then makes one eligible to have the gift of righteousness.