Rightheousness in very simple terms is having a right standing with God. It is a state of justification, where we are declared not guilty of our sins under the laws of God. This state of justification only comes through faith in Christ Jesus. (Romans 1:16-17).
- ... righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17).
For the Christian, rigtheousness is more than morality --- it is more than ‘dos and don'ts“ --- its the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:17; 2:13). Our best efforts to be rigtheous without faith will produce what Isaiah calls “filthy“ rags (Isaiah 64:6). Does that excuse our behaviour and sins then? Obviously, no, that will be irresponsibility and abuse of the grace of God. “...Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?God forbid...“ (Romans 6:1-2).
I believe you might have already encountered the struggles and dissappointments of trying in your own strength to be rigtheous in your Christian walk. You try to read your bible more. You fast more. You meditate more. You pray more. In fact, it seems the more you try to be good, the more you keep falling flat on your face.
Does this sound familair? I guess it does. If you have been trying in your own strength to be rigtheouse; your trying will only produce constant failure until you change your focus from yourself and look up to Jesus for grace and strength. Hear the testimony of one of the greatest Apostles of human history, Apostle Paul.
Romans 7
19:For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 24: O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
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