In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated into English as "righteousness" is sedaqa. The sense of the Hebrew word is doing that which is good or "right" as defined by God. And, just as in the New Testament, it is understood that human efforts to be righteous will inevitably fall short of God's standard - that righteousness must be attributed to humans. Also, like the New Testament, the Hebrew Bible makes clear that this awareness about human righteousness is NOT to be interpreted as a permission, excuse, or license to indulge in wickedness. Once again, it is simply important to understand and acknowledge that God's righteousness is only attainable by humans with God's help!
In the Garden of Eden, God forbade Adam and Eve to partake of the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" (Genesis 2:17). Of course, the tree was a metaphor for humans trying to define righteousness and sinfulness without God's input - absent God defining it. And, we all know that Adam and Eve chose to eat the fruit of the tree which had been forbidden to them (Genesis 3:1-7). Interestingly, the very first awareness which came to the couple as a consequence of eating that fruit was a shamefulness associated with their bodies. Hence, human notions about sinfulness and righteousness were immediately corrupted/perverted, and it became clear that humans would not meet God's standard of righteousness.
Later, we are informed that God made some stupendous promises to Abraham (Genesis 15:4-5), and that Abraham "believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Indeed, as we shall see, this faith-based attribution of righteousness will figure prominently in the writings of the New Testament. Later still, God told Abraham's descendants that their inheritance of the Promised Land had NOTHING to do with their righteousness - that it was based on that promise made to their believing ancestor so long ago (Deuteronomy 9:4-6).
In the book of Job, we read that Job maintained his own righteousness in the face of many calamities and defended his behavior before the friends who had suggested that he had somehow caused his own misfortunes. However, after God confronted Job and revealed to Job that his understanding of God and his purposes was insufficient, we read that Job repented of his self-righteousness. We read that Job answered the Lord and said: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:2-6) In the end, Job realized that his own righteousness had been an illusion!
The Prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would impart righteousness to many. Isaiah observed that "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6), and he wrote that "he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9) God went on to say through the prophet that "by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:11) Indeed, toward the end of the same book, we read that "all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment." (Isaiah 64:6)
In the New Testament, we read that Jesus Christ told his followers "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6) How were they to be satisfied? By their own efforts? OR Does his statement clearly suggest that God would satisfy them with righteousness? Christ also told his disciples that their righteousness would have to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). Now, as the scribes and Pharisees were scrupulous in their observance of the commandments of Torah, it is reasonable to wonder how that (exceeding their righteousness) was to be accomplished. In that same "Sermon on the Mount," Christ went on to elaborate that he expected his followers to be motivated by the spirit of the Law. Indeed, later, in the same Gospel account, he told them that God's Law was comprehended by two "Great" commandments: Love for God and each other (Matthew 22:34-40).
Even so, Christ knew that he was about to do something on their behalf which would ensure that their righteousness exceeded that of the Jewish religious leaders of that day. Indeed, the Lord had told Joseph that his son would someday "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21) When John the Baptist saw Christ approaching him, we are informed that he said: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) A little later, in the same Gospel account, we read that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17). Christ, of course, accomplished that by living a righteous life, and then sacrificing himself for all of the sins which we have committed! Our sins were imputed to him, and his righteousness was imputed to us!
In his epistle to the Romans, Paul wrote: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:16-17) For Paul, this was the essence of the "good news" - that our faith in GOD'S righteousness would save us from sin and death. Then, after quoting the Hebrew Bible about no one being righteous before God, he wrote: "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)
Later, in that same epistle, Paul reminded his audience about the example of Abraham. He wrote: "if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.' Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:2-12) He finished the thought: "That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness.' But the words 'it was counted to him' were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:22-25)
Paul went on to explain to the Romans that "while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:6-11)
Next, he reminded them of the consequences of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden and wrote: "if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:15-19)
To be clear, the fact that our righteousness is derived from Christ does NOT excuse Christians from the obligation to live a righteous life. He went on to admonish the Romans: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14) Still, it is imperative that we understand and acknowledge that NO ONE will be justified by the works of the Law (Galatians 2:16). Paul also told the saints of Galatia that "if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose" (Verse 21). Thus, we ask again: "Whose righteousness are you relying on: Christ's or you own?
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