What does it mean to be righteous?

Question: What does it mean to be righteous?

Consider the following scriptures:

Romans 3:10

There is none righteous, no, not one.

Romans 5:19

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience

of one shall many be made righteous.

The word righteous in the Biblical sense means “innocent” or “just.” It refers to those whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore do not need to be “made right” because they are already “right” as God defines being right.

Under the Old Testament, people were considered righteous if they had a just cause, or if they were honest, virtuous, and pious; or if they loved truth, or if they were temperate in most things and had clean speech. They were righteous as most humans would define the term, but they were not righteous as God defines it.

So, if no one is righteous according to Romans 3:10 above, and if someone who is already righteous does not need to be “made righteous,” and if it is possible to be “made righteous”according to Romans 5:19 above; we can conclude that it is possible to be righteous but impossible to be Biblically righteous without being made righteous.Somehow, to be righteous before God I have to be MADE righteous, even though I am a convicted sinner and therefore CAN NOT BE righteous. Confused? Sound like a contradiction? Well, it would be if somewhere between the two verses above Paul did not explain how it all works.You are encouraged to read all of Romans chapters 3-5, but the following excerpts are sufficient to make the point. Consider these verses from Romans 3:

[21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is made known, being witnessed

by the law and the prophets;

[22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon

all them that believe:

[24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is inChrist Jesus:

[25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare

his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of

God;

[26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the

justifier of him which believes in Jesus.

[28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the

law.

And these verses from Romans 4:

[3] For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto

him for righteousness.

[4] Now to him that does work is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

[5] But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is

counted for righteousness.

[16] Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be

sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the

faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

And these verses from Romans 5:

[1] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus

Christ:

[2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice

in hope of the glory of God.

[9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath

through him.

[17] For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive

abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus

Christ.

[19] For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience

of one shall many be made righteous.

[21] That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through

righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 3 tells us thatGod’s righteousness comes by the faith of Jesus Christ and is available to all that believe. We are justified(rendered righteous) by faith and granted redemption through Jesus Christ by God’s grace. God allowed Jesus to be a propitiation (an appeasement, a peacemaker) by which we could have our sins remitted(cancelled)by having faith in Jesus blood as paying the required price for our sins so that our blood would not have to pay for them.

Let’s consult the Law on this. Leviticus 17:11 tells us that “The life of the flesh is in the blood: and I (God) have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.” The New Testament translation is revealed in Romans 3: Jesus’ blood was shed upon the altar of His cross, and through our faith in that blood it becomes the atonement required for the redemption of our souls from sin. Faith in Jesus' blood declares His righteousness upon us for the remission of sins because God allowed it to work that way by His grace.His righteousness becomes our righteousness through faith in His righteous blood.

Romans 4 tells us that faith is accounted for righteousness. Faith in what? Faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the atonement that renders us innocent. Are we really innocent? No, but our faith is counted by God AS MAKING US INNOCENT(righteous) because we believed on Jesus, the One that justifies the ungodly (that’s us). Grace from God unto justification is extended to us through our faith in the blood of Christ.Thus, as Ephesians 2:8 says. We are saved BY grace THROUGH faith.

Romans 5 finishes it all up by stating that the blood of Christ has made us to be at peace with God, that we have entered into His grace, and that we will be saved from judgement. We are MADE righteous by God’s “Gift” of righteousness that will enable us to reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let’s wrap it up and make it plain. We are naturally unrighteous because we have sinned. However, we need to be righteous in order to get to Heaven. But, we can’t become righteous by ourselves, even if we continually do everything that God considers righteous. Why not? Because we do not have the power to reverse the curse that came upon our souls because of sin. Death passed from the flesh to the soul through iniquity and sin, and God has ordained that each person’s sin must be paid for with his/her own blood. By default then, surrendering our blood as payment means no eternal life.Without clean and sinless blood; we cannot be righteous, we cannot undo the curse, and we cannot be saved.

Jesus lived a sinless life and died with clean and sinless blood. God’s love, mercy, and grace allowed the blood of Jesus Christ to be the singular element in all existence that could pay the price for sins that Jesus did not commit. And, through faith God allowed it to extend to any and all sins past, present, and future for anyone under theNew Testament plan of salvation outlined in Acts 2:38. With that blood covering our souls, all that will be seen on the Day of Judgement is the spotless blood of JesusChrist. And, like the blood on the doorposts that delivered Israel from death in Egypt, so will the blood of Jesus render us righteous and innocent before God unto everlasting life.