Righteousness
State
Righteousness is the quality or state of being morally correct and justifiable. It can be considered synonymous with "rightness" or being "upright".
Couple of things:
The Bible teaches that righteousness is based on what God says about what makes us right in His eyes. What makes us right or righteous in God’s eyes is not anything that we have done. It is our response to His grace by believing through faith that what God has told us about salvation through His Son, Jesus the Christ, is true.
I was watching a YouTube video about "where does one go after death." Obviously it listed the two common choices, Heaven and Hell. It went on to say that the moment after death we are judged according to our works, and that got me both concerned and caused me to listen a bit more closely.
The mini program was well produced and of professional quality, but the content had me squirming in my seat. The narrator kept hammering on the point that we would be judged, and judged on the basis of our righteousness. Well, heck, I thought, then we are all going to hell. For who is righteous amongst us? I'd say no one. Who is without sin? Anyone? I doubt it. I'll wager that everyone has sin in their life to contend with.
So back to righteousness and how is it that we reach that state? You see, I think we are only righteous through grace. I think I am a sinner, and I think I should try to become righteous through my efforts, which fall short every single day. But, I am made perfect in God's eyes through the grace he has abundantly afforded me. In other words, I, by myself stand a zero chance of achieving righteousness but can only be made so, and then acceptable to God through forgiveness. That forgiveness was paid for on the cross through the human death of Jesus who died a horribly painful death. He absorbed all of our sin and that sin died along with him right then and there...Wow!
And with the death of the sin of man on that cross, the old law that was handed down through the profits and Moses to the Jewish people as the means to become righteous was replaced with grace. Think about that for just a moment. You are a screw up, just like me. Point to one day you would be proud enough of, and that is worthy enough to earn a pass through the pearly gates? One you could give to God as a gift that shows you worthy of earning an eternity in heaven? Take your time, we have all day...
OK, that's quite long enough. I'll cut you short because unless you are delusional, you shouldn't be able to point to such a day. If you think you can, I have a friend who has an office in the Cincinnati psychiatric center who could fit you in. He's pretty good, I go to visit, err, have a quoffee with him quite frequently (wink- wink).
Back to this vid. From what I understood it to say, it was giving a false message that you had to achieve a state of righteousness in order to get into heaven and avoid the eternal flames and separation from God that is Hades. You can't do it! Nobody can! You can only become righteous through forgiveness of sin. The only one who can forgive your sin is God himself. Not your priest, not your best friend, your neighbor or commanding officer. The only way to get that forgiveness is through the blood of that most wonderful man, Jesus. I almost don't want to call him a man, but, my black leather history book says he actually lived, had a job, and walked around the dusty streets of his time.
Romans 10:9 clearly states the most important scripture in my view in all the bible. Sure, John 3:16 tells us who and what God is, but without the passage in Romans, John is only good information for you to tuck away whether serving in heaven or suffering in the Firey lake. Romans 10:9 will save you if you do what it says. If you actually do believe as it calls you to do. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Be careful when listening to the word of man. It could be right, like when it echos the word from the bible, or it could be wrong. I think in these late days a smart person would want to know more and more about what the word says. It is the only truth that matters, is unchanging, will transform you, and in the end, save you.
Funny, but in closing, a name just popped up in my mind...Bob, I think this message was meant for you.
