{"id":44281,"date":"2024-01-04T10:28:18","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T07:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44281"},"modified":"2025-05-06T03:03:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T00:03:25","slug":"what-is-righteousness-in-the-bible-what-is-the-righteousness-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/01\/04\/what-is-righteousness-in-the-bible-what-is-the-righteousness-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Righteousness in the Bible? What Is the Righteousness of God?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Righteousness, <\/span>in <\/span>its <\/span>simplest <\/span>form, <\/span>means <\/span>that <\/span>which <\/span>someone <\/span>rightfully <\/span>deserves<\/span><\/em>. <\/span>For <\/span>instance, <\/span>every <\/span>human <\/span>being <\/span>has <\/span>the <\/span>right <\/span>to <\/span>live. <\/span>No <\/span>one <\/span>has <\/span>the <\/span>right <\/span>to <\/span>take <\/span>another <\/span>person\u2019s <\/span>life <\/span>based <\/span>on <\/span>their <\/span>gender, <\/span>physical <\/span>appearance, <\/span>mental <\/span>state, <\/span>or <\/span>disability. <\/span>As <\/span>long <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>person <\/span>is <\/span>human, <\/span>they <\/span>deserve <\/span>the <\/span>right <\/span>to <\/span>life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another <\/span>example: <\/span>if <\/span>someone <\/span>has <\/span>studied <\/span>and <\/span>completed <\/span>a <\/span>degree <\/span>in <\/span>medicine, <\/span>we <\/span>rightfully <\/span>call <\/span>them <\/span>a <\/span>doctor. <\/span>They\u2019ve <\/span>earned <\/span>that <\/span>title <\/span>through <\/span>the <\/span>appropriate <\/span>qualifications.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>the <\/span>same <\/span>way, <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>spiritual <\/span>realm, <\/span>God <\/span>also <\/span>has <\/span>His <\/span>standards <\/span>of <\/span>righteousness. <\/span>In <\/span>the <\/span>beginning, <\/span>in <\/span>order <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>close <\/span>to <\/span>God <\/span>and <\/span>receive <\/span>His <\/span>blessings <\/span>and <\/span>favor, <\/span>a <\/span>person <\/span>had <\/span>to <\/span>fully <\/span>obey <\/span>His <\/span>Law. <\/span>That <\/span>is, <\/span>they <\/span>had <\/span>to <\/span>live <\/span>a <\/span>perfect <\/span>life <\/span>in <\/span>line <\/span>with <\/span>all <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>commandments. <\/span>In <\/span>return, <\/span>they <\/span>would <\/span>receive <\/span>His <\/span>spiritual <\/span>blessings. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>clearly <\/span>outlined <\/span>in <\/span>Deuteronomy <\/span>28<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, <\/span>unfortunately, <\/span>no <\/span>one <\/span>was <\/span>ever <\/span>able <\/span>to <\/span>completely <\/span>fulfill <\/span>all <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>commandments. <\/span>Human <\/span>beings <\/span>have <\/span>consistently <\/span>fallen <\/span>short <\/span>of <\/span>God’s <\/span>perfect <\/span>standard. <\/span>The <\/span>Bible <\/span>says:<\/span><\/p>\n

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“<\/span>All <\/span>have <\/span>turned <\/span>away, <\/span>all <\/span>have <\/span>become <\/span>corrupt; <\/span>there <\/span>is <\/span>no <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>does <\/span>good, <\/span>not <\/span>even <\/span>one.” \u2014 <\/span>Psalm <\/span>14:<\/span>3, <\/span>NIV<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Because <\/span>of <\/span>this, <\/span>no <\/span>one <\/span>could <\/span>rightfully <\/span>claim <\/span>righteousness <\/span>before <\/span>God <\/span>through <\/span>their <\/span>own <\/span>deeds. <\/span>Everyone <\/span>was <\/span>guilty <\/span>of <\/span>sin.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>response <\/span>to <\/span>this, <\/span>God <\/span>created <\/span>a <\/span>new <\/span>plan <\/span>to <\/span>save <\/span>humanity. <\/span>He <\/span>made <\/span>a <\/span>way <\/span>for <\/span>human <\/span>beings <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>declared <\/span>righteous\u2014<\/span>not <\/span>by <\/span>keeping <\/span>the <\/span>Law\u2014<\/span>but <\/span>through <\/span>faith <\/span>in <\/span>His <\/span>Son, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>essence <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Gospel: <\/span>that <\/span>anyone <\/span>who <\/span>believes <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus <\/span>receives <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>righteousness <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>free <\/span>gift, <\/span>apart <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>Law.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“<\/span>But <\/span>now <\/span>apart <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>law <\/span>the <\/span>righteousness <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>has <\/span>been <\/span>made <\/span>known, <\/span>to <\/span>which <\/span>the <\/span>Law <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>Prophets <\/span>testify. <\/span>This <\/span>righteousness <\/span>is <\/span>given <\/span>through <\/span>faith <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ <\/span>to <\/span>all <\/span>who <\/span>believe. <\/span>There <\/span>is <\/span>no <\/span>difference <\/span>between <\/span>Jew <\/span>and <\/span>Gentile, <\/span>for <\/span>all <\/span>have <\/span>sinned <\/span>and <\/span>fall <\/span>short <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>glory <\/span>of <\/span>God, <\/span>and <\/span>all <\/span>are <\/span>justified <\/span>freely <\/span>by <\/span>his <\/span>grace <\/span>through <\/span>the <\/span>redemption <\/span>that <\/span>came <\/span>by <\/span>Christ <\/span>Jesus.” \u2014 <\/span>Romans <\/span>3:<\/span>21\u2013<\/span>24, <\/span>NIV<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So <\/span>now, <\/span>when <\/span>you <\/span>believe <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus <\/span>as <\/span>your <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>Savior, <\/span>you <\/span>are <\/span>counted <\/span>as <\/span>righteous <\/span>before <\/span>God\u2014<\/span>not <\/span>because <\/span>of <\/span>your <\/span>good <\/span>works\u2014<\/span>but <\/span>because <\/span>of <\/span>Christ\u2019s <\/span>perfect <\/span>obedience <\/span>and <\/span>sacrifice <\/span>on <\/span>your <\/span>behalf. <\/span>You <\/span>are <\/span>made <\/span>holy, <\/span>you <\/span>are <\/span>accepted, <\/span>and <\/span>you <\/span>can <\/span>approach <\/span>God <\/span>with <\/span>confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“<\/span>Let <\/span>us <\/span>then <\/span>approach <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>throne <\/span>of <\/span>grace <\/span>with <\/span>confidence, <\/span>so <\/span>that <\/span>we <\/span>may <\/span>receive <\/span>mercy <\/span>and <\/span>find <\/span>grace <\/span>to <\/span>help <\/span>us <\/span>in <\/span>our <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>need.” \u2014 <\/span>Hebrews <\/span>4:<\/span>16, <\/span>NIV<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This <\/span>is <\/span>what <\/span>we <\/span>call <\/span>“<\/span>the <\/span>righteousness <\/span>that <\/span>comes <\/span>from <\/span>God”<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>earned <\/span>by <\/span>our <\/span>effort <\/span>but <\/span>received <\/span>by <\/span>grace <\/span>through <\/span>faith <\/span>in <\/span>Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through <\/span>Jesus:<\/span><\/p>\n