Righteousness

	"Righteousness exalts a nation," the wise man observes in Proverbs 14:34, "but sin is a disgrace to {any} people."
	Last time we discussed the word, "sin."  Let's turn our attention, now, to an examination of "righteousness."
	As Solomon so correctly points out, righteousness exalts a nation.  Our nation seems to be groping more and more with growing problems in our society.  At the same time, we seem to be less and less willing to accept the inevitable solution.  On the one hand, we recognize that crime, drug abuse and other problems result when the structure of the family breaks down.  We spend millions of dollars on studies to uncover this obvious fact.  On the other hand, we rush to support homosexuality, abortion, divorce and sex outside of marriage.  We want the results of responsibility, but we want to obtain them by being irresponsible.
	A glance through a popular magazine reveals an ad for a well-known sports shoe.  The ad revolves around a single word: hedonism.  Hedonism is the belief that pleasure is the only thing that matters.  It is the opposite of righteousness.  Yet our society glorifies hedonism and belittles righteousness.
	The Greek philosophers often discussed the concept of virtue.  They developed lists of important virtues.  These lists generally included concepts such as wisdom, self-control and righteousness.  In contrast, our society glorifies ignorance, self-indulgence and hedonism.
	How did the Greeks define righteousness?  They proposed that a righteous man was one who conformed.  He was civilized.  He observed the customs.  He fulfilled his obligations to God and to man.
	More importantly, how does the Bible define righteousness?  It is generally associated with a law or a set of rules.  A righteous person is, quite simply, one who does right.  And "right" is determined by God.
	"And they were both righteous in the sight of God," Luke 1:6 says of John's parents Elizabeth and Zacharias, "walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord."
	Living righteously assumes three things.  First, we must have knowledge.  We must know what is right and what is wrong.
	The day was when our society knew the word of God.  We read it.  We studied it.  We depended on it to guide us.  That day is gone.  Our modern experts reject God's Word as being old-fashioned and out-of-date.  We are to be guided by "more modern" concepts.  This is true not only of the secular world, but also of the so-called religious world.  Try to estimate how much of a given denomination's doctrine is based on the Bible and how much is based on human reasoning and philosophy.
	"Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge," God laments in Isaiah 5:13, "and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude is parched with thirst."
	"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge," God notes in Hosea 4:6.  "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."
	"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32, "who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.  Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; {they are} gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."
	Does this sound familiar?  We are not a righteous nation because we do not know the Word of God.

	Righteousness demands that we have a knowledge of right and wrong.  The second requirement for righteousness is conformity.  That's right: conformity.  Yes, our society despises this word.  In order to be righteous, though, we have to do that which is right according to God.  We must conform to His instructions.
	"But you did not learn Christ in this way," Paul reminds the readers in Ephesians 4:20-24, "if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in {the likeness of} God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."
	Righteousness requires knowledge and conformity.  The third step is action.  Righteous people don't just think righteously.  They act righteously.
	"If you know that He is righteous," 1 John 2:29 says of Jesus,  "you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him."
	"Little children," 1 John 3:7 encourages, "let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous."
	Righteousness exalts a nation.  A righteous nation is made up of righteous people.  These are people who know what is right. They conform to what is right.  They do what is right.
	As we seek to be righteous, we have a perfect example to follow.
	"But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One," Peter tells the people in Acts 3:14, "and asked for a murderer to be granted to you."
	Jesus is the perfect example of righteousness.  From childhood, Jesus sought to know right from wrong.
	"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature," Luke 2:52 records, "and in favor with God and men."
	Jesus conformed to God's will.
	"I can do nothing on My own initiative," Jesus explains in John 5:30.  "As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."
	Jesus acted in accordance with righteousness.
	"Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan {coming} to John," we read in Matthew 3:13-15, "to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?'  But Jesus answering said to him, 'Permit {it} at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he permitted Him."
	How can we pursue righteousness?  We can follow the example of Jesus in knowledge, conformity and action.  Does God expect us to live righteously, or can we, as the world suggests, simply "do our own thing"?  And what is in it for us if we choose righteousness?
	"For the grace of God has appeared," Paul notes in Titus 2:11-14, "bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
	"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to {any} people."
	Righteous citizens preserve a nation.  This grants political freedom.  And a righteous life preserves a soul.  This leads to spiritual freedom.  Let's know, conform to and act upon the truth so that we may all be free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."