Elli Poysti, a very spunky cowgirl-turned-city-slicker, asked me, "What does being righteous mean? What does righteousness look like?" Those are really great questions. I'm hoping that Mike and Nettie Clouse and the rest of our study group get some good answers. It should make for an awesome study. 

 

As much as I'd like to say that God gives a couple of bullet-points on this topic, reading His word shows that God says a TON on righteousness, so it's important to know what it means. For example, He says, "And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever." (Isaiah 32:17) He also compares being good with being righteous, notes that there was righteousness in the Law, but a type which did not give life, that we must ourselves have "righteousness which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees," or we won't have eternal life, and points out that faith is inextricably intertwined, and thus partially defined, by righteousness. 

 

Anyway, some things to consider. Afterward, answer the questions originally asked based off these passages.  

 

1—The Greek word "dikaiosune" means ""the character or quality of being right or just;" it was formerly spelled "rightwiseness," which clearly expresses the meaning." The root word, "dikaios," means to be "just," as in justice. Righteousness, applied to us, means, " right action."(Vines Theological Dictionary of Greek: http://www.menfak.no/bibelprog/vines?word=%AFt0002409)

 

2—Righteousness is an aspect of being saved: "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator" (I Peter 4:17-19). 

 

3—Righteousness is a part of our decision-making as Christians. ""Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." (Jn 7:24)

 

4—Righteousness can be of the wrong variety, such as the Jews who: "have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:2-3).

 

5—Righteousness is critical to salvation: ""For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

 

6—Righteousness is faith, "For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."

 

——>And this faith is borne out by actions. "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed [i]by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Heb 11)

 

7—Righteousness doesn't necessarily mean "goodness." "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. (Rom 5:6-7)

 

8—Righteousness in the Law (which we are no longer under) could be a harsh mistress. Paul said of himself, "as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless." (Phil 3:6)

 

9—Rightousness and justification/salvation are not the domain of the "undeniably perfect," "religious leaders," etc., and may come from surprising places. However, rightousness lives in action, and grows from a desire to love and live like Christ, and to please God.  Check out this little stunner: "In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" (James 2:25)

 

 

 

TLDR: Righteousness is following Christ, which makes sense, as He said, "“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). It is demonstrated in our lives, and we exhibit it because of God, and the working of belief in us. Ultimately, it is an expression of our character, and is notable for making us appear more like Christ, and less like the world. It can be of a type that does us no good: self-righteousness, or righteousness based off our own thoughts (ignorance) and not God's.  

 

Righteousness, however, is not merely making the right actions. It is not merely justice. It is tied up in our character and our motives. 

 

 

Here is one thing I studied a while back, though, about being GOOD and exceeding being merely righteous.  https://www.facebook.com/notes/lucas-necessary/son-of-encouragement/720620628033106