What Righteousness Means

WHAT RIGHTEOUSNESS MEANS

THERE is no other word in the Bible, or in theology, which is less understood and appreciated than this word. Yet enwrapped within it is everything for which humanity has craved. This thing that Righteousness gives to man is the parent of all human religions. The gross, immoral religions of paganism, and the refined, cultured, philosophical religions of the modern day, are all the children of man’s desire for the thing that Righteousness gives to him.

Righteousness restores to man all that he lost in the Fall, plus a new relationship as a son with all its privileges. Let us notice just a few of the many things that Righteousness gives us as revealed in Christ’s finished work.

Our Standing Is Restored

Righteousness comes to us in the New Creation. It restores our standing before God. It takes away the old Sin-Consciousness that has crippled and robbed us of all our spiritual initiative, confidence and assurance in His presence. It restores to man a standing before the Father on the same ground that Jesus enjoyed in His earth walk. Remember the fearlessness of Jesus in the presence of the Father, His fearlessness before Satan.

He knew He had a legal right in the Father’s presence. He knew He was the Master of Satan and all his forces.
Remember how fearless He was in the storm, and what an absolute Ruler He was over the laws of nature. He was not afraid to say to dead Lazarus, even in the presence of a large number of people, “Lazarus, come forth.” He had no sense of inferiority in the presence of death. He had no sense of inferiority in the presence of disease. He was not afraid to speak to the maimed and command them to become whole.
Righteousness is a masterful thing.
The problem is: Has God restored Righteousness to man? That is the reason we are writing this little hook. We are trying to answer that age-old problem.