Proverbs 11:19 “As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.“
The righteous walk in obedience. God has always commanded that we walk in his path, rather than our own personal preferences, to produce righteousness. He commanded Israel in the old testament to walk in His statues. His disciples in the new testament were commanded to follow Him. We are commanded to walk in the Spirit wherever He leads us – over hills and through valleys, or in stillness at rest.
Righteousness is a free gift from God that we receive when we receive Him; and we grow in it as we follow Him. Righteousness is the highest relationship between God and the born-again Christian; faithfully following Christ in the unique steps He’s created for us in surrender. These steps are as unique as our own footprints – our walk – towards becoming like Him.
A guy called into a Christian radio station and started talking about an organization that he started overseas for a group that was in need. The Christian radio interviewer asked him who got him started or encouraged him to do it. The caller said, “God.” The Christian radio interviewer said, “Yeah but who else… was there anyone else who said you should do it?” The interviewer sounded determined to find out who the other person was.
If God said it, do we need anyone to second it?
Many Christians confuse “the righteous walk” with being busy, doing churchy things.
I was talking on the phone to a long-time friend and she asked me, “… so what are you doing for the Lord?” And she asked me just like that, with the emphasis on ‘doing’. She was busy doing this, that, and the other so she was comparing to see if my “doing” was as big as hers. In her eyes, “doing” equals “righteousness”.
But Christianity is not a “doing religion” it is a “being relationship”. Most religions are sacrificial, or ‘doing’ religions. The more they ‘do’ for their god the better their chances of getting into heaven. Their religions transform the outside, but Christianity transforms the inside. The more we follow Him, the more we become like Him; therefore, the more we are assured of being with Him and reigning with Him when we die.
looking righteous blesses the eyes of people; “being” righteous blesses the heart of God~Terri
As born-again Christians (while we are breathing on this earth) we will be walking towards righteousness because God is always calling us toward Him. We will never be perfect. We will never measure up to the righteousness of God and will always fall short – even when we are in strict obedience, because of our inadequate sinful nature. But His grace fills the space between our imperfection and His completeness. It is the distance between our human obedience and His divine Holiness. He fills in the gap. God completes us.
