We must teach plainly that the faith which saves the soul is not a dead faith, but a faith which operates with purifying effect upon our entire nature, and produces in us fruits of righteousness to the praise and glory of God. – Charles Spurgeon.
Righteousness, a term commonly used, has unfortunately become somewhat cliché, with its true meaning often subject to individual interpretations. This has resulted in many either underestimating or overemphasizing its essence. Underestimating righteousness can lead individuals in the body of Christ to become complacent, comfortably living in sin while thinking themselves righteous enough for heaven(Proverbs 30:12). On the other hand, exaggerating righteousness can cause unnecessary struggles and stress in the pursuit of a lifestyle aligned with an exaggerated sense of it(Ecclesiastes 7:16). This article aims to share my perspective on what righteousness is, its essence, and its consequences.
In my simple viewpoint, righteousness is synonymous with living and exercising faith. Faith, in turn, is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). To hope for something acknowledges its yet-to-be-established nature (Isaiah 46:10), but to hold unwavering assurance and belief in its occurrence transforms that hope into faith.
“Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all the things put under him.” – Hebrews 2:8 KJV
As Christians, our ultimate hope lies in the establishment of the kingdom of God. We express our unwavering belief in its establishment by living as if the kingdom is already here, rejoicing in our grasp of it through faith. Walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), we recognize that the world’s reality, perceived by sight, is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Though we live in the world, we abhor and despise it because we are firm in our conviction that we do not belong here (John 17:16). This isn’t to say we must despise our existence in the world (Philippians 1:22-23); rather, we groan with such a radical desire, which is only satisfied in part by living as though we’re already established in the kingdom. In this, we come to exist in a dimension where our mind, heart, and soul are aligned with the will of God in His word by faith (Matthew 22:37), living by spiritual senses guided by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 6:10, Romans 10:17). Though the world may view this as some form of willful delusion, Christians must not feel attacked or insulted(1 Peter 4:14); but rather emboldened, drawing inspiration from scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 1:27 and 1 Corinthians 3:18-19, encouraging perseverance in “foolish pursuits” (at least from the world’s point of view) to attain wisdom.
Pursuing and exercising this faith is no walk in the park (as many of us know too well); rather, it requires grace only God can bestow. As a people, without the divine understanding of this spiritual dimension, we will remain blind to the glory of God, deaf to his voice, defunct in all forms of offerings or works, and forever disabled in our ability to walk in His will. The pursuit of true wisdom becomes impossible, thereby robbing us of any form of boasting about achieving righteousness by merit. This realization breeds humility, positioning our hearts unto a step-by-step “Holy Spirit-led” journey into attaining His righteousness(Proverbs 24:6).
The sustainable pursuit of righteousness starts with a humble yet desperate desire to know God through His word, leading to a fervent hope for the establishment of that word. This cultivates unwavering trust in God, transforming the realities of this world into delusions while making God’s word and promises the true matter of fact and reality. Walking in this reality is the essence of righteousness.
