Man's Need for Righteousness

Let me start this blog with the word of God that says...

"He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor." - Proverbs 21:21 (KJV)

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." - Matthew 5:6 (KJV)

Many people would want to do good works. You can find people serving religions, imparting love and kindness to others, giving donations to charity institutions, giving something to the poor, upholding moral values, keeping government laws, helping people build lives, etc. This could be accounted for their spiritual need to be righteous at least in the sight of the society. People always want to do better in life and to do things which they think are right so that these things, they thought, shall be counted to them for their own righteousness. Most people, also, believe that being righteous would make them safe from the judgment of God or at least they think they will go to heaven if they just keep on being righteous. Well, somehow they are right as the word of God is telling us:

"Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death." - Proverbs 10:2 (KJV)

"In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death." - Proverbs 12:28 (KJV)

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" - Matthew 25:46 (KJV)

Though many people are not actually reading the Bible, in themselves they know that they need to be righteous. And most of the time, they gauge their righteousness based on human standards and perspectives. But how about God's standard? This is where people went short of. It is true that righteousness is required for salvation but God is the only one who saves. So therefore, it is be very much practical to believe that righteousness should only be based on the standard and under the terms of the one who saves.

"The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble" - Psalm 37:39 (KJV)

Our own righteousness might pass the human standards. But in the sight of God (or shall we say, in God's standard), all righteousness that we have wrought are nothing or has no value at all.

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we do fade as a leaf; and our iniquites, like the wind, have taken us away." - Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)

This is because, in reality, no one is righteous in the sight of God.

"...The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven, upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." - Psalm 53:1-3 (KJV)

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." - Romans 3:10-12 (KJV)

You might ask, "Why?" The reason is that all people are sinners before God. Our sins nullify all of our own so-called works of righteousness. And, whatever we do to become righteous shall surely fall short of God's standard.

"For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." - Psalm 5:4 (KJV)

"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked everyday." - Psalm 7:11 (KJV)

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" - Romans 3:23 (KJV)

Is it possible for people not to commit sin against God all their life so that they can attain God's standard of righteousness? The word of God below can make us determine if we can really do so.

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." - James 2:10 (KJV)

"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." - James 4:17 (KJV)

My friend, whether we admit it or not, we all have sinned against God. If the word of God should be the ultimate truth, then, it is not a lie when God tells us, "For all have sinned..." (Romans 3:23). So now the question is, if we all sin against God and righteousness is required for our salvation, how can we achieve righteousness? Well, first of all, I would like to settle that no good works can make us righteous before God.

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for the law is the knowledge of sin." - Romans 3:20 (KJV)

So, what can make us righteous before God? There is only one answer and that is the blood of Jesus Christ.

"...and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." - 1 John 1:7 (KJV)

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" - Colossians 1:14 (KJV)

"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." - Romans 5:9 (KJV)

There's nothing in this world, even nobody including ourselves, can make us righteous before God. This is one of the reason why God has to send us His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross by which through His righteousness we shall become righteous before God.

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

"In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." - Jeremiah 23:6 (KJV)

You need to have Jesus Christ in your life so that you can have His righteousness in you. How? Believe in Him as He is the only one who can save you. Repent and accept Him as you personal Lord and Saviour.

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." - Romans 10:4 (KJV)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." - Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)

Now, if we have to be righteous before God because of our Lord Jesus Christ, what benefit do we have? Let me end this article by sharing to you the promises of God.

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever." - Isaiah 32:17 (KJV)

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." - 1 Peter 3:12 (KJV)