What am I talking about? Let me ask you a question? Are you righteous? Wait…before you answer, let me make a qualification.
Answer yes and then tell me how you feel. Do you feel like a hypocrite? Do you feel like you’re not in the category of saints that have the right to say yes? Are you making a list of good deeds and determining if they outweigh the bad?
Okay, so now tell me…are you righteous? Why? Or Why not?
What criteria did you use to come to that conclusion? ________
Maybe you’re wondering what exactly it means to be righteous.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “self-righteous.” We use that to judge other people that we think are haughty and pride themselves in who they are and what they have done. We certainly don’t want to be considered in that category, or at least admit that we are.
A good example from the Bible of self-righteousness would be the Pharisees and teachers of the Law in Jesus’ day.
Jesus himself said the Pharisees prided themselves in their good works and they loved the praise of men. And then He called them hypocrites.
Matthew 6:1-2, 5 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men….’And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.’”
Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
But did you know Jesus also warned us that our righteousness must be greater than the Pharisees?
Matthew 5:20 for I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
So how can we be “more righteous” than them?
For those who interpret the Bible religiously, this scripture might say that our actions and even our good works must be better than those of the Pharisees. But this interpretation doesn’t make sense, because the Pharisees actions were better than most and they followed the law to the T. And yet Jesus rebuked them.
Here’s another translation of this same verse.
But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat. 5:20)
I like this translation because it’s broken down. It makes it easier for those that tend to view scripture from a self-effort mindset to see that nothing about salvation has to do with you. If Jesus has done EVERYTHING for us by his sinless life, death and resurrection by grace and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9) and He has, then our actions and good works don’t have anything to do with our righteousness. Jesus is telling us that there is a true righteousness that is better than the self-righteousness of the Pharisees.
Many of us have never compared ourselves to Pharisees. After all, that was from the Bible, 2000 years ago. But the principle is exactly the same. No one enters the kingdom of God, receiving the benefits of salvation in their own effort. Our good works would never be enough to save us or justify us before God. We must depend solely on what Jesus has done to receive a position of righteousness that is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.
So if you’re thinking you are righteous because of your good works, then you are: self-righteous, and your righteousness does not exceed that of the Pharisees who judge their righteousness by their own effort.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags
The Apostle Paul speaks about his own accomplishments in himself, and refers to Isaiah, saying, “Though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ...that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Phil. 3:4,7-9)
How will our righteousness exceed those who perform perfectly in their own efforts? Only through the sacrifice of Jesus. This righteousness is not earned but given by God as a gift of His mercy and grace. We receive it by faith in what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.
Faith righteousness-imputed
Romans 3:21-23 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
However, if you have accepted salvation and still you refuse to claim the righteousness that God says is yours, then you are prideful. It is not humility to deny what God has done for you. Taking God at His Word, whatever He has said and submitting to His Word is true humility.
1 Peter 5:5b-7 God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Can I ask you again…Are you righteous? Praise God, in Christ Jesus you are! Claim it as yours today.
1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
Righteousness = a position of right-standing with God that gives you the ability to stand in the presence of God without guilt or condemnation and in the presence of the devil without fear.