Are you searching for the essential meaning of Righteousness in the Bible? Do you want to understand the profound theological concept of the Righteousness of God in Christ and what it means for faith and salvation?
This article explores the biblical understanding of righteousness, distinguishing between human effort and divine gift, and refocusing on Christ as the source.
The Meaning of Righteousness in the Bible
In the Bible, the concept of righteousness (Hebrew: tsedeqah; Greek: dikaiosynē) goes beyond simple moral excellence or good behavior. It fundamentally means conformity to a divine standard, specifically, God’s own character.
- Moral Excellence: Righteousness is the state of moral rightness, the ability to act in alignment with what is right and just, without deviation.
- Relational Harmony: Crucially, biblical righteousness is also about right relationship or covenant faithfulness. A person is righteous when they are in a right standing with God, acting according to the terms of their covenant or relationship.
The Bible establishes God as the source and definition of all true righteousness. Any act that deviates from His perfect, holy, and just nature is considered unrighteous.
The Two Types of Righteousness
Biblical theology often contrasts two principal paths to achieving a righteous standing:
1. Righteousness By Works (Self-Righteousness)
Righteousness by works refers to the righteous actions, deeds, and moral efforts performed by human beings.
- Definition: These are the actions a person performs to earn merit, declare themselves just, or meet a standard they set for themselves.
- Theological Critique: The Bible teaches that human efforts, while morally commendable, are flawed and insufficient to achieve the perfect standard required by a holy God. As Isaiah 64:6 states: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
While good works are a necessary result of true faith, they are not the basis for justification before God. A reliance on personal performance is often termed self-righteousness.
2. The Righteousness of God (Righteousness By Faith)
The Righteousness of God is the divine standard, action, and gift that reconciles humanity back into a right relationship with Him. It is often referred to as righteousness by faith.
- Definition: This righteousness originates entirely from God’s own initiative and action, provided for His creation. It is His way of justifying and saving people while remaining true to His own justice.
- Nature: It is a righteousness that is imputed (credited) to the believer, rather than being inherently possessed or earned by them. This is the core teaching of the New Testament regarding salvation.
The Righteousness of God in Christ: The Core of Salvation
The Righteousness of God in Christ is the central theme of the New Testament concerning salvation, providing the only viable solution to humanity's failure to attain righteousness through works.
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19)
The Exchange
The doctrine centers on an exchange (also called imputation):
- Christ's Righteousness to Man: The perfect, sinless life and obedience of Jesus Christ are credited to the believer.
- Man's Sin to Christ: The sin and unrighteousness of the believer were imputed to Christ on the cross, where He took the penalty.
This perfect exchange is the foundation of justification—the act by which God declares a believing person to be righteous, not because of their deeds, but because of Christ’s.
The Apostle Paul strongly affirms this in Philippians 3:8-9, stating his desire:
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."
An Undeserved Gift
This righteousness is consistently presented in scripture as an undeserved gift (grace), not a reward for merit.
- "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
The law of Moses could reveal sin and define righteousness, but it could not provide the power to fully satisfy God’s standard. The righteousness of God in Christ provides the complete, final atonement necessary for right standing with God, justifying believers "from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39).
How to Partake of God's Righteousness
The scriptures are clear: no person is inherently righteous on their own ("There is none righteous, no, not one" – Romans 3:10).
To partake of the Righteousness of God in Christ, a person must respond with faith. This faith is a complete reliance on what Christ has already accomplished on the cross. It is not about trying to please God through works, but rather submitting to God's method of reconciliation through His Son.
This divine righteousness, once received, transforms the believer, leading to the fruits of righteousness (Philippians 1:11), which are the good works that follow salvation. The believer's journey becomes one of sanctification—a life lived from a righteous standing, not for one.
